Heidelberg, Germany

While docked in Mainz our ship offered an optional land tour to Heidelberg so we had a choice of seeing Mainz or Heidelberg - all at no additional cost. Heidelberg is located one hour and 15 minutes by road from the city of Mainz where our ship docked. The city is located just along a small river called the Neckar River, with the old town on one side and the new town on the other. Each side of the city is connected by the picturesque old stone bridge, a sight not to be missed! Dominating Heidelberg is the Heidelberg Castle, which stands mostly in ruins due to the heavy fighting which took place here during the religious struggle known as the "Thirty Years War".

The main square of the city is called the "Hauptmarkt", near where the tour buses stop. It is here where you'll find the interesting Holy Ghost Church as well as the beginning of the main pedestrian shopping street called Hauptstrasse. Hauptstrasse is said to be the longest pedestrian shopping street in Germany, about 1 km long. Along this street you'll find various shops catering to locals and tourists alike, including the ever popular Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop. You'll also find plenty of cafes should you wish to enjoy a refreshing drink or the wonderful German Apfelstrudel.

The university here was founded in 1386 making it one of Europe's oldest. Heidelberg Castle is the largest castle ruins in Germany and contains a variety of architectural styles, mainly Renaissance. From the castle is a glorious view of the town with its red roofs and the Neckar River. Although there is no interior tour of any room at the castle because most of the castle has been destroyed, the highlight of the tour is the architecture surrounding the various courtyards as well as the aforementioned view of the city

We chose to stay in Mainz and see the Gutenberg Museum so we have no pictures of the Heidelberg area to share.