The castle & surrounding community are gorgeous. Worth a look for sure. There is a funicular to get you from town to the castle - save you the hike. Can't add more than the rave reviews of others. It's cool. You won't regret it. Couple of restaurants up at the castle too, so a snack if you need. read more

Wow. The castle is stunning!!!! Our daughter lives in the area and we decided to walked up to the castle when we visited. It is steep walk up but very doable. It took us less than 10 min to get to the top. The grounds where buzzing with tourists but even tho there where a lot of people it didn't feel crowded. We walked around the grounds for a while and I honestly couldn't get enough of the view! It is out of this world-- it is overlooking beautiful, historic Heidelberg and Neckar river!!! To get the whole experience we opted to tour the ruins and castle courtyard. The 11Euro to go inside the castle is totally worth it. The giant wine barrel in one part of the castle is insane-- it is so big that the is even a dance floor on top of it! Overall, an unforgettable experience and a must-see if you're in the area! read more

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It was quite walk , a 15 mins to climb from downtown square up to the castle. There's alternative the train round trip. Only setback long line by the time you get to the castle you wasted 30 mins and you have to pay the fee. It was worth the steepest stair and cobble stone walk. The castle was well preserved. Beautiful color scheme of the old wall . Once your on top the entire view of Heidelberg was mesmerizing. Bring water and apply sunblock it was hot this month of visit. read more

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Not sure how to appropriately review a castle that was first established in the 13th century and has gone through many iterations in the ensuing centuries. Nevertheless, this was a fantastic visit and I highly recommend. read more

Heidelberg Castle - Castles Near Me - Heidelberg, BW

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Lovely atmospheric castle We spent a couple of happy hours wandering around the ruined castle grounds. We chose to visit on a cold winter Monday morning and it was lovely and quiet. The views from the castle are stunning. Unfortunately, the cable car wasn't operating and the biggest barrel in the world was covered in scaffolding but we still enjoyed our visit! read more

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The castle is beautiful but will not take you very long to see. Spend the €6 to get a guided tour inside the castle otherwise you only see a few areas. We did the panoramic ticket for the tram all the way to the top of the mountain and the ticket included access to the castle. The queue for the tram was about 40 minutes but it was nice to get to the top of the mountain. There's no parking at the castle so park in the town and walk up or buy the tram ticket to get you up to the castle. read more

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I took a day trip from Frankfurt and this is a must visit. The Heidelberg Castle is majestically set above the charming town of Heidelberg. It's a site of history and romance. The castle's imposing ruins tell the story of a once grand fortress that has withstood centuries of wars, fires, and even lightning strikes. One of the highlights of the castle visit is the fascinating history of pharmacy exhibit. Tucked away in a section of the castle, this exhibit offers an in-depth look at the evolution of pharmacy from ancient times to the modern era. I loved my visit and the views were breathtaking tako read more

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This is the #1 must do attraction when visiting Heidelberg. The cable car was out of operation during our late March 2025 visit so we chose to walk up which wasn't that bad. You have to take about 200 steps or less, but it's honestly not that steep. You can also take the other route with no steps but it's slightly longer. Once you get to the top, the views are absolutely beautiful and worth the trip. It's important to understand that these are more ruins than a fully operational castle. The $12 entry fee gets you into the grounds and allows you to walk around the castle. You can also go into the apothecary museum on the ground floor for free as well as the gift shop and the wine bar. You have to take a private tour to tour other interior parts of the castle, but we didn't have time for that during our visit. Once you get to the top, you have amazing views of all of Heidelberg and just being up there is a truly memorable experience. I wish we would have been able to go into more of the interiors of the castle, but still I really enjoyed the trip and would say anyone visiting Heidelberg must visit this place at least once, especially for the historical importance. read more

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This is a great day trip from Frankfurt. Prepare to spend 2 hours traveling one way to get to the castle. That includes the train and bus ride to the funicular. When you arrive at the Heidelberg station, exit and head over to the bus stop and take bus #20 towards Rathaus/Bergbahn. This will drop you off at the bottom of the Funicular and also the ticket office to purchase your Castle entrance. If you want to purchase the castle tour add on, you will have to do that at the tourist office at the top. That's an additional $6 and will last about an hour. The grounds are immaculate and gives you views of not only the river and the town below, but also the castle itself. I thought the tour was informative and gives you an inside look at how it was back then and you get to go inside the castle and hear the stories of each room you are in. For $6, it's not a bad deal. After you are done and head back down to the bus, make sure you cross the street and get on the 20 bus at the same side that you were dropped off on. I made the mistake and thought that the correct bus line would be across the street going in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, I found this not to be true as this side is heading Southbound. The bus line across the street where you got off, heads north back to the train station. Hopefully this makes sense. read more

