Knowing Heidelberg is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany, my original idea was to try and find some off the beaten path things to see and do while I was there. But the best things about Heidelberg are the touristy things so I’m going to throw my initial idea out the window and instead share the top 4 things to do and see in Heidelberg.

Heidelberg Castle

Heidelberg’s main attraction is the sandstone castle which overlooks the old town (altstadt). It is featured in just about every photo you see of the city and my favourite view is from the banks of the Neckar River.

Of course it’s worth going up to have a closer look and the easiest way to get there is to take the two minute funicular ride half way up the hill. There is a second funicular dating from 1907 which will take you further up the hillside but unfortunately that isn’t included in regular castle/funicular ticket.

Once there you can explore the Gothic-Renaissance courtyard or check out the pharmacy museum. I skipped that and went straight for the terrace to see the views over Heidelberg and the river.

Old Town Squares

Back down in the altstadt, there are plenty of cute streets and squares to explore. Most are packed with shops, cafes and tourists but there are still plenty of quiet places to relax. The main square Marktplatz is not particularly quiet but it’s a fun place to sit for a drink and to people watch. For a small fee you can climb the church spire in the Gothic church on the square for more views of the city.

If you walk back down to the old town after having visited the castle you’ll walk straight into Kornmarkt. It’s much quieter than Marktplatz and Heidelberg’s other main square Karlsplatz as there aren’t any cafes to sit in but there are plenty of benches where you can sit and enjoy the view.

River Neckar

Taking a stroll along the River Neckar is a great idea if you want to get away from the crowds at Heidelberg Castle. If the weather is good head to the riverside park on the northern side of the river near the Theodor Heuss Bridge for a picnic. This is where the locals like to hang out when the sun makes an occasional appearance. Just watch out for the hundreds of ducks who also like to hang out there.

Alte Brucke

The Old Bridge (Alte Brucke) is Heidelberg’s most visited bridge which you can get a close up look of as you walk along the Neckar.

The stone bridge dates from the 18th century and there’s a pretty medieval bridge gate on the old town side of the bridge.

Plus One Quirky Thing

I did come across one unusual sight while in Heidelberg, the Bridge Monkey. 

He’s holding up a mirror which is supposed to bring you wealth if you touch it. Of course I didn’t discover that until later so it looks like I will remain poor. If you touch the monkey’s fingers you will return to Heidelberg one day and if you touch the mice you’ll have lots of kids. Luckily I didn’t even see the mice!

Where to Stay in Heidelberg

I stayed at the Hip Hotel in Heidelberg which is a cute little boutique hotel right in the old town. It’s on the main pedestrian shopping street but you can drive down there to drop off your bags (at least I did!). I particularly loved the champagne breakfast they put on. Who doesn’t love champagne for breakfast??

When to Visit

Heidelberg is popular tourist destination all year round. You might want to avoid visiting in July and August as these are peak tourist times but any other time of the year should be relatively fine. If you’re staying for a few days and plan on visiting a number of attractions then you might want to pick up the Heidelberg Card from the tourist office. That gives you free use of public transport, use of the funicular and entrance to Heidelberg castle as well as discounts at a number of museums. But if you’re only going to be in Heidelberg for a day or you just want to visit the castle then it wouldn’t be worthwhile.

Heidelberg is located in one of the most beautiful regions in Germany. While in the area you could also visit Wiesbaden, the very cute Bacharach or Schwäbisch Hall.

I didn’t know what to expect when I headed to Trier for their Altstadtfest (Old Town Festival) but it turns out it’s made up of mostly drinking, eating and listening to music. One can’t ask for much more from a festival really.

Of course we started with a little wine tasting. I wasn’t sure which wine to go with but one of the locals took us through the German menu and after a bit of an interrogation regarding our wine preferences he selected wines for us to try. He was spot on with his recommendations and I loved my semi-sweet wine from the local Mosel region.

The festival has plenty of places to stop for local wine and beer and not surprisingly these were the most popular stalls. Even in the early afternoon the locals were crowding around, drinking up and chatting amongst themselves.

I was planning on sticking to wine during the festival but it was hard to walk by these beautiful fruit punch bowls without trying at least one. Most were spiked with vodka and were very refreshing!

The eating side of things was a little less enjoyable for me as almost everything was deep fried and meaty. You can’t beat a good Hungarian langos though.

There was lots of international food available including Mexican, Thai and Japanese. I did try some German specialties including these deep fried mushrooms. Good in theory, not so good in practice.

I finally hit the jackpot with a vegetarian flammkuchen. Flammkuchen is kind of like German pizza. You see it a lot around the west of Germany but it’s originally from the Alsace region of France. It’s delicious. Don’t pass it up if you have the chance to try it.

If you’re a meat lover, you won’t be disappointed as after the beer and wine stalls the meat stations were the most well stocked. Piles of sausages and steaks were being grilled over hot coals and thrown between chunky bread rolls. Meat and bread were big at the Altstadtfest.

The entertainment at the festival was mostly music. There was jazz, church choirs and lots more in between.

