We rented a car in Frankfurt and drove to Heidelberg which is about 90km south of Frankfurt. We reached the beautiful town in little more than an hour. Heidelberg is located on river Neckar and is one of the most picturesque town in Germany, with its beautiful old buildings and bridges, and the castle ruins that overlook the town center.
Hauptstrasse and Altstadt(old town) – This is the central street in Heidelberg’s Old Town, and a pedestrian zone that runs 1.8km from one end to the other. It is also one of the longest, most used, and oldest pedestrian zones in Europe. It is a busy area bursting with old churches, boutique shops, galleries, cafés, and restaurants.
Heidelberg Castle – Open daily from 8am-5:30pm. You can visit the interior of the castle as part of guided tour 4e. You can either walk or take funicular up to the castle.
This breathtaking castle ruins is nestled in the hill 300 feet above the city of Heidelberg. The castle is a combination of several buildings surrounding an inner courtyard, put together with a haphazard look. The first parts of the castle were constructed around 1300. It was destroyed by lightning in 1764 leaving it permanently uninhabitable. In 1800, Count Charles de Graimberg began the difficult task of conserving the castle ruins. Up until this time, the citizens of Heidelberg had used the castle stones to build new houses.
Heidelberg Castle Barrel Building – The (Great) Heidelberg Tun in the Barrel Building is a special attraction at Heidelberg Castle. The prince-electors celebrated lively parties in the neighboring King’s Hall. The Heidelberg Tun, or the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel”, was built in 1751 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor to house the wine paid as taxes by the wine growers of the Palatine. It stands seven meters high, is eight and a half meters wide, holds 220,000 liters (58,124 gallons) of wine, and has a dance floor built on top of it. The court jester who guarded the cask during the reign of Prince Elector Carl Philip, a Tyrolean dwarf nick-named Perkeo, was supposedly known for his ability to drink large quantities of wine. Legend has it that he died when he mistakenly drank a glass of water.
Karl-Theodor-Brücke (Karl Theodor Bridge) – Originally built in 1788, the current bridge is the ninth built on the site. Commonly known as the Old Bridge (Alte Brücke), this arch bridge connects the Old City with the Neuenheim district on the opposite bank of Neckar river. The bridge has a total length of 200 m and a width of about 7 m.
The large gate at the beginning of the bridge with the two white towers is the bridge gate from the Middle Ages, which was once part of Heidelberg’s city wall. There are also some monuments on the bridge, the originals of which can be found in the Kurpfälzische Museum. The statues represent Elector Karl-Theodor, and the Roman goddess Minerva (or the Greek goddess Athena). Also known, is the bridge monkey, today a bronze sculpture, formerly a stone figure.
The Philosophers walk – This hike takes you across the Neckar River from Heidelberg’s old town. The Philosophers Walk (2.5 km) in Heidelberg, or the Philosophenweg, is a path located on the northern banks of the Neckar River in Heidelberg, Germany. Historically, this was just a simple rough path through the vineyards; however, it would later be renamed Philosophenweg during the Romantic Period because of the many professors and philosophers of Heidelberg who enjoyed the path for its solitude, natural beauty, and great views of the town. Today, this path is still there, complete with gardens and informational plaques, offering lovely views of the Neckar River, Old Town of Heidelberg, and Heidelberg Castle.
Heidelberg University – also known as Ruperto Carola, was established in 1386 and is Germany’s oldest university. It is also one of the strongest research universities in all of Europe. During the 19th century, Heidelberg was widely celebrated not only for its high level of research but also for its liberality, commitment to democratic ideals, and openness to new ideas. Resulting from this, the high reputation of the university attracted a large number of foreign students.
Other sites you can explore in Heidelberg :
Ride the Railway to Königstuhl (The King’s Seat) – This is a hill rising 567 meters (1860 feet) with spectacular views. Access to the summit, part of the Odenwald Mountains, is via the Heidelberg Mountain Railway, the same funicular railway that takes visitors to Heidelberg Castle. To get there, ride one stop beyond the castle to Molkenkur, where you change to the historic 1907 wooden car to reach the summit.
Take a ride on the Neckar river