What an amazing castle. Such great history. Beautiful views. A must see. Pictures include what it looked little when first built and what it looks like today. read more

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I agree with most other reviewers that state this is a must visit while in Heidelberg! You can choose to walk up the hill to the castle or take the shuttle. We chose the shuttle on the way up and then took a nice stroll back down. Be careful not to get lost on your way down - we did get a bit turned around but enjoyed our little adventure. The castle itself is massive and you can spend a ton of time here. We opted out of a tour as we didn't want to be there all day, but instead enjoyed touring the wine cellar, taking in the majestic views of Heidelberg, and then took in the pharmacy museum. All are super fun, especially walking up to the top of the giant wine barrel. I believe if you wanted to you could even have a glass of wine in the bar area, which would have been fun if it was later in the day. The views are worth it alone, but you won't regret this stop. Very affordable, and a really enjoyable stop on our day trip to this town. read more

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Beautiful castle! Such a cool place and the views from the top were incredible. The hike up is pretty steep, but there was a cable car or something like that. We did the guided English tour. It was about an hour but it was worth it since you can't go inside the castle without a guide. read more

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Fun ride up in the funicular. Go to the top first to get the awesome views, then ride back down to the castle to avoid afternoon lines. The audio tour is worth the small cost (6.5 euros) nice restrooms in several locations. Tip: keep your tickets throughout your stay. You'll need it at all points of transportation and at the entrance of the castle. read more

This was excellent. No crowds. The guide books say this is a Ruin. But it is not. ABBA will do a concert here in November. The steps to the left of the trolly are about 300. We came back that way. But there is a back way short cut that is just a steep hill, residential. There is food and water and a WC at the top. The two free visits , pharmacy and largest wine cask in the world can't be missed. Two casks. Look for both. I would have happily paid for both. read more

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We visited Heidelberg Castle today in Heidelberg, Germany. Just visiting the town of Heidelberg is an adventure, but the castle is the 'Main Event' so to speak. The castle ruins are actually what you see because much of the castle is in a a state of decay or collapse. When we first saw the castle high up on the hill, I knew it was ancient- but I was still surprised to discover that the castle construction started in 1214! The history of the castle is quite fascinating. In 1537, a lightning bolt destroyed the upper castle. Other parts of the castle were later damaged by later wars and fires. The easiest way to visit the castle is by funicular that quickly whooshes passengers up the rocky cliff to the castle. The price is very reasonable at 9 Euros- which includes entrance to the castle grounds. The castle offers panoramic views of the city, which arr breathtaking. One of the highlights of the castle visit is the Heidelberg Tun, the world's largest wine barrel. It was built in 1751 and stands 21 feet high, and holds 58,124 gallons of wine! A staircase allows visitors to climb atop the barrel for a photo opportunity. Across from the wine museum is the Apothecary Museum. Entrance to the museum is free with the same ticket. The exhibition provides a fascinating history of medication preparation. We had a fabulous day, walking back in time at this extordinary castle! read more

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Was passing through the area on a work trip and decided to power through the jet lag to make a day trip visit here. So glad we did! There are a lot of castles in Europe, but if you're looking for an experience that calls to mind castles from fairy tales and fantasy novels, this is the one. Had an amazing time climbing the paths up to and around the castle and enjoying the picturesque views of the valley. The town here is also lovely and worth wandering about. Lives up to the hype, definitely recommend! read more

Must visit when in Heidelberg! The hike is worth the breathe taking views and history lessons. Make sure to grab a water bottle, and sign up for the tour. Tours run every 30 minutes, should not be difficult to catch one. read more

Heidelberg Castle - View from the gardens - Castles Near Me - Heidelberg, BW

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Definitely pluses and minuses with this attraction. Pretty inexpensive for the "panorama ticket" which is the funicular ride both to the highest point as well as the castle. The castle is the first stop and you can get off or transfer to the next funicular to continue to the top. The cost is 14 euro round trip. The gouging occurs when you disembark at the castle level and want to actually see something inside. Otherwise, you just walk around the outside of a ruin. read more

