GRAB GELATO & GO

December 31st, 2023 – January 1st, 2024

Heidelberg is not only a beautiful town with an iconic castle, but also an exciting destination for New Year’s Eve!

Deciding where to celebrate the New Year is always a difficult decision for me. I put a little bit too much pressure on the where and with whom, because it really is an important moment, and we only get a limited number of New Years in our lives. Since this was my first time ringing in the New Year in Europe, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. In the USA, I usually spend the night with my family at a firework show put on by the state or a local town.

In Germany, this wasn’t going to be the case. I was told that the government doesn’t put on firework shows, so it is up to individuals to set off fireworks for themselves and for everyone else.

Germans also are only allowed to buy fireworks for a couple days in December, and only allowed to set them off on New Year’s Eve. So, I could imagine most Germans would be excited for this once a year moment.

And for this reason, New Year’s Eve was not a night to forget. Definitely the craziest one I’ve ever experienced.

My husband (Andrew) and I choose Heidelberg to spend this special night for a few reasons:

1. We are living near Frankfurt, so we didn’t have to pay for a hotel this night. (Yes, we took the train back at 0230 after the show was over)
2. It was a recommendation from a German friend
3. We thought the castle on the hill would be an incredible scene with the fireworks
4. There are many restaurant and bar options
5. We could spend hours admiring the city before the sun set

When trying to plan this day & night, I was confused where everyone goes to see the fireworks if there aren’t specific shows put on. There were many restaurants and bars that had New Year specials with dinner, drinks, dancing, and a rooftop or other viewing area for the fireworks that we considered booking and experiencing. They were a pretty penny, so we decided against it. We should have made a dinner reservation, though, at least a month in advance. We wanted to eat at a German restaurant, but the only restaurant we could find a spot at was an Irish Pub, The Dubliner, which was still a blast.

Our New Year’s Eve in Heidelberg itinerary:

1. Arrive by train at 1300, eat brunch at Schwarzer Walfisch
2. Walk to the Castle’s free Schlossgarten
3. Watch the sunset from the Old Bridge above the Neckar River
4. Coffee break
5. Reservation at the Dubliner
6. Walk to the Schlossgarten to secure the best spot for fireworks
7. The Fireworks

Arrive by train at 1300, eat brunch at Schwarzer Walfisch

We strolled from the train station to the city center since we had so much time to kill. This brunch restaurant was on the way, so we popped in and loved it! We wanted to fill up because we didn’t know what was in store the night.

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Walk to the Castle’s free Schlossgarten

The walk from the town to this Schlossgarten is pretty steep, but has a beautiful view. This viewpoint is open all the time, so it was perfect for hanging out before and during the fireworks. There is an incline to take you to the castle if you would prefer. We wanted to take a tour of the castle but got there a little bit too late, but it is highly recommended!

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Explore Heidelberg’s charming streets

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Watch the sunset from the Old Bridge above the Neckar River

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Coffee break

We had to refuel before the night really began!

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Reservation at the Dubliner

The Dubliner was the only restaurant we could make a reservation at. We were hoping for it to be a little bit later than 1800, but it worked out since we could stay until 2100! We had fun with our beers and this fried food basket for “dinner,” since we were still full from our lunch.

The Dubliner was especially fun for us because they had Pittsburgh Steelers decor! Andrew and I lived in Pittsburgh before moving to Germany.

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Walk to the Schlossgarten to secure the best spot for fireworks

We returned to the viewpoint we were at earlier. Our German friend recommended watching the fireworks from this spot, but to get there early as it fills up quickly. The other location he recommended was the Old Bridge (where we watched the sunset!)

Andrew and I arrived up here around 2130 and were the only ones here. It was completely full by 2300!

We brought a few beers with us to drink while we were waiting, and for some during the firework show! Germany’s public drinking laws are amazing- you can drink out in public spaces!

The Fireworks

I have never experienced fireworks like this before. Since it is up to the Germans to set the fireworks off, they do it wherever they want! We had fireworks being set off right next to us and all along the railing of where we were standing, and under the viewpoint we were standing on! There were fireworks flying everywhere, and I was honestly kind of scared. So I seriously have never experienced this before!

The fireworks started around 2330 and then absolutely went nuts at midnight! It was truly a show like no other, with fireworks illuminating the horizon.

Train back to Darmstadt at 0230!:

There was one bus from Heidelberg’s Old Town to the train station, and it was so packed that we couldn’t fit on it. So, we walked back and hopped on the next train to Darmstadt at 0230.

If only the trains dimmed the lights in the middle of the night!

Happy New Year! Let’s make 2024 the best one yet.