Heidelberg Altstadt

Ah yes, I am finally learning German words! My proof? When researching places to see in Heidelberg, I came across Altstadt, which means "Old Town". Alt is old, stadt is town, so voila! Altstadt is the oldest part of the city and located below the castle, down narrow, winding roads.

The main allure of Altstadt is the city square. Open air markets are highly prevalent this time of year and a number of booths were set up outside as we walked through. Everything from tourist magnets to what appeared to be hand-me-downs were available for purchase. Each cafe, bar, and gelato shop had an outdoor seating area set up to enjoy what turned out to be a perfect fall day after the morning rain passed. The stores lining the pedestrian path ranged from higher end, such as Lancome, to hole in the wall places offering an eclectic variety of goods.

Karl-Theodore-Brücke

Heidelberg Castle is hundreds of years old, and their bridge has a history as well. The Karl-Theodore-Brücke, or old bridge was built in the 1700's and is picturesque with the mountain and buildings all around. The only let down? The view. I was very interested in getting a picture of Tom and I on the bridge with the city surrounding us, but as you look out upon the city, the landscape becomes less than desirable. Newer buildings, another less appealing bridge in the background, and construction equipment marred the majestic atmosphere I would have expected. The bridge itself was the true focal point.

Jesuitenkirche

To get to Heidelberg's Jesuitenkirche, or Jesuit Church, use the following directions: walk along the river and head east. I just love that. Yes, there is certainly some room for error in doing exactly as they say, but the simplicity and historical nod to using a river as your navigation point is awesome. Some construction was going on outside of the church, so we did have to do a bit of maneuvering to get there. Built in the early to mid 1700's the church has been standing for quite some time. I wasn't crazy about all of the white inside, it compromised the tranquil quality I expect churches to exude. The alter and ceiling arches were beautifully constructed, as was the church's exterior.

After the castle and some city exploring, we were famished. I, like a prepared traveler, ate breakfast that morning and was still starving as it was nearly dinner time. Tom had eaten nothing and was, for once, more insistent than I was to find food. We chose a pub along the city square and analyzed our menus.

I wanted to try a few different things and I thought, what sound better than a cup of soup and small tart? Perfect! That is not what I got... We ordered a garlic cheese bread to start, which turned out to be the size of a pizza. Then, my small cup of soup was actually a giant bowl, served with garlic bread. THEN, my lovely petite tart I thought I was receiving? It was bigger than the pizza Tom ordered. We went from very hungry to having more food than we could possibly eat in, all within the span of twenty minutes. At least we had delicious local beer and wine to wash it down! Be careful what you ask for, my mental image of menu items rarely match their reality.

My "tart". How is this a tart? I was picturing a small, delicate pastry.

In an attempt to offset our feast, we popped into a few souvenir shops throughout the town. As usual, we looked at clocks and other small treats before leaving each store empty handed. On our walk back through Heidelberg, we made a gelato pit stop where they had Snickers gelato. You would think it might be similar to the Snickers ice cream or even the ice cream bar back home, but no. I would go back to that shop just for that gelato.

Heidelberg was a somewhat spontaneous trip choice for us, I planned it a few days ahead at most. Between the fascinating castle tour and quaint town, Heidelberg was worthwhile and would be enjoyable even without much of an itinerary to follow.