Alte Brucke
The Alte Brucke (Old Bridge) is a Baroque stone bridge across the Neckar with twin towers and a bronze monkey sculpture that gives good luck if you touch it. Free to cross.
Scenic route in Heidelberg
Philosophenweg
The Philosophenweg (Philosophers’ Walk) is a hillside path on the north bank of the Neckar, climbing through gardens and vineyards to a viewpoint overlooking the castle, the bridge, the river, and the old town. Free. Hegel, Goethe, and other thinkers walked this path, which is how it got its name. Budget travelers cross the Alte Brucke, climb the path, and see the most famous view in Heidelberg from the trail that German Romanticism walked.
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- Philosophenweg, 69120 Heidelberg
- Good to know
Nearby
More in Heidelberg
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Heidelberg Castle
Heidelberg Castle is a partly ruined Renaissance castle on the hillside above the old town, one of the most famous ruins in Germany. The courtyard and the Great Terrace (with panoramic views over the Neckar River and the old town) are included in the basic grounds ticket (cheap) or free by hiking up the Burgweg path.
Heidelberg Old Town
Heidelberg's Altstadt is a compact pedestrian zone of Baroque buildings, student pubs, bookshops, and the oldest university in Germany (founded 1386). Free to walk.
Working out what Heidelberg costs?
The whole of Heidelberg