Heidelberg: One of the Most Beautiful Cities in Germany

Beautiful cities in Germany are not hard to come by. What makes them beautiful can be fairly diverse too. Some have half-timbered houses, some have views of a river, still others have a castle perched on an overhead cliff. Heidelberg is fortunate to have all of these and more.

Heidelberg has a reputation for being so pretty that it inspired romantic poets and philosophers throughout history. This is due, in part, to the fact that it was largely spared during the Allied bombing raids of WWII. Therefore, many of its original buildings can still be seen. Today, it is a city of roughly 160,000 people and home to the oldest university in Germany (University of Heidelberg – founded in 1386.)

Beautiful Cities in Germany: Heidelberg Castle

The most obvious must-see attraction here is Heidelberg Castle. This was our second stop after hopping on a bus near our hotel, the lovely Heidelberg Marriott Hotel. Our first stop was the visitor information office, so we could buy our two-day Heidelberg cards. These cards gave us access to free public transportation all weekend and discounts on other cool stuff too. There is a steep path us the mountain that you can climb to get to the castle if you want, but why bother when you can take a super cool funicular ride to get up there! The funicular, too, was included with our Heidelberg card.

The castle is made from pink sandstone and is part-ruins and part-gorgeous architecture. I’ve been to a lot of castles at this point, and I think it’s pretty unusual to see a property that is both. Let me tell you, a person can walk the grounds of this place for a long time and not get bored. On this path there is a pink tower where one half has crumbled away revealing an eerie version of a Barbie Dream House. In that courtyard, wedding cake architecture of pink and yellow towers five stories above you.

Oh, and have I mentioned the views of the Neckar River? Yeah, there’s that too.

One quirky thing to see at the castle is the world’s largest wine cask. We had no idea there was such a thing or that it was housed here. But, when we found out, of course, we needed to go see it. I took pictures of people standing near it for scale.

Surprise! That’s NOT the largest wine cask in the world. . . THIS IS!!

The Famous Bridge

The Old Bridge is what everyone calls it, but technically its formal name is the Karl Theodor Bridge. We found information on the bridge’s history and on all of its statues and read that as we walked across snapping pictures. This pedestrian-only bridge is a perfect place to pause and see why Heidelberg is known as one of the most beautiful cities in Germany.

Karl Theodor, who had the bridge built, was a big supporter of the arts and sciences. That’s why he dedicated a sculpture to the Roman Goddess Minerva – Goddess of Wisdom.

Apparently, though, Karl also had a bit of an ego, because he also had a statue of himself built at the other end of the bridge. At his feet are figures representing the most major rivers of the region (over which he ruled): the Rhine, the Mosel, the Danube and the Isar.

After you walk through the famous towered gate at the end of the bridge, you’ll come to the strangest sculpture in the city. Installed in 1979, the Bridge Monkey (which for the record, I think is rather ugly), holds a mirror. There are drawings proving that there was a monkey sculpture near the bridge as far back as the 15^th Century, so this guy is just the most modern version. The mirror he holds and the ring he wears on one paw symbolize vanity. His bare tush symbolizes lechery. Apparently, the idea is to remind people that they are no better than anyone else. . . that we all have flaws.

According to Atlas Obscura, “The monkey is said to be good luck. Rubbing the mirror will bring you money; rubbing his fingers will ensure your return to Heidelberg; and rubbing the little bronze mice nearby will bring you fertility.” It is also common to stick your head inside the helmet-shaped thing that constitutes his face and take a picture.

Beautiful City, Delicious Cuisine

After all this exploring, we were hungry. We stumbled on a one-sentence reference online to a schnitzel restaurant that sounded amazing. The Alte Münz Schnitzelhaus deserves way more than one sentence, so here goes. . .

O.M.G. They offer more than 100 kinds of schnitzel! From traditional to experimental, they have everything!

My husband ordered a version that they simply call “à la chef,” which means it is slathered in a gravy of bacon, jalapenos, onions, mushrooms, pepperoni and garlic. He declared it one of the best things he’d ever tried.

I ordered something slightly more classic (though it is unusual for schnitzel to be served this way) called the Cordon Bleu. The traditional schnitzel was stuffed with ham and Edam swiss cheese. It was the best version of schnitzel I’ve ever had.

They also have versions like the à la Meyer, which comes with onions and fried eggs or the Forster, which comes covered in a cream sauce and chanterelle mushrooms, onions and pickled cucumber. If you are truly adventurous, you could order from the exotic section of the menu. You could have your meat covered in a bitter chocolate sauce if you order the Mole Negro. You could also try the version that covers your meat in a creamy raspberry sauce or the one that comes with snails in a cream sauce. Oh, how the list goes on!

Both of our entrees came with fries and a salad. The salad was wonderful too, complete with the typical veggies, corn, and a lovely dressing that wasn’t too heavy. I suppose that’s strategic on their part. Afterall, diners are about to consume a lot of protein.

Where to Stay

We chose to stay at the Heidelberg Marriott Hotel. It was a 40-minute walk back to the hotel from the schnitzelhaus and it was perfect. That may sound far, but it helped us digest all that food and the stroll along the length of the Neckar River was worth it. This hotel had two cool things: a junior suite with a view of the river and blind athletes from all over the world competing that weekend in the International Blind Sports Federation’s Judo Grand Prix, which was a qualifying event for the Paralympics.

Beautiful Cities in Germany: Take a Walk in the Clouds

As I’ve said, Heidelberg is known for being one of the most beautiful cities in Germany.  Philosophenweg is a big part of this reputation. Philosopher’s Way (English translation) is a walking trail high above the river and the town that has inspired poets and philosophers for centuries.  Joseph von Eichendorff (poet, 1800’s), Mark Twain, Victor Hugo, and Goethe (writer, late 1700’s) all loved Heidelberg and the view from Philosophenweg.

We walked up the steep street to arrive at the start. Then, at the end, we walked down Schlangenweg (Snake Way), which is now my favorite staircase ever. It is formed from extremely steep, uneven and ancient stones that wind their way down the mountain while being romantically carpeted in the thickest, most touch-worthy green moss I’ve ever seen.

If you like cool walks to see unusual views, check out this one in Berkeley, California that view visitors are aware of.

When you are visiting the most beautiful cities in Germany, don’t feel like your only choices are the big metropolis-sized cities. Heidelberg is only a one-hour drive from Frankfurt (where most people fly in/out) and one hour, 40 minutes from Stuttgart and Strasbourg, France. It is a weekend trip worth taking.

Remember to book your next adventure by clicking here: