32 Quirky College Towns Where Every Street Feels Like a Movie Set

15. Heidelberg, Germany – A Fairytale Town with a Gothic Twist

With its storybook castle ruins, a centuries-old university, and a river that winds through a valley of medieval rooftops, Heidelberg is one of Germany’s most picturesque university towns. It’s the kind of place that feels like the backdrop for a timeless romance, a moody mystery, or a poetic drama about lost love. The Heidelberg University Library, with its towering bookshelves and grand architecture, belongs in a scene from Dead Poets Society. The town’s Old Bridge, which has stood for hundreds of years, is perfect for a dramatic film moment as fog rolls over the Neckar River. Whether in the summer sun or dusted with winter snow, Heidelberg is pure cinema.