Heidelberg Activities by Time of Day

This page sorts Heidelberg activities by time of day, which suits a city where the castle, the Old Town and the hillside across the Neckar all compete for attention. Opening hours and prices below were checked in November 2026.

Morning: the castle

Heidelberg Castle opens daily at 09:00 and closes at 18:00, with the last entry at 17:30. Starting at opening time leaves the afternoon free for the Old Town. The Schlossticket is €11 for adults and €5.50 for reduced fares until 31 December 2026, and €12 and €6 from 1 January 2027. It pays for the lower funicular, the courtyard, the Great Tun and the German Pharmacy Museum, which has shorter winter hours from January to March. Rooms inside the Friedrichsbau and Ottheinrichsbau open only on a guided tour, priced at €6 adult and €3 reduced.

  • Reduced fares apply from age 6, and to students up to 28.
  • An audioguide costs an extra €6.
  • The castle is shut on 25 December.

Midday: museums in the Old Town

The Studentenkarzer on Augustinergasse is a short walk from Marktplatz. Student offenders were locked up here between 1778 and 1914, and the cell walls are covered with their drawings and verses. A combined ticket with the University Museum is €7.50 adult and €5 reduced, and the Karzer-only ticket at €6 and €4 is valid on Mondays only. Bags must go into lockers. Hours are listed on heiCOLLECTIONS . The Kurpfälzisches Museum on Hauptstrasse is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays.

Afternoon: the hillside

Cross the Alte Brücke and take the Schlangenweg up to the Philosophenweg. The cobbles are steep and slick when wet or covered in leaves, so wear grippy shoes. The path itself is about 2 km long, with views over the river to the castle. For the summit, the Heidelberger Bergbahn runs in two sections to the Königstuhl. A Panoramaticket costs €17 return for adults, while the upper section alone is €7 single or €10 return. The Königstuhl fare list is at bergbahn-heidelberg.de , and prices go up in January 2027.

Evening: river and tavern

Boats from the Stadthalle pier run mostly from spring to autumn. The 50-minute sightseeing cruise is from €19, including a drink. For dinner, Zum Roten Ochsen on Hauptstrasse is a long-running student inn, and the Kulturbrauerei on Leyergasse brews its own beer.

In winter

The Christmas market opens on 23 November 2026 and closes on 22 December across six Old Town squares. The ice rink returns to Karlsplatz. The zoo drops to its winter tariff, at €13 for adults.

Money-saving note

The HeidelbergCARD costs €25 for a day and includes the castle ticket, museum entries and VRN travel. Read more: Heidelberg sightseeing and the three-day plan . To book guided visits, search Heidelberg activities on Viator .