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Altstadt (Old Town)

Altstadt (Old Town)

Altstadt (Old Town)
4.5
NeighborhoodsPoints of Interest & Landmarks
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The Old Town of Heidelberg starts from Sofienstrasse and brings you to the castle. In the middle there is the University Area (the oldest university in Germany), the main shopping street (Hauptstrasse) and it includes to famous Karl-Theodor-Bridge / the Old bridge.
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  • Kelly B
    Iowa5,608 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Picturesque
    Quite a lovely place to walk around. It was very crowded when we were there. We parked at a nearby transit station, and then took the train in (about a 5 minute ride). The streets are very narrow, and it seemed like parking would be a nightmare.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 25, 2023
  • Aniello Saggese
    Baronissi, Italy2,085 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visiting the Old Town
    The first time I heard the name Heidelberg was during my studies in computer science. Some pretty good software tools were developed within its university. While nearby, I heard that Heidelberg is also a popular tourist destination, so we decided to spend a day visiting the Old Town and in particular its castle. The old town, developed between the castle hill and the river Neckar, was a little damaged during the Second World War and is very pleasant to visit. Here, there are monuments, religious buildings, beautiful squares and, to finish, its famous church and old bridge. A Beautiful panoramic view may be enjoyed from the terraces of the castle.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written January 6, 2024
  • Stellayin
    Paris, France289 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful old town but disappointing public toilets
    We had an old town city tour with a guide 4 days ago. The overall experience was very nice, until when we needed a break to go to the toilets The tourist guide brought us to the public toilets which are located nearby the church. The public toilets are free of charge but very dirty and smell really bad.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 30, 2024
  • therese l
    Cobleskill, New York934 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Old Town Heidelberg
    Just wandering around the Old Town can take an entire day as you explore the shops, cafes, and churches as well as soaking in the feel of the area. Be prepared for lots and lots of other people doing the same thing! We were pleasantly surprised by a South African youth group singing and dancing along the street when we arrived - didn't have that one on my bingo card for Heidelberg.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 26, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles3,248 reviews
Excellent
1,962
Very good
1,088
Average
161
Poor
24
Terrible
13

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Paul L
Lintgen, Luxembourg307 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
Quaint little narrow streets off the main street, a bustling area of shops cafe's, restaurants and bars. Some beautiful architecture, buildings, church and cobbled streets. Students and tourists in abundance gives it a great atmosphere.
Written June 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KTLeber
Frankfurt, Germany1,002 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
One of the few large old town areas in Germany that have been preserved. It is worth strolling through the side streets of the very long main street. There are still some gems to be discovered there.
And then there are some comments to be made about some of the reviews that you can read here:
1. Anyone who has not yet noticed that Heidelberg is at the top of the list of German sights in the world and that the city is therefore full of tourists has lost touch with reality.
2. Tourists who complain about too many tourists should be aware that they are part of the problem.
3. I don't go to an old town like this to shop.
4. When I book a hotel in the old town, I have to ask whether there are parking spaces. Anything else is ignorant.
Google
Written August 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sue M
Williamsburg, VA1,536 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Couples
We walked the Old Town, covering numerous Heidelberg sights. Such a lovely old town with lots of great shops and plenty of places to eat. I'm so glad that we decided to do this Viking included tour of Heidelberg from our river cruise. I read Rick Steve's guide book on Germany and he did not recommend visiting Heidelberg, saying that it was too modernized. I usually like his travel recommendations but I definitely disagree with his opinion of Heidelberg. It was worthwhile visiting.
Written May 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steveage
Rexburg, ID3,129 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2019
Heidelberg and particularly this downtown area were not what I expected. It was beautiful, but utterly hammered with thousands of tourists on June 30. We walked up and back from the Schloss Castle to this old town area. I really wanted to see Heiliggeistkirche in this market/plaza area. However, something special was going on inside, so it was closed. Heiliggeistkirche is literally surrounded with tourist shopping booths. Nothing sold here is made in Germany, but tourists go for these little junky trinkets - well, my wife does too! Anyway, be aware, this is a very popular destination, which usually this means the shop owners are accustomed to all the tourists. It just didn't have the friendly feel, on the contrary, shop owners seemed to be a bit perturbed.
Written March 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

therese l
Cobleskill, NY934 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Couples
Just wandering around the Old Town can take an entire day as you explore the shops, cafes, and churches as well as soaking in the feel of the area. Be prepared for lots and lots of other people doing the same thing! We were pleasantly surprised by a South African youth group singing and dancing along the street when we arrived - didn't have that one on my bingo card for Heidelberg.
Written September 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Massimiliano P
Novara, Italy44,885 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Heidelberg is a very lively and animated town, an important university center and a well-known tourist destination. The old city, which develops between the castle hill and the bank of the Neckar river, is quite pleasant to visit, with the presence of numerous eighteenth-century baroque architecture, some interesting religious buildings, beautiful squares and monuments and finally the famous old Bridge. A town, little damaged during the Second World War, very pleasant to visit. The panoramic view of the historic center from the castle terraces is beautiful.
Google
Written November 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ulrich F
Berlin, Germany343 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Couples
I know many old German cities (Bamberg, Nuremberg, Augsburg, Würzburg etc.)
Heidelberg does not play in the first division for me.
The houses and squares are partly worth seeing.
But the streets and squares overflow hopelessly.
In the narrow streets in every 2nd House a locality. And if only one row of tables “sticks” to the house wall, all tables are occupied. Eat and see and be seen. Those who like it are right here.
At the beginning of September there were still semester breaks, when the students join in, then it will be really cozy.
Automatically translated
Written September 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

laczkozsu
Debrecen, Hungary2,431 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Friends
We spent a day in this charming university town just passing through. First we walked around the heart of the city, in the Old Town. We discovered many small boutiques, cosy cafés and traditional beer gardens in the narrow cobbled streets between the timber-framed houses. Here you can relax for a while. The main square, the Marktplatz, is the centre of the Old Town, with beautiful buildings, including the Town Hall. In the middle of the square stands the Hercules Fountain. You could spend more time here.
Written December 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stellayin
Paris, France289 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
We had an old town city tour with a guide 4 days ago.
The overall experience was very nice, until when we needed a break to go to the toilets
The tourist guide brought us to the public toilets which are located nearby the church.
The public toilets are free of charge but very dirty and smell really bad.
Written May 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

thomas r
26 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Couples
The place is a disappointment overall If you have traveled much this is a let down with a lot of hype . Old town bland not colorful not many buildy worth a second look.The castle is a VERY SMALL RUIN and if you ever traveled in the UK or Ireland a let down .Save your time n go elsewhere
Written January 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Altstadt (Old Town) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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