Heidelberg: an emblem of Romanticism in Germany

Heidelberg has everything you’d expect from a picture-perfect postcard town in the heartland of German Romanticism. Its castle perched on a hill, Old Town with Baroque architecture, and Old Bridge spanning the river Neckar have inspired numerous artists, like Goethe, Schumann, Turner and Twain. This town in southwestern Germany is known for its rich heritage, its dynamic and renowned university, and lush surrounding hills. Heidelberg is the ideal destination for a day trip from Strasbourg.

We leave Strasbourg on a beautiful summer morning. At 08:30 AM, the temperature has already reached 24°C. Because of the maintenance work disrupting the railway traffic between Baden-Baden and Karlsruhe, we choose to take the car, rather than the train. The drive to Heidelberg takes about an hour and 40 minutes.

We park the car in the P12 (Kornmarkt/Schloss) parking garage, which has the most central location in town. The pedestrian exit leads straight out to the funicular railway that goes up to the castle.

Heidelberg Castle

The best solution to access the castle is the funicular. The journey only takes 2 minutes, and the ticket covers a return journey, admission to the castle, as well as entry to the German Pharmacy Museum and the Great Barrel. For the more athletically inclined, it’s also possible to walk up to the castle on foot, but the climb is quite steep and may prove particularly challenging on hot days.

Perched atop the hill called Königstuhl (King’s Seat), Heidelberg Castle is the town’s most iconic landmark. Some of its pink sandstone façade is in ruins, while other parts, which are well preserved, are a mix of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

The castle (Schloss) is the first stop on the funicular railway. We start by exploring the castle gardens, Hortus Palatinus, which are more reminiscent of a park on a large plateau. The lovely, shady path runs along the castle walls. 

In several places, the gardens offer incredible views of the city.

In our opinion, the most beautiful panorama can be seen from the far end of the Scheffelterrasse, where you can see the castle, the Old Town, the Old Bridge and the surrounding hills, all at once.

After our tour of the gardens, we move on to the castle courtyard. All you need to enter is to show your funicular ticket to the guards at the gate. 

We continue our visit with the German Pharmacy Museum, which retraces 2 000 years of apothecary history.

We then climb the Great Barrel, which is the largest wine barrel in the world, holding over 220,000 liters.

Before heading back down, we take a few minutes to enjoy the view of the Old Town and the Neckar one last time from the castle terrace. 

The rooms inside the castle can only be visited with a tour guide (for an extra fee). 

Heidelberg Old Town

The descending funicular stops smack dab in middle of the Old Town, just a stone’s throw from the Kornmarkt (Grain Market). From this picturesque square, one of the most beautiful in Heidelberg, there is an impressive view of the Castle towering over the rooftops.

We stroll on to the Marktplatz (Market Square), the heart of the Old Town, lined with colorful houses. In the center of the square is the Hercules Fountain, symbolizing the massive efforts it took to rebuild the city after the devastation of the Thirty Years’ War.

The Marktplatz is also where we find the Heiliggeistkirche (the Church of the Holy Spirit), which is Heidelberg’s largest Gothic church.

The labyrinth of cobbled streets is perfect to wander around in. Heidelberg’s Old Town follows the layout of a medieval town, while the buildings are Baroque in style. 

We walk along the Hauptstrasse, which is the high street, and have fun getting lost down random side streets.

Hauptstrasse is full of cafés, bars, and restaurant. We have lunch at Palmbräu Gasse, a restaurant offering traditional German dishes. The food is tasty, and the portions are absolutely gargantuan. Even a famished teenage boy wouldn’t have been able to finish the chicken with spätzle (house-made egg noodles) in a mushroom cream sauce.

The Old Bridge

After our meal, we head to the Old Bridge (Alte Brücke, or Karl-Theodor-Brücke), which spans the river Neckar.

This pedestrian pink sandstone bridge, made up of a series of arches, is one of the city’s main landmarks.

The bridge being particularly elegant and photogenic, it’s no wonder a couple of newlyweds chose it as a backdrop for their wedding pictures.

At the Old Town end of the bridge, the medieval gate that once was part of the city’s fortifications, had been well preserved.

In order to spot the castle above the city, all you need to do is walk a few meters out onto the bridge and turn around. 

We consider crossing the bridge and walk up to the Philosophenweg (the Philosophers’ Walk) on the opposite bank. This picturesque path offers one of the most spectacular views of the castle and the Old Town. Scholars used to go there to find peace and inspiration, and students would seek it out for romantic walks.

Unfortunately, our good intentions are ultimately defeated by the tropical heat, high humidity and the sheer amount of food we had for lunch.

We will no doubt return to Heidelberg to see the University (the oldest in Germany) and the University Library (which was undergoing renovations when we were there), or enjoy the sunset from the Philosophenweg and the famous Heidelberg nightlife.

Perhaps by then the Old Student Prison (Studentenkarzer) will be in operation again. From the 18th to the early 20th century, this is where unruly students would be locked up for a few days. We’ll be good, we promise!