In the city of Heidelberg, in the German state of Baden-Württemberg

 "I heard a Californian student in Heidelberg say, in one of his calmest moods, that he would rather decline two drinks rather than one German adjective."

-- Mark Twain
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(in the German state of Baden-Württemberg on the Neckar River) Heidelberg is is one of southern Germany’s most charming destinations. Frequented by writers and intellectuals in the 19th century, overlooked by a 13th century castle, and home to Germany’s oldest university, Heidelberg is a great place to visit any time of the year. (Winter, is a magical time in this romantic city.)

+ The city is part of the densely populated Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. Heidelberg University, founded in 1386, is Germany's oldest and one of Europe's most reputable universities. The city is a scientific hub in Germany and home to several internationally renowned research facilities adjacent to its university, including the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and four Max Planck Institutes. The city has also been a hub for the arts, especially literature, throughout the centuries.

+ Heidelberg was a seat of government of the former Electorate of the Palatinate and is a popular tourist destination due to its romantic cityscape.

+Heidelberg is located on the eastern edge of the Upper Rhine Plain, at the place where the river Neckar leaves its narrow valley through the Odenwald mountains and begins the last leg of its journey across the plain towards Mannheim, where it merges into the Rhine River. It was devastated in 1622 during the Thirty Years’ War and almost completely destroyed by the French in 1689 and 1693, so most of its important buildings are in the Baroque architectural style rather than Gothic medieval.

+ Although Heidelberg remains primarily a university and residential city, it has also developed a significant industrial base. The main business, however, is the tourist trade; several million people visit the imposing Heidelberg Castle every year. Although devastated by the French in 1689 and 1693 and then struck by lightning in 1764, this magnificent red sandstone structure still dominates the city. Though construction began in the 13th century, the most notable work was done in the Renaissance and includes the Otto-Heinrichsbau and Friedrichsbau. In the cellar of the Friedrichsbau is the Heidelberg Tun, an enormous wine cask with a capacity of 49,000 gallons (185,500 liters). The castle can be reached from the lower city by a cable railway, which continues to the summit of the Königsstuhl (massif). The only other buildings to escape razing in 1693 were the Heiliggeistkirche (Holy Ghost Church), the Marstall (formerly the Royal Mews), and the Knight’s House. Other landmarks include the Old (or Karl-Theodor) Bridge, the Town Hall, and the Jesuitenkirche.

+ The Philosophenweg (Philosopher’s Way), a path that overlooks Heidelberg’s Old Town from the north side of the Neckar; it takes its name from the university professors who found the view conducive to intellectual pursuits.