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Heidelberg castle is amazing and a place you mustn't miss visiting. The most important things you need to know are: 1) You can take an interesting slanted train ride up/down the hill to/from the castle. I did not know this and walked all the way up pushing a baby stroller! 2) One of the biggest wine barrels in the world, also know as the Heidelberg Tun, is in the castle cellar and you can stand on top of it! 3) Spectacular views can be seen everywhere. Do not skip out on this gem in Germany! read more

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For only 18 e you get the team ride up to the palace and entrance to the palace and pharmacy museum! Palace grounds are stunning, you can see so much or sit in the grass or walk around-we did it all! Stunning views on all sides. It was a bit crowded but worth the trip Look at that wine cask! And the lovely views. read more

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I was stationed in Heidelberg for almost 3 years and absolutely loved it! While I was there, I visited the Heidelberg Castle several times and brought all my visitors there. They have one of the largest wine barrels in the world in their wine cellar. They are known for their eis wine. Eis wine is a super sweet wine made from the first frost snap. It apparently makes the grapes very sweet. It's one of my favorites! You can buy the wine here and tour the castle grounds. It is a very steep walk up to the castle. read more

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I don't know what possessed me to walk up that huge cobblestone hill 7 months pregnant in sandals in the July, but I did and it was so worth it. I was already significantly out of breath when it reached the top, but the views of Heidelberg from every spot were truly breathtaking. I was pretty bummed that the inner portions of the castle were only available with the guided tour, but the experience was great nonetheless. The ticket included access to the pharmacy, the giant wine barrel, and the courtyard. There were bathrooms and maps located pretty conveniently around the paths. There are also two restaurants that I saw and at least 1 ice cream cart. I can't speak on the food because we didn't eat on our trip. There was plenty of street parking, but it seemed kind of far from the path to the castle. That's not necessarily bad, but again...7 months pregnant. There is a parking garage at the base of the entry path, but the wait can be long depending on how full it is. Fortunately for us 3 cars in front of us were tired of waiting and left so we got in pretty quickly, the price was 6 euro for about 2.5 hours. Hopefully I can make it back to do a guided tour before I leave the country. read more

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Started around 1200A.D., this castle is impressive. Over the centuries it has been added onto and you can see the progression of building styles. As with every group tour, you get to see the highlights and have a short time to explore on your own. It would be nice to have had more time to discover more about the history here. Make sure to walk past the front gate before you enter, that way you can see the remains of the tower that was blown up centuries ago. Once inside you will see a wine barrel that is said to hold over 50,000 gallons. ( taxes could be paid in wine here). The apothecary was very educational as well. I'm glad I wasn't around when the cures found here were in vogue! read more

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In my opinion this castle originally built in 1214 is a must see when in Heidelberg. You can access the red sandstone Renaissance style castle by car (limited parking space), walk (260 feet above the town and a steep climb), bike (I hope you are in great shape) or funicular which I recommend, For 8 euros (adult ticket) you get to ride the funicular, walk the grounds, admission to the self-guided Apothecary Museum, see the worlds largest wine barrel (the tun) and enjoy amazing panoramic views of the city. If you are interested in more detail buy the 5 Euro audio-guide. Also, for an additional 5 Euros you can take the guided tour which gives you entrance to some of the interior chambers. Tours are on the hour usually from 11 am-4 pm. They have tours in English and German. Since 1214 the castle has been damaged by wars (Thirty Years War), two lighting strikes in 1754 and weathering over 800 years. Only the Friedrich's building has been restored. The figures on the the outside are reproductions but the originals can be seen if you take the guided tour. The Apothecary Museum has 20,000 objects covering 2,000 years of western pharmacy history.. The Tun housed in the barrel building 1591 is the world's largest wine barrel measuring 23' high X 27' wide. It was built in 1725 and holds 58,000 gallons. The Great Terrace has spectacular views of the city of Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley and River. The Hortus Palatinus (palace gardens) were created in the 17th century. The Elizabeth Gate built by Friedrich V for his wife Elizabeth Stuart is another highlight. read more

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I only had half a day to spent in Heidelberg and ran into some Americans on business and they highly suggested visiting the Heidelberg castle. I made it a point to get up early and enjoy breakfast before walking to old town from the Marriott hotel where I stayed. It was early and Sunday so the shops weren't even open but the walk was scenic. I decided to hike up the hill and enjoy the plush green trees and forest en route to the castle. Once arriving I purchased tickets for admission into the castle square and enjoyed the worlds largest wine barrel - The Great Barrel which was built in 1751 and holds 228,000 liters was massive. From the top of the castle the views of Heidelberg and Rhine river were gorgeous. I'm glad I made the visit to the Heidelberg Castle. read more

