The Germans say that spring arrives first in Heidelberg, and that very well may be true. Visiting on a Saturday in February the city was still bundled against the cold, but had enough sun and blue skies to give one optimism. While passing through Germany on work travel I was fortunate to spend a solo day exploring some of the interesting corners in this university city of southwest Germany.
First and foremost, Heidelberg is a city for discussion and learning. Home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, Heidelberg University, and its reputation and ancient traditions seep into every corner of the city’s identity.
Schloss Heidelberg dominates the city from above. It once commanded the River Neckar and housed Germany royalty. Now it is largely a ruin, but can still excite the imagination. Within its walls are the giant wine casks, a Michelin-starred restaurant, the remains of Heidelberg Palace, and impressive views of the surrounding area.
Around Heidelberg are restaurants and cafes to feed the student population, citizenry, and constant stream of tourists. A visitor can find modern chains alongside the oldest establishments in the city. For the coup de grâce of my day in Heidelberg I sought out a centuries-old haven of students, intellectuals, and travelers – Gasthof zum Roten Ochsen. In my imagination the walls still lean in to overhear the conversations of beer-soaked wisdom and wurst-fueled philosophy. The sturdy tables bore witness to Heidelberg’s 1960’s student activists, and supported the elbows innumerable notable and ordinary men and women.
Although I only had a day to visit, I can certainly understand how others have spent a weeks, months, and lifetimes in the historic city of Heidelberg.
Andrew Zapf is a co-founder of Pushing Horizons.
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