Heidelberg Morning Tour from Frankfurt
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Key Highlights
- Heidelberg – voted one of the top 10 destinations in Germany by travelers on TripAdvisor
- Tour Heidelberg′s star attraction – the famously romantic castle ruins
- View some of the finest Renaissance buildings in Europe
- See the biggest wine barrel in the world!
- Expert local guide to go with you
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Activity Schedule
When does it run?
Daily
DurationApproximately 5 hours 30 minutes
Start timeStart time: 0930h (09:30am)
Meeting Point
Duration: Approximately 5 hours 30 minutesPlease make your way to Wiesenhüttenstr. 39, 60329 Frankfurt (close to Central Station/opposite to Hotel Savoy.
Ending Point
Please reach the meeting point 15 minutes earlier.
Hotel pick up/drop off service is available for Frankfurt Hotels (payable direct at approx euro 5.00 per person each way). To request pick-up/drop-off, call the tour operator office on the number given on your confirmation voucher prior to the tour date.The tour ends at the starting point.
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Overview & Itinerary
Overview
Perched on wooded slopes beside the River Neckar, the red-roofed town of Heidelberg is one of the most romantic places in Europe. Goethe praised it, Turner painted it and Benjamin Disraeli enthused about its “exceeding loveliness”.See this beautiful place for yourself on this delightful morning tour from Frankfurt. View the famous partly-ruined Castle extolled by the Romantics as a poignant scene of melancholy and decay. Apart from the dramatically damaged fortifications there’s plenty to see including Renaissance and Gothic buildings and the world’s largest wine barrel, the “Heidelberg Tun”, reputedly made from around 130 oak trees!
Tour the streets of the old town to see the lovely Baroque buildings, the old stone bridge, the Gothic Church of the Holy Spirit, the gorgeous Renaissance facade of the House of the Knights and the ancient University.
Itinerary
To join the Heidelberg Morning Tour from Frankfurt you should make your way to the tour office at Wiesenhüttenstr. 39, 60329 Frankfurt to meet your English-speaking guide and board the coach. (Hotel pick-up can be arranged for an extra charge – approx euro 5.00 per person.)
Lovely Heidelberg lies on the River Neckar some 80 km (48 miles) south of Frankfurt and less than 1 hour’s journey by road. The town was badly damaged during 17th-century wars and rebuilt in the 18th century, using the old Gothic street layout but with Baroque buildings.
Heidelberg was an important stop on the European Grand Tour – the traditional continental tour undertaken by mainly upper-class young men in the 18th and 19th centuries. Goethe wrote about the town’s ideal beauty, Turner painted it and even Benjamin Disraeli fell for its attractions.
Like the young men on the Grand Tour, you’ll visit the star attraction of Heidelberg – the magnificent Schloss (Castle). Perched 300 feet above the town, the Castle is a mix of styles from Gothic to Renaissance and consists of several buildings around an inner courtyard. You can admire the romantically ruined fortifications with their splendid towers and see the glorious Renaissance palace of the Schlosshof.
Heading back towards town you’ll see the amazing Heidelberg Tun – the world’s largest wine barrel – constructed in 1751 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor to house the wine paid as taxes by the wine growers of the Palatine. It stands 7 meters high, is 8 ½ meters wide, holds 220,000 liters (58,124 gallons) of wine, and has a dance floor on top.
Your guide will lead you on a walk in the medieval town center to view more examples of glorious Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Highlights include:
The Old Bridge (Carl Theodor Bridge): The town’s first stone bridge, erected between 1786 and 1788 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor.
Church of the Holy Spirit: Late Gothic church near the marketplace.
The Karl’s Gate (Karlstor): Triumphal arch in honour of the Prince Elector Karl Theodor, built in 1775–1781.
House of the Knights (Zum Ritter Sankt Georg): Glorious Renaissance building with a superbly ornamented façade. This 16th century gem was one of the few buildings to survive the 17th century Wars of Succession.
A lunch box (sandwich and drink) is included in your tour price and you can enjoy this at a suitable point during the excursion.
Your tour ends back at the starting point at Wiesenhüttenstr. 39. Hotel drop-off can be arranged for an extra charge (approx euro 5.00 per person).
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Inclusions & Exclusions
Inclusions
- Transportation in an air-conditioned van or coach
- English-speaking guide
- Lunch box (sandwich and drink)
- Entrance fee for Heidelberg Castle
- Entrance fee for Heidelberg Tun
Exclusions
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off (can be arranged at approx. euro 5.00 per person each way)
- Audio commentary in languages other than English (cost euro 5.00 per person )
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Please note & Additional info
Please note
Please call the activity operator at least 24 hours prior to start of the tour for reconfirming departure details.
Please have your printed voucher in hand to present to staff upon boarding.Additional info
The confirmation voucher includes the local activity operator’s contact details and local telephone numbers at the destination. They will happily answer any logistical questions you may have.In accordance with German law, a seat is provided for children of all ages.