A Day in Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg, located on the banks of the Neckar River, is one of the most picturesque cities in the world. Around every corner is a scene worthy of a picture postcard.

While a member of the U.S. military, I lived near the city for a little over two and a half years. I have visited most of the major cities in Europe, but Heidelberg remains my favorite.

Heidelberg is a major tourist destination, but most tourists stay no longer than a day or two. It is a city that most people could visit many times and still want to visit again and again, but it is also a city where you can see the high points in a half a day because they are all just a few minutes away from one another with the exception of the Haupstrasse, which you can walk in forty minutes, from one end to the other and back.

If you are on a bus tour and want to take a break from guided tours, Heidelberg is a city where you can easily do that. You cannot get lost in Old Town (Altstadt) because it is located between a mountain and a river, and the Haupstrasse runs parallel to the river, a short distance away.

Euros are used as currency in Germany.

How to Get There

Most Americans who are not on a guided bus tour, travel to Heidelberg via the Frankfurt Airport, approximately fifty miles away. For many travelers, the most economical way to get to Heidelberg from Frankfurt is by train. A train station (Bahnhof) is located at the airport. You may have to change trains at Mannheim. That may be a problem if you are carrying a lot of baggage.

After arriving at the Heidelberg train station, the easiest way to get to your hotel is by taxi. Certainly, public transportation is available, but especially if there are several travelers in your party, taxi fare to Old Town, where your hotel should be, is inexpensive.

If you are unfamiliar with the German transportation system and do not want to go through the small learning curve, while possibly feeling the effects of jet lag, a shuttle service could be the best choice. Depending on the number of members in your party, that may even make economic sense. Book that in advance.

Where to Stay in Heidelberg

To get the most from your stay in Heidelberg, it is best to book a hotel near Old Town, but not necessarily on Main Street (the Haupstrasse).

Most visitors will spend most of their time near the one-mile long Haupstrasse, so any suitable hotel within walking distance of that will make the best use of your time. The Haupstrasse is a pedestrian street (closed to traffic), and it is crowded from morning until the cafes and bars close at night.

Many of the hotels near the Haupstrasse are charming, but aren't soundproof. If sleeping late in the morning is on the agenda, a hotel off Main Street may be advisable.

I have never spent a night in the Hotel Ritter, but if you will only be in Heidelberg for one night, it might be worth it to stay in the hotel with the most history behind it. It dates back to 1592. The Church of the Holy Spirit. the Heidelberg Castle, and the Old Bridge are just a few minutes by foot away.

I stayed overnight in several of the smaller hotels near the castle while I was in the military during the 1970s; not much about them has changed since then, and that is a good thing. Many of those hotels are owner operated, so the people behind the check-in desk are often the owners. The smaller hotels are usually less expensive than the chains.

Transportation Within Heidelberg

Germany, like most of Europe, has a web of exceptionally reliable transportation, consisting of trains, buses, and trams (streetcars). There is no need to rent a car, and a car might be a hindrance, because of the traffic and parking.

You can see most of Heidelberg by walking. Trams run the length of the Hauptstrasse, but if you are in the city for only a day, you will want to see all of the things from one end of the Haupstrasse to the other, so you probably will not need it.

If you are visiting Heidelberg on a bus tour, your bus will probably park across the street from Old Bridge on the river and a few minutes walk to the castle.

Ask at your hotel about purchasing transportation tickets to get you to neighboring cities and outlying areas. They will point you in the right direction.

Dining in Heidelberg

Finding a good restaurant in Heidelberg is easy. In fact, I have dined in dozens of restaurants in the city and have never been disappointed. The city is a nice mix of locals, university students, tourists, and members of the U.S. military. Pleasing customers of all types is a necessity.

Tipping has traditionally not been expected in western Europe because wait staff is paid a living wage and service was figured into the check. It has been customary to round the ticket out to the next Deutsche Mark and, later, Euro. However, the last two times we have visited Europe, it seemed that tipping was encouraged.

Do not worry about being understood. All restaurants are accustomed to having English-speaking customers.

Many of the hotels have restaurants on the premises, and most of those serve complementary breakfasts. Some of them, especially the chains, serve an American-style breakfast in addition to the standard "Continental."