Sightseeing in Trier

If you’re not in Trier during the festival there’s plenty to see anyway. Trier was a great Roman city back in the day and there are loads of Roman ruins scattered around the city. My favourite is the Porta Nigra gate to the city. At one point there were four of these gates but this is the only one which remains.

The second most important Roman site in Trier is the Imperial Baths. The Romans were geniuses when it came to water and they created a complex system of hot and cold baths plus steam and relaxation rooms. There are no natural hot springs in Trier but they still managed to bring the water in and heat it to the exact temperature required.

There is also a huge Roman amphitheatre which is still used today although no longer for killing wild animals and gladiators. Much prettier is the Roman bridge which dates from the 2nd century and is still used by traffic today without any structural problems.

Not from Roman times but there are a couple of historic cranes located on the banks of the Moselle. One is from medieval times and the other from the 18th century. The engine used to work the cranes was powered only by manpower. Not a fun job I’d imagine.

In between the Porta Nigra and the Imperial Baths is the beautiful garden of the Palace of Trier which is a nice spot to take a break from the festival and sightseeing.

Where to Stay

I stayed in Trier compliments of Trier Tourism and Mercure Hotel Trier Porta Nigra. The hotel is located directly opposite the stunning Porta Nigra and I snapped the above photo of it from Mercure’s breakfast room. It’s not a bad view to eat breakfast to.

When to Visit

The Old Town Festival is held during June or it’s worth visiting Trier in December when the Christmas markets are on. Trier Tourism has a list of events on their website but the city’s Roman monuments and other sights can be visited all year round.

While looking for a place to stay in between visits to Trier and Heidelberg, we stumbled across one of the most perfect German villages I’ve ever seen. Bacharach on the Rhine is made up almost exclusively of medieval timber framed houses with the oldest dating from 1368.

Sometimes when visiting Germany I get a bit bored with seeing this kind of architecture everywhere but Bacharach is so quaint and adorable I loved every minute I spent there. Each house is so well preserved and maintained it really is like stepping back in time.

Bacharach is situated on the Rhine Gorge not far from Wiesbaden and Frankfurt and it would be an easy day trip from either city or it’s a great place to visit if you’re passing through like I was. The Rhine Gorge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular wine growing region.

White wine is the predominant wine produced here with most of those being Riesling but we also tried a decent red and a very nice sparkling wine. There are a number of small shops in the centre where you can taste the local wine. Most of them stocked wines from the local Mittelrhein wine region and I’d definitely recommend the Jost Riesling.

Before going crazy wine tasting you might want to take the steep walk up the hill to see the 12th century Stahleck Castle. The castle has had various uses over the years including as an internment camp for German youth before being shipped off to concentration camps during the war. It’s currently used as a hostel.

On the way up to Stahleck Castle you’ll pass the ruins of a Gothic chapel.

Next to the chapel is a viewing platform where you get the best views over the Rhine Gorge and the rest of the town.

Bacharach is a small town of only 2000 people so there isn’t a lot to do but stroll the cobblestone streets and enjoy the local food and wine.

Where to Eat

There are lots of places to eat around town but I’d recommend getting away from the main square and trying some more wine and German food at Weingut Karl Heidrich wine bar.

You also get a great view of the castle from there.

While Bacharach is an easy day trip from nearby towns, I think it’s worth staying overnight to appreciate the town and the great food and wine you’ll find there.

Last week I headed to Berlin to see Pearl Jam in concert at O2 World in Berlin. The concert hall is not far from the Ostbahnhof train station and to get there you can walk along the River Spree and check out the East Side Gallery as you go.

I’ve never been to the East Side Gallery before and it was interesting to see the artwork which was created in 1990 not long after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Some of the 106 pieces of art are in poor condition but others have been restored. The weather and vandalism have been a problem but hopefully the rest will be restored in the future.

The concert itself was brilliant of course and it was totally worth the road trip to Berlin from Paris. On the way to the concert I also noticed they have set up some beach bars along the river. We went back the following day and got to enjoy a brief period of sunshine while we sipped on an Aperol Spritz or three. It was so relaxing sitting on beach chairs on the sand, almost like being at a real beach. Almost… It’s not exactly like Tenerife in July but it wasn’t bad.

I know Paris has Paris Plage but this was so much more relaxed than anything I’ve ever seen in Paris or in France. It’s one of the reasons I’d love to move to Berlin, there’s just so many new and different things going on all the time. I’d definitely recommend checking out one of these beach bars if you’re in Berlin, it’s a cool place to hang out, especially if you’re with a group of friends.

I’d also recommend the German summer drink of choice, an Aperol Spritz. It’s really delicious! It’s made with a bitter orange flavoured spirit and Prosecco. Another popular drink is a Hugo which is made with Elderflower syrup, mint leaves and Prosecco. It’s refreshing but I prefer the Aperol Spritz.

Berlin is such an amazing city, I can’t wait to go back later this year for a longer trip.

We didn’t have the best luck with the weather during our week in Berlin. There were thunderstorms almost every day which was kind of odd for the middle of summer but on our final night the skies cleared a little and I got to take a few night shots of Berlin’s famous landmarks.