In viaggio con un amico e il suo lussuoso autobus VW

When I realized that I wasn’t interested in the big bus tour that our riverboat was offering to Heidelberg, I decided to look elsewhere. I googled private tours in Heidelberg and it brought me to Manfred Pitz and his business A Friend in Heidelberg. I read many many reviews on his website and they were all very positive. I contacted him shortly after and we chatted through the What’s App and also through email and finally tailored a tour to my liking. Despite being June, the day arrived chilly and pouring rain. My first thought was that it wasn’t going to be a very fun day in the inclement weather. Boy was I wrong! Manfred picked us up right at our Viking ship with a big smile on his face. We immediately felt at ease with him and his warm personality and soon the three of us were chatting away as to what our expectations for the day would be. We decided to hold off a little on the castle visit to see if the rain would let up. He drove us into the countryside and also across the river via a very cool one car ferry. He also took us to the remains of a fortress where there was a well that had a story to it that involved an antique key. I won’t give away what the story is but if you tour with Manfred ask him to take you there! Finally we decided to head to the castle with hopes that the rain would let up. Instead it came down in sheets raining sideways under our umbrellas and causing me to don a poncho on top of my jacket! But you know what? It made it all the more memorable of a day we will never forget! Manfred kept to his tour of the castle giving us much information about the castle outside until we finally went inside. Finally in the courtyard the rain did let up for us to take some great photos! We then headed into town on foot and explored the town a little, walked over the bridge, and the three of us had a delicious lunch at an Italian restaurant! We so enjoyed each others company getting to really know each other as the day went on. We then headed to Speyer for a visit to the beautiful Cathedral and finally back to our ship. It was truly a day we will never forget. We truly made a friend in Heidelberg!

We had the pleasure of spending a day exploring the Heidelberg region with our guide, and the experience exceeded every expectation. From the moment we met, he was personable, professional, and genuinely committed to ensuring our family had an enjoyable and memorable experience. His English was impeccable, making communication effortless, and his knowledge of Heidelberg's history, culture, and local traditions was truly exceptional. Every stop along the tour came alive through his engaging stories and historical insights, giving us a much deeper appreciation for the region than we could have gained on our own. What impressed us most was his flexibility and attentiveness. He tailored the day to our interests, answered every question with enthusiasm, and never made us feel rushed. His recommendations for local attractions, customs, and cuisine were outstanding and added tremendously to our visit. If you're looking for a guide who is knowledgeable, kind, accommodating, and passionate about sharing Heidelberg's beauty and history, I recommend Manfred without hesitation. He transformed our visit from a simple sightseeing trip into an unforgettable family experience. Thank you for making our time in Germany so special, we hope to return and tour with you again. An exceptional guide in every respect. Professional, knowledgeable, personable, and truly dedicated to providing a first-class experience. Our family couldn't have asked for a better experience to reminisce and experience Heidelberg and the surrounding region. Highly recommended.

On 20 May 2026, four Aussies set off on an adventure with Manfred for a private tour of Heidelberg, and we were not disappointed. From the time we reserved the tour, Manfred responded promptly and started to customize a tour for us. We had a fabulous time full of fun, laughs and adventures. Manfred’s knowledge of Heidelberg and the surrounding area is phenomenal. He had was some interesting stories. There were many highlights on the tour, one was Dilsberg Castle which has the most amazing views when you get up the top😊 another was a ride across the river on an old car ferry, which used a combination of cables and motor to pull us across the river. This was especially interesting to one of our friends.

I can't speak highly enough about the time we spent with Manfred. First and foremost, he provided a great service - he was punctual and professional, had a comfortable vehicle, and carried umbrellas in case of rain. He had deep knowledge of the areas we visited and gave us the history of many things so we had a better appreciation of what we were seeing. He was also very flexible, making changes to our agenda based on what we wanted to see and do. He provided a lot of recommendations, but it really felt like the day was ours to experience however we liked. But the real value of the trip was Manfred just being himself - he was funny, engaging, and made us all feel like lifelong friends. My whole family felt our time with him was a highlight of our trip. It might sound cliche, but I genuinely hope to see him again in the future. If you need a guide, and want to finish your trip with a new Friend in Heidelberg, I enthusiastically recommend you call Manfred.

