RunCity

Heidelberg on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 8 of Heidelberg's best-known sights, including Karlstor, Heidelberg Castle, Kornmarkt and more. It is about 3 km on foot, roughly 1.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Heidelberg leaderboard.

  • 8Stops
  • about 3 kmDistance
  • 1.5 hoursWalking
  • about 34 minRunning
Play Heidelberg in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

Heidelberg
Photo: Jörg Braukmann · CC BY-SA 4.0

Heidelberg's old town lies in a narrow strip between the Neckar and the castle hill, and this route covers it in about 3 km. It starts at the Karlstor, the triumphal gate at the east end, and climbs to the red sandstone ruins of Heidelberg Castle; the Bergbahn funicular from the Kornmarkt does the climb in minutes. Back down, the Kornmarkt with its Madonna column and the Marktplatz in front of the Church of the Holy Spirit are the heart of the town.

The Old Bridge, with its twin-towered gate and the bronze monkey, crosses the Neckar, and the route returns to University Square with its lion fountain and the round Witches' Tower. The bonus stop is the Philosophers' Walk on the far bank, a path up the hillside with the classic view of the castle and old town; it is reached by the steep Schlangenweg from the Old Bridge.

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Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Karlstor

    Karlstor Photo

    The triumphal city gate at the east end of the old town.

    Photo: Solaris2006 · CC BY 3.0

  2. Heidelberg Castle

    Heidelberg Castle Photo

    The red sandstone castle ruins above the town.

    Photo: Motatcho · CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. Kornmarkt

    Kornmarkt

    The small square under the castle with the Madonna column.

    Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.5

  4. Marktplatz and Church of the Holy Spirit

    Marktplatz and Church of the Holy Spirit

    The old market square in front of the Gothic church.

    Photo: Unknown author · CC BY 2.5

  5. Old Bridge

    Old Bridge Photo

    The stone bridge and its twin-towered gate across the Neckar.

    Photo: Edmir Silvestre from Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brasil · CC BY 2.0

  6. University Square

    University Square

    The old university buildings round the lion fountain.

    Photo: Rutger van der Maar · CC BY 2.0

  7. Witches' Tower

    Witches' Tower

    The round medieval tower with its tiled cap.

    Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0

  8. Philosophers' Walk

    Philosophers' Walk Bonus Photo

    The castle and old town seen across the river.

    Photo: Dob23 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Play Heidelberg in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see Heidelberg on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 8 stops on this route add up to about 3 km, roughly 1.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Heidelberg is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in Heidelberg?

    Open Heidelberg in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Heidelberg leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Karlstor and finishing at Philosophers' Walk. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

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