A dream destination in more ways than one: Heidelberg

Famous around the world and a perennial favourite among international tourists. Heidelberg is all this and more. The town has so much to offer including the Old Bridge and the mighty castle, the university and its student hangouts, a great choice of culture and entertainment, hearty cuisine and a picturesque setting on the Neckar river amid the foothills of the Odenwald forest. All reasons that explain the popularity of a town that according to Goethe had a quality of the ideal.

A magnet for millions
With around three million day-trippers every year, Heidelberg can boast some of the most impressive visitor statistics in Germany, Europe and probably the world. In some ways this is a shame, because one day really isn't enough. Those who stay just a little longer will discover a host of attractions away from the beaten track and have more time to soak up the unique atmosphere that sets Heidelberg apart from your average university town.

700 years of history and a dwarf who could hold his drink
The main attraction for all visitors, of course, is Heidelberg Castle, perched on the slopes of Mount Königstuhl some 70 meters above the Neckar river. It's easy to see why, too. The castle and its neighbouring buildings are among the most impressive sights anywhere in Germany. Although you can explore the ruins under your own steam, it's well worth joining a guided tour, if only to appreciate the history of the castle, which has experienced its fair share of ups and downs over 700 years. To get them through these turbulent times, it's likely that the lords of the castle would have made regular use of the royal wine cellar. This is home to the biggest wine barrel in the world. Made from 130 oak trees, it is seven metres wide, over eight metres in length and has a capacity of precisely 221,726 litres. For a time, the Elector Karl Theodor employed the Italian court dwarf Perkeo to guard the barrel. Perkeo's name is said to have been derived from his fondness for drink. Whenever anyone asked him if he would like another glass of wine, the answer came back "perché no?"

Falling in love with Heidelberg's old town
From the castle a path takes you straight down into the old town. At the centre of this is the market square where you'll find another of Heidelberg's many beautiful fountains, grand period houses, lots of cafés and even more little shops. Towering above this delightful scene is the famous Church of the Holy Spirit. From here it's just a stone's throw to Kornmarkt, for many Heidelberg's prettiest square. The Madonna from 1718, who is held aloft by angels atop a fountain pillar, was meant to entice Protestants to return to the 'true faith' following the Catholic Revival. Today we can all enjoy the statue, which together with the castle forms one of the town's most popular postcard motifs.

Student life: between pub and lecture theatre
The next square, Karlsplatz, is also decorated by a fountain which offers a playful take on the famous humanist and cosmographer Sebastian Münster. That such feats should be honoured reveals much about Heidelberg. Because over the course of the centuries a great many scholars have shaped the intellectual and cultural ideas of this former electoral seat. Georg Willhelm Friedrich Hegel, Robert Bunsen, Max Weber and Karl Jaspers, for example, are just some of the famous names who have studied or taught at the university – the oldest on German soil. Today, around 28,000 students are enrolled there, and although they work hard, it's not uncommon to see them in the numerous cafés and drinking establishments. Because drinking is another Heidelberg tradition, as you can experience for yourself over a glass of wine in beautiful old student pubs such as Sepp’l and Zum Roten Ochsen.