OPTIONAL TOURS

Heidelberg is a wonderful place to live, and HIWC is proud to share some of the amazing experiences our region has to offer! We’re excited to offer some fantastic tours, taking place on Friday 7th, Saturday 8th, and on Sunday 9th, November. To give you more flexibility, several tours will run at the same time, so you can choose what suits you best. Read on to discover the perfect tour for you. For booking, just make your choice in the R5 registration form. We look forward to seeing you there!
Heidelberg Old Town Walk
 
Winding alleys and dreamy squares,   interesting museums and alleries: Heidelberg’s Old Town is   multi-faceted. A guided tour around the old town brings the past to   life. Whether the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit), the   Jewish Quarter, Germany’s oldest university with the Studentenkarzer   (student’s  prison) or any of the other sights, every station in the old town has an   interesting story to tell.  The route also leads through the main street, one of the longest   pedestrian zones in Europe

Cost: €20 (includes bus fare) | €12 with Deutschlandticket

Tour FR02: Guided Walking Tour | TIME: 14:30  - 16:00 
Discover the Evolution of U.S. Army Sites into a Modern Urban Community
 
Explore the remarkable transformation of former U.S. military sites Mark Twain Village and the former NATO headquarters at Campbell Barracks into Neue Südstadt, one of Heidelberg’s most dynamic and inclusive new neighborhoods.
This guided walking tour traces the deep-rooted U.S.–German history embedded in these locations and shows how they’ve been reimagined as vibrant urban spaces that blend cultural venues, sustainable green areas, and community-oriented housing.

Highlights include:

  • Mark Twain Center
  • Redevelopment of U.S. military sites
  • Der Andere Park
  • Karlstorbahnhof cultural hub
  • Community-focused urban design

Tour Guide: Volker Schwarz (Head of Landscape Department, City of Heidelberg).

Cost: €15 (includes bus fare) | €8 with Deutschlandticket

Meeting Point: 14:30 - Mark-Twain-Center, Römerstr. 162, 69126 Heidelberg
How to get there: Bismarckplatz or 14:30 at Marlene-Dietrich-Platz (take the Bus 29 from Bismarckplatz and get off at Marlene-Dietrich-Platz). Bus tickets will be provided.
Approximately travel time: 25 minutes.
Host: Juliah Rais-Morres
Tour FR03: Uncork the Charm of Baden | TIME: 14:30  - 16:00 
Wine Tasting Experience at Wehweck Winery, Schriesheim

Join us for a delightful tasting of six wines and one premium brandy or liqueur, thoughtfully guided for you to savor each sip, with fresh bread and refreshing mineral water to complement the experience.

The Wehweck Winery is located in the wine town of Schriesheim, just 7 km north of Heidelberg along the Badische Bergstraße.

Founded in 1955, this family-run business is now entering its third generation under the leadership of master winemaker Philipp Wehweck. The winery cultivates a variety of grape types, including Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, and Dornfelder.

Cost:
6 - 10 participants: €45 (including tram fare) | €35 with Deutschlandticket
 
11 - 20 Participants: €35 (including tram fare) | €25 with Deutschlandticket

Meeting Point: 13:15 in the hotel lobby. From there, it's a 5-minute  walk to the Betriebshof bus stop. Take Tram 26  at 13:27 to Hans-Thoma-Platz. From there, take Tram 5 at 13:38, get off at Zentgrafenstraße (ETA 14:01) , 5 min walk to Talstraße 4).

Host: Rebekka Klingshirn 

 
Do you know since when women have been allowed to vote, study, or teach at university? Since when have they been free to wear what they want? We trace the path toward gender equality through encounters with well-known and lesser-known women of our city Heidelberg.

Please note: We will go directly to the restaurant Zum Roten Ochsen directly after the tour.

​Meeting Point: 15:15 in the hotel lobby. From there, it's a 5-minute  walk to the Betriebshof bus stop. Take Bus 36 in the direction of  Ziegelhausen Köpfel  and ride (about 13 min) directly to Peterskirche. From there, 4 min walk to Universitätsplatz).

Cost: €23 (includes bus fare) | €16 with Deutschlandkarte

Host: Marelie Manders 

Tour SA02: Guided Walking Tour | TIME: 16:00  - 17:30 (90 min) 
Heidelberg World-famous Castle

It towers majestically above the roofs of the old town and impresses millions of people year after year - the Heidelberg Castle. With a tour through the castle courtyard and the castle garden, you can immerse yourself in the colorful history of the world-famous structure. A visit to the giant barrel, the largest wine barrel in world ever to be filled, is also featured on the program (no inside areas).

​Cost: €30 p.p (includes bus fare and castle tickets, which cover the round-trip ride on the mountain railway to the castle, entrance to the courtyard, a visit to the Great Barrel, and admission to the German Pharmacy Museum.) | €23 with Deutschlandkarte.
 
Please note: We will go directly to the restaurant Zum Roten Ochsen after the tour.
 
Meeting Point: 15:15 in the hotel lobby. From there, it's a 5-minute  walk to the Betriebshof bus stop.
 
How to get there: Take Bus 36 in the direction of  Ziegelhausen Köpfel  and ride (about 15 min) directly to Rathaus/Bergbahn).
 
Host: Rebekka Klingshirn

The combined tour highlights the historical connections between the cathedral and the Jewish community, as Speyer is one of the few cities in Germany with two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The existence of both the cathedral and the Jewish community in Speyer are directly linked in history. Toward the end of the 10th century, during the construction of the cathedral under Emperor Henry IV, Bishop Rüdiger Huizmann settled Jews in Speyer and placed them under his protection—fully aware that they brought scholarly knowledge and trade connections to the city, which also benefited the cathedral.

From the cathedral, we will explore the historic Jewish ShUM community center, which was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2021. This part of the tour includes the SchPIRA Museum, the medieval synagogue, the women’s prayer room, and the very well-preserved Romanesque mikveh (ritual bath).

Cost: €54 p.p (includes train fare) | €24 with Deutschlandkarte

Meeting Point: 12:50 in the hotel lobby. From there, it's a 8-minute  walk to the Main Train Station.
How to get there: Take train S3 at 13:13 via Mannheim directly to Speyer Train Station (ETA 13:56 - about 50 min ride). In Speyer take Bus 561 at 14:00 or 14:10 to Domplatz (only 2 stations). 
Return: from Domplatz take Bus 561 at 16:40 to Speyer Train Station, from there S3 at 17:02 to Heidelberg (ETA 17:45).
Host: Marelie Manders
Tour SU02: Schwetzingen Palace & Garden | TIME: 14:00  - 15:30 
 
Located just 17 km from Heidelberg, Schwetzingen Palace is the centerpiece of a unique ensemble consisting of the palace, palace gardens, and the historic palace square. What began as a small medieval moated castle was transformed in the 18th century into the picturesque summer residence of the Electors of the Palatinate.
We will enjoy a leisurely stroll through the palace gardens together, exploring at our own pace without a guided tour.

Cost: €19 (€9 entry + €10 bus fare) | €9 with Deutschlandticket

Meeting Point: 12:35 in the hotel lobby. From there, it's a 8-minute  walk to the Main Train Station.
How to get there: Take Bus 717 at 13:00 in the direction of Speyer, get off at Schwetzingen, Bismarckstraße (ETA 13:32 - about 32 min ride). From there 7-minute walk to the castle. 
Return: from Schwetzingen, Schlossplatz, take Bus 717 at 16:24 to Heidelberg (ETA 16:58).
Host: Rebekka Klingshirn