Altstadt (historic city centre) associated with the period of Romanticism with historic buildings and an old stone bridge with mediaeval bridge head, a castle w

Altstadt (historic city centre) associated with the period of Romanticism with historic buildings and an old stone bridge with mediaeval bridge head, a castle with a wine cask several metres in diameter, a Nazi-era outdoor amphitheatre, a lively student body, and all contained in a compact town near the Rhine in an area surrounded by wooded hills and quaint wine villages (e.g., Weinheim). So its popularity is not really surprising. As far as cliché tourist destinations go you could do a lot worse. Certainly beats Frankfurt or Mannheim. Also, there is a funicular. Tourists love funiculars.