Bad Wimpfen
A hilltop town above the Neckar with the largest surviving Staufer imperial palace ruins in Germany. The Blue Tower and the half-timbered Old Town are highlights of the Castle Road.
Bad Wimpfen sits on a cliff above the Neckar. At the end of the 12th century the Staufer dynasty built an imperial palace here. What remains, including the Red Tower, the Blue Tower, arcades and stone houses, forms the largest surviving Staufer palace complex in Germany. The 58-meter Blue Tower can be climbed for views over the Neckar Valley, and a tower keeper still lives there. The upper Old Town is a cluster of half-timbered houses and cobbled lanes, and down in the valley stands the 13th-century St. Peter Knights’ Church. The Old Town is free to explore, and climbing the Blue Tower costs about €3. From Heidelberg, the train takes about 1 hour and driving takes about 50 minutes. The station sits at the foot of the Old Town, so expect a short uphill walk. In December the Old Town hosts a Christmas market.
Opening hours
Old town open all day; Blue Tower approx. Apr–Oct 10:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Dilsberg
- Neckarsteinach Four Castles
- Stift Neuburg Abbey
- Königstuhl & Heidelberg Funicular
- Karlstor
- Heidelberg Castle
- Kornmarkt
- Haus zum Ritter