This past weekend a group of us took a trip to the old city of Heidelberg. This is a very historic city that is most famous for it’s castle that is open for touring to the public. It was a very long trip to get there and there really was not enough to do there to make a weekend of it, so we decided to go for just the day, a very long day.
We found out about special weekend ticket for the train here. For only €44 we got a pass that was good for unlimited rides on any local train throughout Germany for a full day and covered up to 5 passengers. This was a great deal, however using only local trains; it can take much longer than normal travel. Fortunately, the views through the countryside were very nice and made for a much more enjoyable ride.
Once arriving in Heidelberg 7 hours later we were all very hungry. We noticed many restaurants with an abundance of outdoor seating. Since it was a very nice day out we found an authentic German restaurant and had a bite to eat outside. I ordered the Jägerschnitzel which is your traditional Weinerschnitzel(thin, fried pork chop), tops with a brown gravy and mushrooms with a side of pommes(fries), and salad. All of the fruits and vegetable here have been very fresh and tasty. Because of this they do not need to douse their salads with fatty dressings to add flavor. They typically come with just a small amount of simple, light dressing that compliments the flavors of the salad. The meet was also delicious, possibly one of the best meals I have had here thus far. I would highly recommend trying the Jägerschnitzel at least once if it is on the menu.
Next on the list was to visit the Heidelberg Castle. We had to hike up a very steep hill just to get to the entrance, which was of course part of their strategy when building this in order to make it difficult for the enemies horses to make their way up. Once we got to the top it was only €4 to explore on your own, or you could pay a little extra for a guided tour. We decided to go the cheaper route, which was more than enough. It was very interesting to observe all of the architecture and unique styles that were through the castle walls and even crazier to think this was built in the 1200’s with very little technology. From the top we had a great view of the whole city and river below.
The rest of the day was spent walking around and enjoying the views the city had to offer. We explored the marketplace and outdoor seating where we could relax and observe. This was a very long trip for such a short time in the city, however I would not have done anything better that day and it’s one more city that I wanted to see to check off my list.