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The Courtyard of the hit hillaberg castle is so beautiful.i love how the medieval architectre is preserve,also like how you can tell each generation of nobles added their own style to the architecture to the palace and its grounds but also keeping the sound structure of the castle's bones in place. The fortifications of the outer walls look fantastically well preserved. You can see the great care they put into preserving the towers walls And buttresses With the fortificatiof the castle walls. As well as keeping the grandeur Of the Palace So well designed. I love how the church and the palace are walking distance which probably helped the nobles go to church. You can tell inside the Courtyard where the Stables and other tools like Blacksmith armory Once was. read more

We had good weather to take our tour, which was part of a Viking Rhine river cruise. As others have said, you have spectacular river and countryside views from the castle vantage point. Since a lot of the castle lies in ruins, it's not as spectacular as say, Marksburg Castle, but then, what is? The details and gothic art on the exterior are still very interesting, and on the inside, the almost 34,000 gallon wine barrel was a hoot to see. I loved the large doors, and even small things like hinges that held the massive doors up, were interesting to note. But then, I am a castle fan and have not seen a bad one yet! read more

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Truly amazing. Started in 1200s, completed in 1600s, semi destroyed in 1700s; if your a fan of history, or Castles or unique encounters different from where you are from, then place is it. Make the walk up the cobblestone pavement, or take the funicular. Take your time to soak it in, a lot of walking to see most of what is open. When we went there was bitter cold, and light snow and ice, making it even more magical. Went twice in three days, I personally enjoyed it so much, and fortunately encountered light crowds. read more

The views are beautiful. The castle was destroyed by war but what is left is beautiful. You can either walk a steep hill or take a short trolley ($7.5 euro?) Theres 2 huge wine barrels read more

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I have to start this review with a disclaimer. When I visited Bavaria, I toured the Neuschwanstein castle, which was stunning. Because of this, I had high expectations of this castle. Sadly, I was disappointed. The tour was fun because we had a great tour guide. It took about an hour van ride to reach Heidelberg town. With a short walk, we reached the funicular. First time ti ride one of these, which is like a tiny train that stays horizontal and climbs up the tracks in a tunnel. It was heated, which was a plus! The grounds were beautiful. I learned that the kings protected the grounds with wild animals, from bears to wolves. The architecture was quite interesting, because the castle was built over many, many years. So, you could literally look at the grounds and buildings and see the different architecture of that particular time. The highlight of the tour was seeing the humongous wine barrel- they knew how to party in their time! The tour does not include the interior of the castle, which was a real bummer. Why not open this up to the public? I know they would make a lot more money if they did this. Looking at the outside of the castle just isn't enough, in my opinion. In conclusion, I would not recommend this tour in the winter because it was just too cold and there is little chance of getting warm. read more

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Must visit when in Heidelberg proper down the hillside from castle. Take the funicular tram railroad up to castle. Its best to have guide to explain what your seeing. Hope for good weather to take great photos on terrace overlooking the city and river. read more

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Had a lovely walk around the castle with my personal guide American-friend-living-in-Heidelberg. The castle itself isn't very pretty close up with its mish-mash of various styles, its history is intriguing and it offers grand views of Heidelberg city, the river Neckar and Philosophenweg. Don't miss the supersized wine casket (upon which you can dance) and the sad story of the court jester Perkeo, the once upon a time guardian of said casket. The furnicular to the castle will also take you all the way up to Königsstuhl which offers even grander views on days with clear weather. No such luck for me the day I was in Heidelberg alas, but I really enjoyed my visit anyway. read more

