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Heidelberg Reviews

Heidelberg - The Massive German Castle
Feb 04, 2008 02:38 PM3940 Views

Disclaimer: Even though I visited Heidelberg in Dec 06, I am writing about it today as I have run out of  movie, book and website reviews.


We have a local chat system in our company on which we can chat with our colleagues in any part of the world who are logged on at that point of time.  I was sitting in a meeting in Manheim, Germany one day in Dec 06, and was getting bored with the discussion when I started chatting with one of my colleagues back home in India. As per the Indian time it was late in the evening maybe around 8 PM and he was still there as he was preparing one of his tenders. He was surprised to hear that I was in Manheim, Germany and asked me if I had visited the famous castle.


That was when I decided to visit Heidelberg, home to the world famous castle.


But I must start with the chronological order and recount from the beginning.


*The Journey



The natural choice of carrier to Frankfurt is Lufthansa. They have direct flights from Mumbai to Frankfurt and so is the fastest way of reaching there. There is only one hitch though. Lufthansa is very popular with Indian travelers to Europe as well as those connecting to onward USA. Hence the flights are jam-packed. If you are hard-pressed for time you may take Lufthansa, or else Austrian Airlines via Vienna is also a good option since their flights are never full.


The Frankfurt airport must be one of the busiest hubs in Europe. Many connecting flights to USA and the rest of the world are routed through there. It’s a really large airport. Walking from one gate to another for a connecting flight may take 10 full minutes at times. The cleaning and other support staff moves around in small four wheelers(similar to golf carts here in India) or on small bicycles.


From Frankfurt to Manheim, the train offers a convenient option. Trains start from just opposite the airport and it’s not more than an hour’s journey. In Manheim you can either walk to your hotel if its not too far or else take a tram or cab. I may have forgotten to mention in my earlier reviews, while in Europe never forget to carry all your luggage in strollers as you can pull them along as you walk. And walk you will have to a lot in Europe!


For going onward to Heidelberg, the tram is the best. It will take you through the German countryside with lovely views of the fields and farmhouses enroute. Get off at the Heidelberg station and ask directions for the castle. Anyone can tell you which way to go.


*Heidelberg Castel



This small town is mainly famous for its huge castle that stands like an imposing structure on top of a small hill. I have posted pictures of this picked up from the Internet as due a malfunction in my camera, I lost all my pictures of the same.  To reach the castle one needs to walk through a market place. When I was there Christmas was only a few days away and all the shops were decorated in that spirit. Truly festive. You can buy from the best of branded shoes, clothes, to knick-knacks from the shops lining the road and also from the roadside trolleys. Also along the way there are various stalls decorated with Christmas trees and stars and candles. There are also wine stalls along the road which were thronged with people drinking at 12 noon, and several others offering snacks, muffins, burgers, croissants, tea and coffee. Since it was already lunchtime, I decided to eat before proceeding.


It is a decent climb to reach the castle. The massive gates of the medieval castle stand testimony to all the royal battles that were fought here. The castle has been restored a couple of times and looks a pretty decent structure today.


I would suggest taking a guide here since there are so many stories associated with the same and so many rooms to see that it may not be possible without a guide. There’s a lot to see here. The old German culture, displayed in various rooms there, the costumes, the art in the form of oil paintings, the amour, the weapons used in those days etc is all there to see.


When you come to the backside of the castle you will see lovely gardens beautifully laid out. It is sure to take your breath away. From the gardens you will get stunning views of the city below. After enjoying these gardens when you cross the road, right in front is a museum and a small café. If you are hungry after all this sightseeing do eat here, as there is no other eating place right till you go back down to the city.


There are also shops there that will sell you small mementoes made from items depicting traditional German culture. You may even bring back a miniature of the castle itself, like some people carry miniature Taj Mahals back with them from Agra. These are all very expensive however and will cost somewhere in the range of a 100-200 USD equivalent Euros.


For the return journey, after climbing down to the city, you may walk back to the tram station or also take a bus or taxi up to there. Trams are plentiful and they have the route map along with the names of the stations displayed in every coach. There are also announcements at every station about the place that you have reached.