Nowadays, American fast food is easy to find in Heidelberg. That is a good thing and a bad thing. It is nice to have something familiar, but it would also be nice to have a few places in the world where the "golden arches" has not found a warm welcome. That would not be Heidelberg. I was living near Heidelberg when the first McDonald's opened, and it was overrun with customers on the first day of business. It still is.

A nice alternative to American fast food if you want a good, quick reasonably priced meal is Nordsee, a chain of German seafood shops. One is located on the Hauptstrasse.

If you are on a short visit to Heidelberg, street vendors sell much of the same food that you would find in a restaurant, and it is just as good. The area outside the Church of the Holy Spirit, facing the Hauptstrasse and Kornmarkt, is usually a good spot to find vendor variety. If we are in the city for only a half day, we hit Nordsee and a crepe vendor outside the church.

The Castle

The castle (Heidelberger Schloss) is the main attraction in Heidelberg.

Largely in ruins today, the earliest records of the castle's construction date back to 1214 A.D. Castle construction took place over a period of centuries; that, along with numerous fires and wars have given the castle an "unbalanced" look.

Once one sees the castle, it never lives the memory. Most want to see it again.

Visiting the castle grounds is free, but nominal fees are charged for some sections within the castle. Most who pay to see the inside of the castle are impressed with the wooden barrel, which is supposedly the history's largest wooden barrel to have once held wine.

The castle is lit at night and the grounds remain open. Try to make at one visit to the castle at night. Looking down from the castle terrace, the city lights are beautiful.

The Old Bridge (Alte Brucke)

Located close to the castle, and on the Neckar River, is the Old Bridge (Alte Brucke). It was built from 1786 to 1788 with red sandstone. Johann von Goethe in a diary entry dated August 26, 1797: "This bridge is as beautiful as no other bridge all over the world."

Capturing the bridge and the castle in the same photo is extremely popular with tourists. Another good photo of the bridge is from the castle.

Heidelberger Bergbahn

The Heidelberger Bergbahn is a two-section incline railway that leaves from the Kornmarkt (Corn Market), near the bottom of the castle walkway, and takes you to the summit of Kunigstuhl Mountain (1,860 ft). You can use this incline to get to the to the castle grounds or go all of the way up to the top of the mountain.

I recommend going all the way to the top and staying awhile. The views of Heidelberg and the river are spectacular.

Our kids were with us on one trip; they found a small amusement park at the summit and had a great time.

The Church of the Holy Spirit (Ghost)

The foundation of the Church of the Holy Spirit was laid in 1398, and the tower was finished in 1544. Over the centuries, the church has been a sanctuary for both Protestants and Catholics. From 1706 until the 1930's, a divider was placed in the church to divide the two denominations. The church houses the remains of the Palatinate electors and a collection of manuscripts.

Be sure to climb the winding stairs of the 125-foot-tall tower for a wonderful view of Old Town.

Admission to the church is free, but there is a small charge for climbing the tower.

The River

If you are visiting Heidelberg during the warm-weather months, a riverboat cruise is a particularly good way to see more of the German countryside.

The scenery is beautiful, and the ride is relaxing. Castles and other interesting structures can be sighted on the banks on a short trip to Neckarsteinach, ten miles downriver.

You can get off the boat in Neckarsteinach, have lunch, and then take a later boat back to Heidelberg. There are four castles in Neckarsteinach and several nice restaurants.

Heidelberg Zoo

If you have children with you, a visit to the zoo would be entertaining to them. If you are looking for a large zoo, Frankfurt or Karlsruhe are the nearest ones. But for small children, the Heidelberg Zoo is fine. My daughter was only five when she visited Heidelberg with us. She enjoyed the monkeys in the zoo as much as anything else in Heidelberg. The zoo is the only attraction I am mentioning on this page that is not within easy walking distance of the castle. When our kids were young, we always looked for things that they would enjoy. A taxi could get you there quickly.

Nearby Cities Worth Visiting

Schwetzingen (approximately 8 miles from Heidelberg). The Schwetzingen Castle and Gardens are well worth the trip.

Speyer (approximately 28 mils from Heidelberg). The most visited attraction is the Speyer Cathedral.

Mannheim (approximately 13 miles from Heidelberg). Mannheim is a large city popular with shoppers.

Karlsruhe (approximately 37 miles from Heidelberg.) Several world class museums are located in Karlsruhe.