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Absolutely brilliant and beautiful castle and view of Heidelberg. Visiting the outer grounds is free, but I recommend purchasing not only an entry ticket (7 Euro), which allows entry to the Courtyard, Apotheke Museum, the World's Largest Wine Barrel, and a nice restaurant, but also participate in a guided tour (5 Euro extra), which allows entry inside the castle itself. The outer grounds is perfect, if you are on a budget. It is a large area that encompasses the courtyard. One has a phenomenal view of Heidelberg, and on a sunny day, it looks stunning. Without going on the guided tour, one wouldn't know the significance of the gardens at the rear beyond the ticket office. The style was Persian influenced and an elaborately grand project, which was left incomplete, but the remnants are still beautiful to see, such as small water features, and fountains. In the 17th Century, it was considered the "8th Wonder of the World". Not bad eh? Unfortunately, time and war has not been too kind to Schloss Heidelberg. Mostly destroyed by Louis XIV after he laid claim to the Palatine dynasty as he was the brother-in-law to Princess Palatine Elizabeth Charlotte, the granddaughter to Frederik V of Heidelberg, but was denied. This was during the Nine year War. The courtyard access has a great restaurant that mostly serves form of Wurst, but also Schnitzel, which I sampled with Potato Salad, and it was lovely. I have tasted better Schnitzel and Kartoffelsalat, but it was tasty. In the courtyard, one can access the are where the largest Wine Barrel is held, and it is massive. Once again, the joy of the guided tour is that on is instilled with a greater knowledge of the barrel. In the 17th Century, it was healthier to drink wine than water, so wine was consumer more, hence the big barrel. Also great for parties! The Apotheke Museum can be find in the courtyard, and is another fascinating museum, narrating the development of medicine, trade, discovery, impact on Germany, introduction of regulation and practice, and overall evolution of the pharma industry in Germany today. Definitely worth a visit. The guided tour is fantastic to truly get a full understanding of the history and see parts of Schloss Heidelberg that one wouldn't otherwise see. Beautiful. It is easy to get to from Altstadt, either by walking (although it is an upward trek) or by the Bergbahn (6 Euro or so), which also takes one to Königstuhl. read more

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You don't get to see much inside the castle. Most of the parts are closed, only extremely big barrels and German Medicine Museum. But the view is worth the time climbing up. read more

Heidelberg Castle - Castles Near Me - Heidelberg, BW

We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the castle through the mist around 2km from the site. Exquisite. After we parked, I elected to walk up the short path to the castle entrance and I highly recommend the walk. It builds anticipation and is quite beautiful. I also recommend the tour. Besides giving you a history lesson, the interior decorations, wall paintings and various artifacts are quite interesting. We didn't eat at any of the eateries here, but if you are hungry there is a beautiful outdoor cafe, and one indoor restaurant. There was a wedding party eating at the indoor resto while we were there. Plenty of photo ops. read more

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Absolutely stunning place to visit. You get to where it's at and just look at it's magnitude. You have to truck up a good inclined hill to get to the castle itself, but there's plenty of flat walking space around the castle to get good pictures of Heidelberg and of the castle. If you want to go into the courtyard, there's a small fee. Inside, there's a museum about the history of pharmacy/ German Pharmacies that's very interesting. In the lower level, there's a wine bar amongst other things. If you walk up, prepare to sweat some, but there's also a hill cable train if you're unable to. read more

Heidelberg Castle - Castles Near Me - Heidelberg, BW

No words can describe the beauty that this amazing castle radiates. I was is awe of how magnificent it was. It looked like something out of a movie. I went to the castle on a chilly day and the wind was pretty strong. We walked around for a bit and checked out the renovations they are doing on a part of the castle that had collapsed. It was very cool to see something so ancient. Heidelberg castle is a magical place to visit. read more

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Growing up around here I've been to this castle so many times, but now that I'm an old man I got to really appreciate it today for the first time. It offers a beautiful view of the Rhein and old town Heidelberg, and if you go on a nice day it's a great place for photos. There isn't much to see interior-wise: there's a pharmacy museum and a giant wine casket where you can also sit and have some wine and coffee. It's a fairly quick place to tour, a nice place to end your tour of Heidelberg. read more

Heidelberg Castle - Heidelberg castle! - Castles Near Me - Heidelberg, BW

Amazing castle sitting on the top of the mountain. You can walk for 10 minutes or pay 6 Euros and take the cable car. On a cold afternoon, we took the cable car. Great views on the top. Great way to see the layout of the city. Would definitely come back here and try the other tours. If you come here during Christmas, be prepared to dress really warm! Its buurrrrrrrrrrrrrrr up there! read more

The castle and views are absolutely breath taking. Despite the drizzling rain, and already having spent hours exploring the town, I couldn't help but spend time examining each detail of the architecture and design. The castle was worked on over the course of 500 years (if I'm not mistaken) and you can see that the time put into it was worth it. It's massive in size and the outside is decorated with so much detailed sculpture, it's easy to loose track of time. There was a lot of damage sustained in the wars, leaving huge chunks of the castle exposed. You'll be able to see the inside layout and outside all at once. The castle provides a wonderful view of the red roofed village below. There are plenty of tour guides speaking many languages to give you a better understanding, but even without the history, you're sure to enjoy your time here just looking around. read more