Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Heidelberg?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Heidelberg?

Many travelers spend one to three days in Heidelberg during their visit. After all, the historic town has plenty to explore such as the historic old town, the gorgeous scenery, and the quaint atmosphere.

Heidelberg is a beautiful city with an impressive castle and a quaint old town. The city has great local restaurants and it's a fun place to wander around for a few days. The castle on the hill offers a beautiful backdrop for a stunning city.

Do you have one or two days to visit Heidelberg? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.


Is one day enough time in Heidelberg?

As a popular town, Heidelberg offers a large number of activities and attractions for visitors. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to see the main attractions. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the historic town has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have one to three days to fully enjoy the town. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're in town.

How to spend a day in Heidelberg

The charming atmosphere and history of the old town area is worth exploring, so spend the day learning about the history and culture of the area. The charming old town, or Altstadt, is lined with cafes that spill out onto the street and churches with bells that chime hourly. The area is filled with activity and there are many shops, ice cream vendors, and restaurants to choose from.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Fascinating Heidelberg Sightseeing Walking Tour ($218)
  • Heidelberg old Town Tour. ($42)
  • Heidelberg Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide ($204)

Heidelberg is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. The views from the castle and the picturesque old town all make this a truly beautiful city.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Fascinating Heidelberg Sightseeing Walking Tour ($218)
  • Heidelberg Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide ($204)
  • Amazing Schwetzingen Garden Tour ($239)

Heidelberg is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the town, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. The old town is particularly walkable.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Heidelberg?

A weekend is the perfect amount of time in Heidelberg, as many visitors prefer to spend around one to three days here. You'll be able to explore the major attractions and take part in this historical town's most popular things to do such as the historic old town, the gorgeous scenery, the quaint atmosphere, and the restaurant scene. We have some suggestions for what to do and where to start your adventure below.

Heidelberg, Germany Heidelberg, Germany

How to spend 2 days in Heidelberg

With a weekend (two to three days) in Heidelberg, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the town has to offer.

Don't miss the Heidelberg Castle during your trip to Heidelberg, as it's one of this destination's most well-known attractions. You should make sure to set aside enough time to see it.

The restaurant and food scene here is top notch, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine. The old town is filled with local restaurants that offer an assortment of traditional dishes. The restaurants offer a mix of outdoor and indoor seating and classic dishes include saumagen, lewwerkneedl, and dampfnudeln.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Heidelberg Tour with winetasting. ($154)
  • Guided cider tasting ($29)

The public transit in Heidelberg is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the town quite easily and affordably. There are trams and buses that connect the old town to the train station.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Heidelberg, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.

Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.