What's on in Heidelberg, Germany through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in Germany, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in February.

Busy — Easter holidays in Germany, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Blossom on the Philosophenweg

  25 Mar – 20 Apr · usuallyCherry blossom

  Almond and cherry come out on the south-facing slope across the Neckar, usually in the first half of April. The path is narrow and everybody has the same idea on the first warm Sunday.

Busy — Easter holidays in Germany, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Blossom on the Philosophenweg (25 Mar – 20 Apr (usually))

Busy — Whitsun/Pentecost holidays in Germany, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Busy — Castle illumination nights, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Castle illumination nights

  6 Jun – 11 JulMajor festivalCrowded

  Red flares light the castle ruin and fireworks go off over the old bridge for about twenty minutes, on the first Saturday of June and again in July. Free, and the riverbank fills from eight. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Castle illumination nights, Summer holidays in Germany

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Castle illumination nights (6 Jun – 11 Jul)

Busy — Summer holidays in Germany, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Peak crowds — September castle illumination, Heidelberger Herbst

• Festival

  September castle illumination

  5 SepMajor festivalCrowded

  The third and last illumination of the year, on the first Saturday of September, with a beer garden and live music on the Nepomuk terrace at the end of the old bridge from late afternoon. Source ↗

• Festival

  Heidelberger Herbst

  26–27 SepMajor festivalCrowded

  The old town becomes a street fair and flea market for a weekend at the end of September, with stages in the squares and the Hauptstrasse shoulder to shoulder from noon. Source ↗

Busy — Autumn holidays in Germany, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Autumn on the Neckar slopes

  8 Oct – 8 Nov · usuallyAutumn colour

  The wooded hills either side of the river turn through October and the castle terrace looks down on it. Morning mist in the valley is common in the same weeks.

Still on: Heidelberger Herbst (26–27 Sep)

Busy — Christmas market, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Christmas market

  23 Nov – 22 DecChristmas & New YearCrowded

  Six linked squares down the Hauptstrasse with a rink under the castle, which spreads the crowd better than most German markets of this size. It shuts before Christmas Eve. Source ↗

Still on: Autumn on the Neckar slopes (8 Oct – 8 Nov (usually))

Peak crowds — Christmas market, Christmas holidays in Germany

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Christmas market (23 Nov – 22 Dec)