I spent one day in Heidelberg due to a business meeting and because I have heard so much about the city, I was really looking forward to make a quick stroll around the place. At the end I did not get a lot of time, but still managed to do a quick walk around the old town.
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Perfect one day in Heidelberg
Heidelberg is known as the University City. The university was established in Heidelberg already in 14th century, what gives the city great historical importance. How popular and historically important Heidelberg really is, you will realize when finding yourself in the old town. The old town is packed with tourists – individuals and groups – especially on the main street »Hauptstrasse«, which is known as the longest pedestrian street in Europe.
The Hauptstrasse is full of cafes, shops and restaurants, which leads you all the way to the Marktplatz, where the gohtic cathedral Heiliggestkirche, with two bell towers, can be found.
I did not need long to find one of the two best known symbols of Heidelber – the renaissance castle, which is built with the red sandstone from the Neckar River – the river running through the city. It looks gorgeous! Unfortunately I did not have enough time to go up to the castle and enjoy the city views, but next time, this will be my first priority for sure.
Instead of speeding up and down the castle, I rather sat in a cafe and observed the hustle and bustle around me. Just before I was closing up my walk around the old town of Heidelberg, I stopped at the old bridge too. And guess what, seeing the views from the bridge, offering the beautiful old buildings and the red sandstone castle, I sworn myself that one day in Heidelberg is to little and I should be back again soon.
Some quick travel tips to explore Heidelberg for a day
How to reach the city?
You can travel to Heidelberg as a day trip from Frankfurt or Stuttgart. The best way is to travel there by train.
Where to stay?
Having 24 hours for Heidelberg you will need a place to stay. I spent a night outside of the old town, in the Star Inn Hotel. The room price included a rich buffet breakfast and there was also a private parking on site – additional cost though. The Star Inn Hotel is close to the main train station and is about 2,5 kilometers far from the old town. You will need 20-30 minutes on foot or you can take a ride with the tram nr. 26. The Hauptstrasse is four stations away from the hotel.
If you’ll be traveling to Heidelberg by train or any other public transport, I’d recommend you to stay somewhere in the old town. We’ve heard great reviews for the Kulturbrauerei Heidelberg hotel, which is part of the old city brewery, where you can also taste some traditional local dishes.
Where to eat?
The old town has many options to choose from when looking for a place to eat, including the fast food places, selling the popular kebabs.
Fun things to do in Heidelberg when you have just one day
You can reach the castle (Konigstuhl) by a funicular or by foot. Nevertheless which option will you choose, the entrance ticket for the castle includes the funicular ride too. The castle itself offers many interesting things to see, but I will write more about them next time – when I will visit it by myself, but hearing about the castle from others, it should be one of the best things to do in Heidelberg.