We had a wonderful experience with Manfred Pitz as our “friend in Heidelberg.” He possesses a wealth of knowledge about the region and shows a genuine enthusiasm for his hometown. Before our arrival, he reached out to us via text, which was reassuring as we were heading to town. Throughout our journey, he kept track of our progress on the train, both when we arrived and departed from Heidelberg, which added to our comfort. On the day of our tour, he took the time to listen to our interests and customized the itinerary based on our feedback, giving us a mix of time spent in the car and walking. This was particularly appreciated since we were trying to minimize our exposure to crowds during a national holiday. Manfred shared entertaining anecdotes at various locations and recommended a restaurant for us. He even kindly contacted the restaurant on our behalf to make and modify our reservations. We found him to be personable, engaging, and knowledgeable, and we highly recommend him to anyone fortunate enough to visit this beautiful region.

It was a pleasure having Manfred Pitz as our “friend in Heidelberg.” Manfred displayed a wealth of knowledge about the region and a real enthusiasm for his hometown. He contacted us by text even before we arrived, which was reassuring as we were getting into town. He monitored our progress on the train, both arriving and leaving Heidelberg, which was also helpful and reassuring. Early on the day of our tour, he listened to determine what we might like to see, and tailored our tour based on this feedback, which offered us a mixture of time in the car and on foot. We appreciated this especially because we were trying to reduce our exposure to crowds, as this was the time of a national holiday. He shared funny anecdotes wherever we went and recommended a restaurant for us – and even called the restaurant on our behalf to make and change our reservations. We found him to be personable, entertaining, and informative, and would highly recommend him to someone who’s fortunate enough to visit this beautiful region.

Wow. What a great opportunity to see the highlights and special places in the Heidelberg area. Manfred is not afraid to show you some special places that the ordinary guide would not show you. The Heidelberg castle was an interesting place with exciting commentary at every corner. We had a great lunch at a local restaurant (the white asparagus was a special treat for us all). Our transportation was a top notch vehicle and Manfred always tried to learn more about you so he could keep the tour guided to our interests.

Manfred is definitely your friend in Heidelberg. I booked this tour last minute since the weather was going to be rainy and I knew we would not be able to get out and walk around the city. That was a great decision. Manfred medicine at our hotel and chatted with us briefly about our expectations for the day. The only thing we really wanted to do was the Hyderabad castle. He asked if we could go to the countryside and visit the Dilsberg fortress. What an unexpected surprise. We were the only guests at the fortress which was really great. The weather was rainy and we were able to take shelter in a small café in the village, which was amazing. We had a great tour of Heidelberg Castle. There were no awkward pauses in the Conversation As Manfred Is Very Friendly and eager to get to know his guess. Highly recommend.

My family and I have booked many tours throughout the years, but by far, this was the best one to date. Manfred goes above & beyond for you to have the best day possible. He researches and spends the time making your tour a unique experience, which then results in a wonderful memorable day. I initially had mentioned to Manfred that we were staying in Mainz but wanted to take the train to Heidelberg and meet him there to see the castle and other points of interest. However Manfred picked us up at our hotel in Mainz, which was definitely not expected but very appreciated. It worked out very well because when he provided info and pictures of surrounding towns outside Heidelberg, we decided we wanted to see those quaint picturesque places on our way to Heidelberg. Very worth it! We would have never seen these towns otherwise. I really wanted to see the Neckar Valley / River and not only did we drive through that region, Manfred took us to a remote spot on the river where his friend operated a walk-on cable ferry. It is a historic river crossing ferry for pedestrians and cyclists to cross. This was my husband's highlight of the tour. Once we crossed, we walked to the top of the hill nearby where a historic beautiful church with stain glass windows was there to greet us, and we also toured a very scenic historic fortress where the views were unbelievable! Next up, an authentic German late lunch which I was really hoping for. It was a non-touristy restaurant with the most delicious food. Last and not least, Manfred took us to the Heidelberg Castle which is a must! Stunning castle with breathtaking views. Then we were dropped off at the train station to head back to Mainz. Manfred came into the station and helped us get our tickets and showed us where to catch the train. We were sad to leave him but we were also very tired from a busy fun packed day. Highly recommend, you will not be disappointed! I believe our tour was approx. 7 hours but it felt longer because we saw and did so many things. Thank you Manfred, you truly are a good friend in Heidelberg!

We had a wonderful full day tour with Manfred. By the end we understood his company name as we truly have a friend in Heidelberg. Manfred customized our tour based on our interests and time. We saw little out-of-the-way places we will forever remember, especially the ferry ride across the river. While the day was amazing, we will most remember Manfred's kindness when we ended up at the wrong dock to reboard our river cruise. After calling out boat he discovered that we were a half hour away and the boat was leaving in 20 minutes. The boat agreed to wait and Manfred raced us to the correct spot just in time. Those are the things that make you recommend someone unconditionally. So spend a day with our friend in Heidelberg, Manfred. A memory for a lifetime