Blend into the old square of Heidelberg…
You’ve started on a high note. Peak high. A ride on one of the most scenic train journeys in Europe stretching from Cologne to Heidelberg. Your mind is resonating with the sensory explosion, courtesy the Rhine river valley panorama. Little towns with tiny German houses, pointy old churches and broken medieval stone fortresses from Roman times. Hills rich with lush foliage, rolling vineyards, landscaped terraces and curvy roads kissing the gushing river that sparkles with the rays of sun. And you’re contemplating a strange paradox. In the birthplace of cuckoo clocks where keeping time is everything, how does time manage to stand so still? As if the journey wasn’t magical enough, you land in one of Deutschland’s most adorable towns…Heidelberg. Three million tourists a year. But why should statistics give anyone nightmares?
First, find a hideout
Someplace quiet, someplace nice, someplace pretty, don’t think twice. Check into Hotel Villa Marstall….its a a small boutique hotel with 18 rooms and minimal staff. Views of the Neckar river adorned with its quaint old wooden arched bridge from some windows. Few minutes walk from the old town. And breakfast in stone cellars. Jackpot! Lights out at the front desk when the clock strikes 8 pm. No reason to panic…its not a dorm. The main entrance locks up early, but you can let yourself in with the room swipe card. How’s that for a touch of home?
Head for Marktplatz
Barely five minutes of walk and you’re setting foot on the cobblestones of Marketplatz, the pulse of Heidelberg’s historical city center, Altstadt. The display boards tell all…the square layout, its landmarks and their historical significance. This has been the town’s hub since Middle Ages, not just for markets, but for all public proceedings…good, bad, and ugly, including beheadings, tortures and witch burnings. But that was then. Gory has now given way to glory, but the ancient tradition of people gathering continues. Before you even realise it, you’ve blended in seamlessly. As if you were always part of its throbbing canvas of life. Feel it. Get a peek of the hill castle…explore it later.
Savour sweetness
Pretty old buildings in soft lemon, cream, peach and teal colours line the square on three sides. The tall and narrow facades with gabled roofs are evenly and tightly packed together, their windows cheerfully brightened with colourful petunias and geraniums. At floor level, an array of cafes or shops sell local produce, candles, clothing, beer mugs and decorations. Stroll in and out of the inviting doorways, walking into an odd art gallery or a music shop. Pick up something local…like a dozen assorted schneeballen (they last up to a few weeks)…large tennis-ball shaped pastry, deep-fried and dusted with powdered sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, nuts, caramel and even champagne. (Know more about the schneeballen) Does the store owner stay in the quaint house above…and had it been his family home since centuries, you muse while he packs your purchase into a crunchy white paper bag. It feels inconveniently sized and hard…how on earth do you bite into one of these? Only one way to find out!
Trace eternity
Stop at one of the most photographed buildings in the square and step back in time. The iconic Ritter Hotel is the only original 17th century house that exists in the town today. It had even served as a temporary town hall when the Town Hall was destroyed in 1693. Talk about survival! While taking several pictures of the brown sandstone facade, renaissance-era columns and the carved figures, notice the inscription on the front “Persta invicta, Venus” (Remain Forever Unconquered, Beauty). Indeed, the elegant building constructed by a French cloth dealer had retained its charm over centuries.
Shop at the Church
The limelight of the square? Clearly the odd-shaped, 600-year old Gothic-styled Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit). You need to take a circle around its almost 60 meters long and 20 meters wide perimeter to familiarise yourself with the unique structure of this red sandstone building. That baroque roof was added later to replace the one that burned down…can you believe it? Soak in the salmon coloured interior, tall columns, high ceilings, and pretty patterned windows. Wonder about the wall that once split the space into two halves – Catholic and Protestant. Unusual is the word for it. The 15th-century tomb of the church’s founder, King Ruprecht I, and his wife, Elizabeth, their carved likenesses still distinct, are preserved inside. But the strangest element is the circle of tented stalls outside the church walls, sandwiched cosily between its buttresses, selling everything but religious souvenirs! Indulge yourself…go shopping at the Church.
