Heidelberg, Germany: The Romantic City
I just learned that Heidelberg is known as the Romantic City because of its charming old town, baroque architecture, the dreamy atmosphere and the vibrant university life. It is the site of Germany's oldest university, Heidelberg University, founded in 1386.
As a student I became acquianted with the city of Heidelberg due to the poem To The Flowers of Heidelberg, which was penned by Philippine national hero Jose Rizal in 1886 while experiencing deep homesickness as an ophthalmology student in Germany.
On the 4th day of the tour, we traveled an hour from Mainz to Heidelberg on the way to Strasbourg, which was the final destination of the day.
The weather gave us a frosty welcome, but the historic charm of the Old Town ultimately warmed our bodies and our hearts, especially mine.
The bus stopped next to the Tourist Information Office, which is across the Neckar River, where the TM directed us to use the "free" facilities. After I had done my business, because I always hightail it to the front of the line, I went to photograph the beautiful houses that line the Neckar. Soon, my tour mates and I had picked our pretend houses. The TM also pointed out a certain house to be the "meeting point" later in the day.
The TM (tour manager) walked us to the heart of the Old Town (Alstadt) and then gave us some time for private exploration.
The majestic ruins of Heidelberg Castle perched 330 ft above the Old Town. I was told that it was pretty up there, we chose not to seek this out.
The iconic Church of the Holy Spirit and Hercules Fountain mark Heidelberg's historic Market Square. The church is famed for its history of shifting between Catholic and Protestant worship.
The famous Old Bridge (Alte Brucke), or officially named the Karl-Theodor-Bridge, this historic stone arch bridge offers stunning views of the city, river, and the castle.
The "Alte Brücke" was first mentioned in 1222 and was for centuries the only connection between the two riverbanks. The bridge now in place was reconstructed between 1912 and 1926. The landmark of the Old Bridge is the crucifix with the golden "Brickegickel" on the top.
View of the Old Town from the bridge.
View of the castle from the bridge.
The Neckar River from the Bridge.
The Heidelberg Bridge Monkey (Brückenaffe). Wiki says: Located near the medieval gate tower on the Old Town side, this bronze statue depicts a monkey holding a mirror. Its history dates back to the 15th century, and it historically symbolized equality—urging people to look back, reflect on themselves, and remember they are no better than anyone else. Today, locals believe rubbing the mirror brings wealth, touching the fingers guarantees a return to Heidelberg, and touching the nearby bronze mice promises fertility.
We visited a few churches.
So all this walking has not only tired us out, but weakened our resolved not to eat with our eyes. This Old Town is full of shops that cater to the foodie, the sweet tooth, the hungry.
A shop for cured meats. Look how beautiful the pork bellies are.
We stopped for coffee, then found this lovely bakery, cake shop and thought it wouldn't hurt to try a slice of Linzer torte and I believe the other one is Sachertorte since we're in Germany. The Starbucks bag contained a mug, which my friend collects so we seek out this American chain everywhere we go when we travel with her.
Earlier in the day at the beginning of our exploration, we passed this pizza shop and we realized that pizza did sound good today, so we kept that in mind
So even after the cakes, we just can't leave the city without a taste, the craving was real. This day was fun in the sense that we had breakfast in Mainz, lunch in Heidelberg, and dinner in Strasbourg.
The beautiful architecture, though, was truly satisfying to the senses. To me, it felt magical. Old Towns are the first on my itinerary when going to new places.
It was a most enjoyable day that filled my soul with joy.
The majestic ruins of Heidelberg Castle perched 330 ft above the Old Town. I was told that it was pretty up there, we chose not to seek this out.
The iconic Church of the Holy Spirit and Hercules Fountain mark Heidelberg's historic Market Square. The church is famed for its history of shifting between Catholic and Protestant worship.
The famous Old Bridge (Alte Brucke), or officially named the Karl-Theodor-Bridge, this historic stone arch bridge offers stunning views of the city, river, and the castle.
The "Alte Brücke" was first mentioned in 1222 and was for centuries the only connection between the two riverbanks. The bridge now in place was reconstructed between 1912 and 1926. The landmark of the Old Bridge is the crucifix with the golden "Brickegickel" on the top.
View of the Old Town from the bridge.
View of the castle from the bridge.
The Neckar River from the Bridge.
The Heidelberg Bridge Monkey (Brückenaffe). Wiki says: Located near the medieval gate tower on the Old Town side, this bronze statue depicts a monkey holding a mirror. Its history dates back to the 15th century, and it historically symbolized equality—urging people to look back, reflect on themselves, and remember they are no better than anyone else. Today, locals believe rubbing the mirror brings wealth, touching the fingers guarantees a return to Heidelberg, and touching the nearby bronze mice promises fertility.
We visited a few churches.
So all this walking has not only tired us out, but weakened our resolved not to eat with our eyes. This Old Town is full of shops that cater to the foodie, the sweet tooth, the hungry.
A shop for cured meats. Look how beautiful the pork bellies are.
We stopped for coffee, then found this lovely bakery, cake shop and thought it wouldn't hurt to try a slice of Linzer torte and I believe the other one is Sachertorte since we're in Germany. The Starbucks bag contained a mug, which my friend collects so we seek out this American chain everywhere we go when we travel with her.
Earlier in the day at the beginning of our exploration, we passed this pizza shop and we realized that pizza did sound good today, so we kept that in mind
So even after the cakes, we just can't leave the city without a taste, the craving was real. This day was fun in the sense that we had breakfast in Mainz, lunch in Heidelberg, and dinner in Strasbourg.
The beautiful architecture, though, was truly satisfying to the senses. To me, it felt magical. Old Towns are the first on my itinerary when going to new places.
It was a most enjoyable day that filled my soul with joy.
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