Heidelberg is a major market town in the state of Baden-Württemberg in the Federal Republic of Germany. Heidelberg lies on the River Neckar in a steep valley in the Odenwald. Close to 150.000 people live in Heidelberg.

Heidelberg is considered a jewel among German travel destinations. The beautiful town is situated in a valley right where the legend-rich Odenwald opens up towards the plains of the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg is home to the oldest university in Germany (est. 1386) which at 28,000 students is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in Europe. Heidelberg University Clinic benefits from its proximity to the University. Ruprecht-Karls-Universität boasts the full spectrum of an ancient academy, from Egyptian Studies to Computer Sciences. The traditional faculties for Medicine, Law and Natural Sciences are considered to be among the best in Germany and indeed the World. The university is closely linked to other world class research institutions such as the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), the European Molecular Biological Laboratory (EMBL), Centre for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Max Planck Institutes for Medicine, Astronomy, Nuclear Physics, among others. Generally speaking, Heidelberg is an academic city with a long and rich history and is similar in many ways to cities such as Cambridge or Oxford.