Heidelberg (Germany Baden-Wurttemberg)

Heidelberg is a Neckar River/Rhine River cruise port and city in Germany's Baden-Wurttemberg state (Rhine-Neckar metro region, Urban district). By population (around 150,000), the city is ranked state's 5th-largest - after Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Freiburg im Breisgau. Neckar River flows into Rhine River approx 22 km (14 mi) northwest (in Mannheim).

Among town's best-known landmarks are Heidelberg University (Germany's oldest), Heidelberg Castle, Old Town (baroque-style architecture), Philosophenweg (Philosophers' Walk), churches, Carl Bosch Museum, Deutsches Verpackungsmuseum (packing and wrapping goods), Kurpfalzisches Museum (Roman archeological artifacts).

Altstadt (Old Town) is on the river's south bank and dominated by Heidelberg Castle's ruins above the river (on Konigstuhl hill's steep slopes). Hauptstrasse (Main Street) has length approx 2 km (1 mi) running Altstadt's entire length.

The city's current-day economy is heavily based on service industries, including tourism, as annually the city attracts over 3,5 million tourists. Printing and publishing are other major industries. Largest employers are Walldorf (IT center) and SAP (software corporation). Here are also the headquarters of HeidelbergCement AG (DAX-listed corporation, currently ranked the world's largest producer of construction aggregates, 2nd-largest in cement and 3rd-largest in ready-mixed concrete).

Through western Heidelberg runs Bundesautobahn 5 (highway) connecting to Frankfurt am Main (north) and Karlsruhe (south). Bundesautobahn 656 starts west of the town and connects to Mannheim. Both highways meet at the city's intersection. B656 connects to B6 at the Mannheim intersection (towards Stuttgart). Bundesstrasse 3 (Frankfurt-Karlsruhe) also runs through the city (north-south), while east-west runs Bundesstrasse 37 (Mannheim-Eberbach). Both intersect at Bismarckplatz (in downtown). Bundesautobahn 535 starts in the south and connects to Schwetzingen. Hauptbahnhof (Central Train Station) is on the Rhine Valley Railway served by InterCityExpress (high-speed trains) and by Euro City trains.

As cruise port, Heidelberg is regularly included in the schedules of Europe's largest river cruise companies, among which Viking, Avalon Waterways, CroisiEurope, Scylla (Tauck, Riviera Travel), Nicko.

(Viking) 7-day itinerary between homeports Basel and Amsterdam

(Avalon) 7-day itinerary between homeports Amsterdam and Basel, prices from ~USD 2400 pp

(CroisiEurope) 8-day itinerary between homeports Kehl and Remich, prices from ~USD 1400 pp