Hirschhorn-Neckar (Germany Hesse)

Hirschhorn-Neckar is a Neckar River cruise port and small town in Germany's Hesse state (Bergstrasse district) with population around 4,000. This town has a scenic location (at one of Neckar's horseshoe bends, on the river's north bank) and is approx 19 km (12 mi) east of Heidelberg-Baden. Hirschhorn is also the confluence of two tributaries (Ulfenbach and Finkenbach) that join here before flowing into the Neckar.

The settlement was established in the 8th century (under the name Ersheim) and in the early-11th-century was mentioned as Erasam (a Lorsch Abbey property). The town (as Hirtzhorn) was founded by the Lords of Hirschhorn in the mid-13th-century. Ersheim was fortified with a stone wall in late-14th-century, following the charter granted by King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia (1378-1419). The town was devasted by diseases (the Plague of 1555), fire (1556), and flooding (1565).

The current day town's economy is based on equipment production (induction heating, electricity-gas-water meters), shipping, and tourism. Best-known tourist attractions include Hirschhorn Castle (overlooking the town), Kloschder Harschhorn (Carmelite Monastery Church of the Annunciation, 15th-century), Immaculate Conception (Lutheran church, 17th-century), Ersheimer Kapelle (8th-century church, town's oldest building), Langbein Museum (antiquities and natural history).

As cruise port, Hirschhorn is included in the schedules of two of Europe's largest river cruise companies - Phoenix Reisen (ship Switzerland) and Mystic-Nico Cruises (ship Heidelberg). The next table shows the 10-day itinerary as ports sequence and times.

Prices vary between ~USD 1700-2700 pp (depending on the company/season/departure dates).