After a few hours ride from Brussels by rail, we arrived in Heidelberg. It was easy to see this was a vibrant city full of tumult. Our hotel, The Bayricher Hof, overlooked Bismarck Plaza and was also right in the thick of things. Here the busses and street cars all convene. A short walk across the street will bring you right to the edge of Hauptstrasse. This main walkway through town is without automobiles and full of shops and restaurants of every variety. Since this is a college town, one might think this would be a trendy area full of tourists that enjoy shopping. Here you’ll find both shops and restaurants but as you walk along the promenade you never seem to tire of the activities and sights. Somehow people here seem happy and care free. You can sit at a sidewalk cafe for hours and enjoy a Bratwurst and beer while people watching, or grab some quick Chinese food, it is all here. As you continue walking along you’ll come to several squares, most of which allow you some great sights of Heidelberg Castle. If you turn left and walk towards the Neckar River, you’ll come to two large cylindrical towers. These towers are the entrance of the old bridge that spans the river. Walking the bridge will offer some great sights of the city, the castle and the river. As you walk along the river you’ll find it to be quite scenic. The homes along the river are all quite different and colorful. The sights are a mixture of old and new. Suzy and I elected to board a river cruise and travel upstream to a small town that has three castles. As you travel upstream you’ll soon see that this city is tucked into the countryside. The mountains and the beauty of this area is something quite memorable. If you’re traveling in the south of Germany in Bavaria, we recommend Heidelberg as a preferred stop.