Debate life sentences
At the left end of the Marketplatz, near the 18th century baroque style Town Hall (Rathaus) with its bell tower, balconies, dormer windows, arched entryways and a colourful coat of arms, is another interesting structure. The large Hercules fountain statue is a favorite resting place for people to catch their breath. Now chew on this. In medieval times, criminals were chained here and left to take their last breaths! How ironical is that?
Munch on lunch
Despite the astounding buzz of activity, there’s something utterly enjoyable about Heidelberg’s Marktplatz. Intelligently designed layout, maybe? Because you never have a full view of the whole square from any angle. Lunch on your mind? Grab the last free outdoor table at a busy corner bistro before hunger pangs get the better of you. German meals can wait for later. Large helpings of hearty tomato soup, garnished with big dollops of cream? Thinnest, crunchiest pizza served on a rustic wood plate? Sure! Sounds of the organ waft from the Church, chimes sound from the Town Hall bell tower and a street musician strums Bach on his violin. Music is all around and you heart is singing. If your instinct tells you that Heidelberg will go down your memory lane as one of the loveliest places you have visited, believe it. Fuel up and get ready to conquer the map. You’ve barely scratched the surface. The whole town is waiting to be discovered. Including the Heidelberg castle on the hill with views to kill for.
To be continued…
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Would love to visit this quaint town of Heidelberg someday. There seems to be a lot going around, and am sure time would seem to fly, when one starts exploring. That food looks delicious, making for a good meal, in the midst of exploring.
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Heidelberg will keep you busy for 2-3 days.
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We have never visited Germany. Thanks for taking us outside of the big towns. Hard to believe that this little town has so many visitors! Would love to visit when it is a little quieter. A market visit is definitely what I would want to do. And probably not at the stalls by the church. Glad they are no longer doing beheadings! The schneeballen sound tasty. Looks like there are so many interesting things to see in town. Thanks for introducing us to Heidelberg.
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The little towns in Germany are some of the best in all of Europe. Do make time for those when you plan a trip.
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Indeed it is lovely. Too bad it is 3.5 hours away from Oberstaufen where we will be this October. The hotel and the church and the square. MarktPlatz is a beautiful square.
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Ah, you will miss it. But Germany has no dearth of lovely places! Have a great time 🙂
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Thanks. Maybe next time…Berlin and Heidelberg. This time it’s Munich and Oberstaufen and Lichtenstein.
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Love Heidleberg! I was there during the holidays and got to enjoy the Christmas market in the Marketplatz. A very different experience from the beheadings, tortures and witch burnings of long ago… thank goodness.
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Christmas would have especially lovely!!
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I love Heidelberg! The whole town just exudes so much charm! I don’t believe I tried a schneeballen when I was there, it sounds delish! The hiking trails around Heidelberg are spectacular too and provide some amazing views of the city. It’s years since my last visit and your photos have given me major wanderlust to return!
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We didn’t go hiking but the views from the castle!!! Wow. Here’s my post on it https://100cobbledroads.com/2017/01/16/why-heidelberg-castle-will-make-you-fall-in-love/
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Greta pics that brought back fond memories for me. I loved visiting the castle and was amazed at the age and size of the world’s largest wine barrel. What I found even more amusing was the dance floor on the top. Did you see it?
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Yes, that is the other fave of mine from Heidelberg. I have referred to it in the post too. You can read it here https://100cobbledroads.com/2017/01/16/why-heidelberg-castle-will-make-you-fall-in-love/
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We’ve been to Heidelberg. It’s a really cute town and a visit to the castle was the highlight for us. The world’s biggest wine barrel is inside the castle, which is pretty interesting.
