Heidelberg News: Heidelberg Christmas Market, Christmas on Ice
Heidelberger Frühling — “Heidelberg Spring 2010” — International Musicfestival
The festival “Heidelberg Spring” 2010 takes place from the 20th of March to the 24th of April and has as a motto: “Ach Europa”. Meanwhile it is one of the most successfull young festivals for classical and contemporary music and turns Heidelberg always into a big festival stage. As highlights in 2010 there will be e.g.: American star-baritone Thomas Hampson, French pianist Hélène Grimaud, Argentinean cellist Sol Gabetta and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Latvian violinist Baiba Skride. Get hold of tickets in time!
More information as well as the complete programme you find under www.heidelberger-fruehling.de.
Every year during christmas time the old town of Heidelberg with all its squares is amazingly illuminated. Candles made of honey are smelling wonderfull, as well as exotic spices accomplishing this athmosphere. Take a walk along the lovingly decorated sales stalls and experience a rich variety of handcrafted products. Students, professors, working collegues or just friends — the people of Heidelberg are meeting on the christmas market after work. They resume the best moments of the past year by a glass of mulled wine and a well tasting grilled sausage, the famous German “Bratwurst”.
Sales stalls on the Heidelberg Christmas Market are opened daily from 11.a.m. to 9 p.m., starting from the 24th of November to the 22nd of December.
On Karlsplatz located at the foot of the castle people of all ages are invited to lap on an open-air ice-skating rink. Skate rentals are available.
It is opened daily from 10.00 a.m. to 9.30 p.m.G, starting from the 24th of November 2010 up to the 9th of January 2011. It’s closed on the 24th of December and having different opening times on the 25th and 26th of December. During these two days it’s opened from noon to 9.30 p.m. On 31th of December it’s opened from noon to 1.00 p.m.
Heidelberg Castle Illumination on the 10th of July 2010
The Heidelberg Castle Illumination with its pyrotechnical spectacle attracts for the second time in this year people who live in Heidelberg as well as visitors. Bengal fires at the Castle and the Old Bridge remind of the destruction of the Castle and the City of Heidelberg during the Palatinate War of Succession by French troops.
The illumination starts at around 15 minutes after nightfall.
TIP: A good view of the show you will have from the Northern bank of the Neckar near the Old Bridge or from the Philosophers´ Walk. Please be there early because a lot of people are expected to watch it.
In addition to the illumination you can attend a concert of Baroque music for the organ and trumpet (Handel, Bach and others) in the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit), beginning at 6:15 pm.
Schlossfestspiele 2010 — Heidelberg Castle Festival
The visitors of the Heidelberg Castle Festival will experience an excellent festival programme again this year. From 26st of June to 9th of August there will take place various theatre performances, operas and concerts in a historical setting like e.g. Gaetano Donizetti‘s opera “Der Liebestrank” (The love potion), Edmond Rostand´s romantic tragicomedy “Cyrano de Bergerac” as well as the Heidelberg´s classic operetta “Der Studentenprinz” (The Student Prince). Musical highlights will be the four concerts at the castle, the two concert-matinees and the lieder recitals.
We recommend reserving tickets very early.
More information about the festival programme and ticket-reservation you will find under: www.heidelberger-schlossfestspiele.de.
Old Town Autumn Festival on the 25th of September 2010
At the Old Town Autumn Festival (Heidelberger Herbst) the old town is going to be a big fair. At each corner there will be another attraction. Tumblers, comedians, musicians, medieval craftsmen as well as a big variety of culinary delights attract visitors from far and near.
Along the Highstreet there will be held a big arts and crafts market. Shops and restaurants offer special activities and specialities during this day. A lot of places in the old town turn into one big stage. Many cultural events as medieval delusion, poetry, jazz, pop and rock offer something for everyone´s taste.
Between “Universitätsplatz” and “Kornmarkt”, at the gate of the old bridge, in “Lauerstraße” and in the small “Mantelgasse” trader and private people offer their goods for sale. If you are looking for old junk, art and knick-knacks you will be just at the right place to get a real snip at this flea market.
Tip: The car parks are usually totally full. Please use public transport or park your car in the suburbs. Busses and trams will take you then to the old town.
Enjoy Jazz 2010 — 11th international Jazz Festival
Between the 2nd of October and the 11th of November the festival towns Heidelberg, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen are gearing up for the Jazz Festival. International jazz stars as Wayne Shorter and Charles Lloyd are in the festival line-up. Richard Bona, Branford Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, Joshua Redman as well as many other splendid jazz musicians will delight the audience true to the motto “Enjoy Jazz”.
The concerts take place in the Kulturhaus Karlstorbahnhof, in the municipal hall of Heidelberg, in the Providenzkirche and in the SAS Institute GmbH. All further information about the 11th Jazz-Festival you´ll find under www.enjoyjazz.de.
All questions about Heidelberg will be answered in the entrance hall of the town hall of Heidelberg. Its employees will help you with booking a hotel or tickets for city sightseeing tours and guided tours through the old town. You can also purchase the HeidelbergCard for using the cable railway, having free entrance to the castle and the German pharmacy museum, as well as lower rates on city tours, bicycle rentals and many other offers.
You’ll find another tourist information on the square in front of the central station of Heidelberg.