When the city's 18th century sandstone Alte Brücke, or old bridge, is lit up you can see what Mark Twain meant about the beauty of Heidelberg at night. A photo posted by Indes Photography (@indes ...

Heidelberg Suites £££ Across the Old Bridge, this 19th-century villa offers 24 luxurious architect-designed suites with glorious city views (6221 655650; heidelbergsuites.com ; from £262 ...

Built of red Neckar sandstone on the terraced hillside some 195 metres above Heidelberg, this 16th-century castle is one of the best examples of German Renaissance architecture.

If not everyone knows about Heidelberg, Germany, they should. The city boasts a well-preserved Old Town; Germany's oldest university, plus the nightlife that implies; and, above all, striking ...

Further information from the tourist information office at Willy-Brandt Platz 1 (0049 6221 19433, www.cvb-heidelberg.de) and the German National Tourist Office (020 7317 0908, www.germany-tourism.de).