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The castle is a stunner. I have it covered in a different post…https://100cobbledroads.com/2017/01/16/why-heidelberg-castle-will-make-you-fall-in-love/
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I’ve not spent a lot of time in Germany, but Heidelberg certainly seems like a great place to introduce the me to all the small town german delights! I’d go just for the Schneeballen to be honest! I love how you have given us tidbits of history to bring the article to life!
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Thanks a ton, Hannah! This one is a quintessentially German town.
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It looks beautiful. I have visited many German towns (I worked in Germany for a while when I was much younger) but strangely have never been to Heidelberg. The Marktplatz looks absolutely delightful with a wonderful atmosphere. I am a huge fan of German confectionery also. I imagine the Schneeball was delicious?
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This was one of my fave towns in the whole in Germany. So many pretty spots everywhere. The Schneeballen was yummm ..we got back some.
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I should be honest with you. I haven’t heard of Heidelberg before reading your post. It looks like a cute German town with lots of beautiful and picturesque buildings. It is a great city for a weekend break. I should check it out.
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A great town with great ambience. Crowds but lots of quiet places. A must-experience.
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What a beautiful town. It’s vintage and majestic. The architecture seems captivating and the food just made me hungry!
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Heading to Heidelberg soon?
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Yep! Yep! Yep!
I’ve been to Heidelberg, and indeed it IS adorable!
It’s so quaint that somehow, as a university town, it reminded me of York in the UK! And in fact, not only is Heidelberg University the oldest university in Germany, but it was also founded in 1836, making it one of the oldest surviving universities in the world! It’s awesome!
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You’re right…the University area is the most charming too. Its covered under the second part of this article, which will be up today.
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Lovely pictures. The picture overlooking the town reminds me of Prague.
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Yes, most of Europe has those lovely red roofs.
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This sounds like exactly the type of place we love to visit! And it sounds as though the journey getting there is more than half the fun! It is absolutely charming, I love the mix of history and markets and cuisine. I also love stays in boutique hotels, so would absolutely check out Villa Marstall for a stay. Your photos capture it all extremely well!
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You’re right…and what a stunning journey it is…the train is ideal for savoring it all !! Thanks for your lovely comment.
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Love Heidelberg — Therese went to university there years ago, as did our daughter, so know the village very well and enjoy visiting. It is a very quaint town all times of the year.
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What a great place to study! The second part of the article will be up today…I have covered the University in that.
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Heidelberg sounds like a fantastic place! I so want to try schneeballen – how have I not heard of these! Thanks for the tip on Hotel Villa Marstall as I prefer boutique hotels.
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The hotel was a lucky find…we discovered all the other details about it later. 🙂
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Even within Germany, Heidelberg is considered a true jewel. The sceneries are like from a fairy tale for sure – and after all, the University is really famous. Usually, I’m rather into hearty food, but the Schneeballen with the different fillings look like the perfect snack of sin.
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If you enjoyed this post, you will enjoy the second part https://100cobbledroads.com/2018/08/23/discover-unusual-delights-in-the-most-charming-street-of-heidelberg/
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This little german town looks amazing, I can’t believe how beautiful it looks. It reminds me of a fairytale. The buildings are beautiful
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You should stop by when in Germany and see it for yourself.
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Amazing views and breakfast in stole cellars!? I’m sold!! Vila Marstall sounds absolutely lovely and so does everything else on your itinerary list! I can’t get over how cute the houses are and not only do I wanna visit Heidelberg now, I’m tempted to move into one of the peach houses!
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I have two more articles on Heidelberg which you may enjoy https://100cobbledroads.com/2018/08/23/discover-unusual-delights-in-the-most-charming-street-of-heidelberg/ and https://100cobbledroads.com/2017/01/16/why-heidelberg-castle-will-make-you-fall-in-love/
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I just love colorful medieval towns and this seems to fit the bill! Your photos really capture the city beautifully. This is going on my list of places to visit in Germany! I’ve only been to the big cities so far.
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If someone was to pick just one German town to visit, I would recommend Heidelberg.
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