Heidelberg Travel Guide

Heidelberg, Germany, was and is a famous university town ever since the Protestant Reformation in Germany. But facts like these only give you a background. More fun are the sights and sounds of the town. I came from Strasbourg, France and had to transfer trains at Karlsruhe. Upon arriving at the town, you will exit and see the ultra modern side of the city, including this strange statute that looks like it had been assembled from giant pieces of children's toys. To see the old town and where most tourist sites, take a bus eastwards. The cost was negligable and it takes 20-25 minutes. You will go through the heart of the city before reaching the old town. The first stop is the marketplace with the golden statue of the madonna. Just around the corner is the street leading to the Altebrucke (old bridge) and the gate. Just before the gate is the golden moneky with a mirror. From the bridge, you can see most of the city since the river under the Altebrucke divides the city into two. Up on one hill is the castle that once protected the city. On the other side are terraced hills. Be sure to go to the top of the hill called Konigstuhl via cable car. From the top of this hill, you can see the entire river valley, the city, and the bridges below. The total time was about 4 hours. Still, it is a beautiful city with plenty of modern and renaissance German architecture.

The first time I was in Germany on my own for business, I met my old roommates ex-boyfriend who happened to be German and lived outside of Heidelberg.  I was in Mainz/Wiesbaden and did not speak German.  I took the train but missed the one Marcus had expected me to be on.  As I had never met Marcus before I didn't know what he'd look like.  He picked me out of a crowd, (must have looked very American in my shorts - - it was a warm day of 80 and being Californian that means SHORTS.)  We drove into the little area of Heidelberg and I was just amazed at the old castle which had been bombed by the allies during WWII and was never repaired and the bridges across the river.  We had coffee at some little cafe in town and walked around.  There were young college kids everywhere, which was nice.  Three young musicians from Riga, Latvia were playing saxophone and violin and clarinet just off the bridge - which was lovely.  Really added to the atmosphere. Of course, being a marketing manager it was cool to see where the first King James version of the bible was printed too! It's a must see.  If I only had more time, we could have done a short river cruise.

Heidelberg is located in the Neckar river valley right where the dark Odenwald (Odin's Forest) opens up towards the plains of the Rhine valley. Heidelberg is home to the oldest university in Germany. The nearest major airport to Heidelberg is in Frankfurt—Lufthansa provides a shuttle bus. The main train station lies in the western part of the city, opposite the poshy glass cube of the Print Media Academy. The nearest large city is Mannheim, which is roughly twice the size of Heidelberg. Trains and S-Bahns connect both cities. It's also possible to catch a train from Frankfurt. The city runs a small rather effective system of trams and busses. The two most important nodal points are the main station and Bismarckplatz. A mountain railway runs between four stations (including the castle), linking the old city on the level of the river with the summit of the Königstuhl Mountain, about 400 m (1312 feet) above the city. You can buy a heidelberg card, this is a tourist pass which includes the public transport system, the museums and the mountain railway. You can get it this at the tourist information.