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Living in Heidelberg

Heidelberg is more than just a beautiful place to study and work - it's a way of life. Between the Neckar, the old town and the castle, you can expect a city that breathes history and is young and lively at the same time. As one of the most popular student cities in Germany, Heidelberg not only offers an excellent academic environment, but also a high quality of life, a wide range of leisure activities and an open, international atmosphere.

Whether it's cultural highlights, nature to switch off in or a wide range of sporting activities - here you'll find everything that makes student life special. On this page, we give you an insight into life in Heidelberg and show you why it's worth studying here - and staying.

The Old Bridge and Heidelberg's Old Town, together with the castle, are among the city's landmarks.
The market square in Heidelberg is not just a regular market. Here you will also find all kinds of catering establishments and the town hall.
Those who hike up the Königsstuhl are rewarded with a wonderful view of the region.
The Old Bridge is one of Heidelberg's most famous landmarks.

Around 14 million people visit the city every year. No wonder: with the Old Bridge, Heidelberg Castle and the historic Old Town, Heidelberg offers all kinds of sights.

The Neckar, Odenwald and Palatinate are right on your doorstep and allow you to quickly immerse yourself in nature. But you can also find natural retreats in the city with the Neckar meadow and parks.

A wide range of cultural activities awaits you here, as well as a diverse range of restaurants. This includes the infamous Untere Straße, Heidelberg's lively pub district.


If you are studying at the PH Heidelberg, you have the opportunity to take part in the colourful and varied university sports programme. The sports programmes are free of charge for all students.

Heidelberg University's university sports programme is also open to you. For a small fee per semester, you can take part in a wide range of courses - including trend sports, outdoor activities and competition training.

The city of Heidelberg offers a wide range of events throughout the year. The Heidelberg Spring attracts visitors with classical music, while the Enjoy Jazz Festival in autumn delights jazz lovers. In summer, the Living Neckar awaits you and with the Heidelberg Castle Illumination, the city celebrates its history with a spectacular firework display at the castle. The Christmas market in the Old Town enchants visitors with a festive atmosphere in winter and the city creates spaces for the queer community with the Queer Festival. There are also numerous exhibitions, theatre performances and student events throughout the year that make life in Heidelberg more enjoyable.

The ZEP is a student open space at the PH Heidelberg that offers a wide range of films for students every semester. The films are shown every Sunday during the semester in Zep1.

The Unikino Heidelberg is the lecture theatre cinema "by students, for students" at Heidelberg University. The films are shown every Thursday during the semester in Heuscheuer II.

With its diverse programme of performances and concerts, Heidelberg Theatre has something for everyone. As a student at the PH Heidelberg, you can go to the theatre as often as you like thanks to the theatre flat rate: From five days before your visit, you will receive one free ticket per performance with your student ID.

The Kupfälzisches Museum offers a variety of monthly changing exhibitions of different artists and works. There is also a range of workshops to get creative yourself.

The Kunsthalle Mannheim has the most diverse range of exhibitions in the Rhine-Neckar region. Students can purchase an annual ticket for a favourable price.

Karlstorbahnhof is the largest cultural centre in Heidelberg, with a wide variety of events such as concerts, club events, comedy and workshops. The Karlstorbahnhof has expanded in 2022 and in addition to the event hall in the old town, another one has been added in the southern part of Heidelberg.

Halle02 is an event centre in Heidelberg where concerts, parties and dance events of all kinds take place. The semester opening parties are particularly popular with students.