Where to stay, eat and go in Heidelberg, Germany
My fiancé was accepted to speak at a security conference in Heidelberg, Germany so we decided to make a Europe trip out of it. Before and after the conference we spent time in Switzerland – travel guide coming soon – but we were in Germany for five days. I have written about where I recommend you stay, eat and go if you ever visit the Baden-Württemberg region in Germany!
This part of Germany, bordering France and Switzerland, is known for its tranquility and romantic charm. Frequented and loved by historic icons including Mark Twain and the Brothers Grimm, this region is definitely worth a visit.
Where to stay
Our hotel for the five nights, the Crowne Plaza Heidelberg City Centre, was paid for by the conference. It was a pretty basic business hotel located in the City Centre which is about a 10-minute walk from Heidelberg Altstadt (Old Town). It’s a good hotel if you’re traveling on a budget, but I would recommend staying in the heart Altstadt if you can. Altstadt is full of restaurants, shops, nightlife and amazing historical sites to visit.
Where to eat
As a pescatarian, I didn’t eat a whole lot of authentic German food – schnitzel, wurst (sausage), etc. - but my fiancé wanted to try out some authentic places. Below are a few restaurants we tried that I would recommend:
Marktstubel – when we got into Heidelberg we were starving and looked for a well rated place nearby. We hadn’t stumbled upon the popular Altstadt area yet and found this restaurant on a quieter town square away from the more touristy areas in Heidelberg. I had a very unique shrimp and salmon pizza that was delicious, but they also have many local, authentic German food options
Vetter – this place was recommended to us multiple times. It had very authentic German food and is also well known for its beer selection. A good option for lunch or dinner. Ronnie had wurst and a pretzel while I had spaetzle (cheesy pasta)
Goldener Hecht – this restaurant is right at the edge of the Old Bridge, so a great place to stop in the middle of a sight seeing day. I wished it was a little warmer so we could have enjoyed our meal outside overlooking the busy streets
Rossi – this restaurant is located in the city center and has a great outdoor patio with strung lights. I actually ate here myself while Ronnie was at a speaker’s dinner. I enjoyed people watching from the patio during dinner where I had a pretty average pasta and a nice glass of wine
Where to go
There is a lot to do in Heidelberg, but you probably don’t need more than 1.5 - 2 days there depending on what you want to do. I would recommend it as a hub for day trips though if you want to visit the Black Forest or other surrounding towns. Below are some of the things I would recommend you do while in town:
Visit the Heidelberg Castle (Schloss Heidelberg) – an amazing site to see from afar before venturing up to the castle grounds. The castle can be seen from almost everywhere in the historic town of Heidelberg as it dominates the skyline. Built in the 11th century, most of the castle was ruined during the 30 Years War and then again after being struck by lightning. The ruins are still worth seeing and the view from the castle over Heidelberg and its historic bridge are amazing. We purchased the guided tour, which I also recommend if you want to learn about the castles history and view some of its interior.
Walking tour of Heidelberg – we did a walking tour of Heidelberg’s Altstadt to make sure we saw all the historic sites and learned about the city. We saw the Old Bridge (Alte Brucke) built in 1788, a few churches including the famous Church of the Holy Spirit, university buildings including the old student prison and many more. The tour was well worth our time and also helped us know where we wanted to go back on our own in the future – it's also nice to have a local point out recommended restaurants too!
Philosophenweg (Philosophers Way) – located along the Neckar River, this path was given its name due to the many philosophers, professors and poets who enjoyed this path for its beauty and solitude. It’s an easy walk, although you will walk uphill to get to it, but that’s what allows for the amazing views of the Neckar River, Old Bridge and Castle. I did the walk in about 25 minutes after about a 20-minute walk to get there from Old Town, but then continued to hike into the Heiligenberg, a low heavily wooded mountain for about an hour. Had we visited later in spring or in summer, I imagine the walk would be breathtaking given all the trees and flowers beginning to grow
Walk around Altstadt (Old Town) – there is lots of shopping, restaurants, cafes and bars lining the streets so it's fun to spend a few hours just walking around
Day trip to Baden-Baden – the train system in Europe is so incredible that it made day trips so easy. One of the days Ronnie was at his conference, I jumped on a train to Baden-Baden, a town known for its focus on wellness. I was going to visit one of the bath houses there, thinking it was like AIRE Ancient Baths in Chicago, but after reading more realized most of the bath houses are coed and nude – something I just wasn’t really up for, especially solo. Instead I decided to hike and walk the town!
Hike the Black Forest - this forest inspired fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm and I can definitely understand why. The hike was great – a good uphill challenge, but as long as you’re in pretty good shape it's very doable. I visited the Hohenbaden Castle ruins at the top – not nearly as impressive as the Heidelberg castle, but still fun to walk through – and then continued my hike at the top. I was pretty much the only person around on the path to the castle, at the castle, and even at the top where there is more hiking. I enjoyed the solitude until two animals came running towards the path in front of me, which was when I decided to turn back and head back down to town. I later identified these animals as wild boars, aggressive animals so I’m glad I turned around!
Walk the town – I started and ended my hike near the Friedrichsbad Bath house which is in a really nice area of town. The streets were full of amazing shopping and there were so many restaurants and cafes with outdoor seating. I wish I had given myself more time to explore before having to catch a bus and then train back to Heidelberg
Overall Heidelberg, Germany was wonderful, but you definitely don’t need to stay long. A day or two to do some tours and walk the town and then maybe another day for a day trip is all you need. I highly recommend Baden-Baden and hope to go back there again (maybe even with the courage to strip down and enjoy the bath houses).
Xo, Katie
