Heidelberg is the city where I would like to begin a German Study Tour. It is exquisitely beautiful, well located, culture rich and wonderfully connected to hundreds of cool places. Heidelberg was one of the most prominent cities to have escaped WWII almost unscathed by bombing raids. Locals in Heidelberg will tell you that the Americans wanted to preserve it so that they could set up their occupation base there after the war. The truth is probably closer to the fact that it was of no commercial or industrial significance and the Americans set up there because it was still intact after the war. But all of that brings us to the point that Heidelberg has not been rebuilt, it stands in all its majestic glory almost exactly as it has done for the last 470 years (470 years ago it was razed to the ground in the 30 years’ war with the French). The first thing you see in Heidelberg is the castle. You can take a train up to the castle in good weather, otherwise there is a bus and they are both free. On the other hand you can also walk up. It only takes about 10 minutes from the city, but it is quite steep. The castle is gorgeous and contains an old apothecary and massive gardens. Tours of the castle are hourly and it is €8 for adults and €4 for kids. A visit to the University is a must. The university has some amazing old lecture halls, a huge and inexpensive canteen and an old student prison. The for 500 years the university had its own laws and legal system and that students could be arrested for any old thing that one gets arrested for, singing too loud in the wet mess, running naked through the gardens during Fasching, you know … the usual. Reports are that the prison was a fairly cosy place to be and that students would sometimes get themselves arrested to avoid exams or just because their mates had been arrested. The Kurpfälzisches Museum has an extensive collection of art, handcrafted items and assorted articles from Heidelberg’s history and is surely worth a look. As is the Körperwelten (Body Worlds) Museum (click here to see the website) https://bodyworlds.com/exhibition/heidelberg/ One thing that you cannot miss in Heidelberg is the Philosopher’s Walk. From the old Cathedral, head over the bridge, across the river and straight up the hill. It takes about an hour and offers unparalleled views of Heidelberg and the castle. I missed it this time as I got half way across the bridge and, for the first time in 4 weeks, I just said ‘it’s too cold here, I need to get inside. It doesn’t happen to me often, but I had just spent about an hour and a half in -4*c walking around the old Castle and its ruins, on top of a couple hours walking around town and I was just cold right down into my bones. Leave it for next time.
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