*Conclusion



Germany is a country that is seeped in history. There are several tours that you can take covering the countryside, river Rhine and other famous shopping and entertainment spots. Each such tour will remind you of all that you have heard and read about the history of this great place. The German engineering is said to the most long lasting and trustworthy in the whole world. Let the German experience seep in and spoil you!


new delhi / mumbai India
Castle on the hill
Mar 15, 2006 09:05 PM2749 Views

Hi there folks , must say am pretty astonished to see no reviews have yet been written about Heidelberg - a place which houses the world-famous Heidelberg Castle , a definite recommendation on any European traveller's must-see list .... My trip to Germany happened to be that on a training , being with Lufthansa , I was sent there along with 03 other colleagues , to go through a month-long training . Thrilled yes we definitely were , as this happened to be the first travel abroad , that too to Europe with friends , isnt this a kind of trip we all wish for , sometime in our lives .... : ) The trip was in September and after all formalities through , we were finally ready to fly Lufthansa LH ( EL-Ha as it is called in Germany ) first class .


One recommendation , if travelling to Germany , LH has to be the ONLY choice , trust me u are gonna fall in love with the charm they exude .... As our schedule happened to be packed through the week , we definitely looked forward to the weekends , where we could cram in some sight seeing . One place that was definitely recommended was the Heidelberg castle and we simply knew we had to go there . If you are the kind who loves the old-world charm , the armours , the royal wardrobes ... all European style , this is one destination that is gonna cast a spell on you ... We were lodged at a hotel in RheinHeim , a small peaceful German country area , about an hour's distance from the Frankfurt airport .


From the airport , you'll get a number of buses that take you near the Heidelberg castle . And this is not a regular bus-ride . The country side is full of sights you will enjoy , they will soothe your senses . You can have your drinks and food in the bus , and as for relaxation , the seats are gonna lull you to sleep . The bus is also equipped with an amazing restroom , which is convenient , as well as has all modern facilities .


To go upto the castle ( its on the top of a hill ) , you need to hire a cab ( please do hire one , its gonna be one of the most luxurious automobiles you are gonna see in India ) , which would cost you approx 120-150 euros , depending upon the kind of cab .


Once on the hill , you can realise the charm that awaits you . The huge castle gates lie majestically open , inviting you to step in and lose yourself in a different world altogether . One of the more fascinating features there, are the people who dress up in royal costumes , holding swords and other royal accessories ... they will be more than happy to click away with you .... you just need to ask them , thats all !!! When you are in the castle , all limitations to time should be done away with , it is one place which needs your complete attention .... each hall , each corner , every rampart needs to be explored .. Roaming around , you can see a lot of the German culture , that you will not find in the cities , or the markets ..... the royal wardrobes , the canvas oil paintings , the swords , armour , the trophies ... a lot of other interesting things ...


Before I forget , there is a laboratory somewhere in the bottom area of the castle , which has the jars and huge storage equipments , from way back in the original days of an era long gone .... here , you will see how the people in those times made medicine , how they dealt with purification systems , invented various cures , and all of this through cleverly crafted , hand-made equipments , that will take your breath away .. Once you are through with the tour , be sure to come out to the terrace and look down at the city . The neat layout of the houses , the roads and the various structures , is bound to impress you .... Do spend a few minutes up there , just gazing down , you will love the feel , the way the river flows peacefully through the beautiful country .


Done with your castle-seeing , you are out , but before you leave , step into the Museum once , which is located just outside the main gates of the castle . There , you are bound to find something that will travel all the way back home with you .. I got a beautiful miniature sculpture made from the mud on the banks of the Rhine river . A small knife , with awesome work done on it , a beautiful necklace , made of stones from the Rhine river .... and a couple of more beautiful works ... The trip was way too exhaustive .... but as we sat in the cab and wound our way back through the hilly roads , we couldnt but help turn back and look at the majestic structure on the hill : the castle on the hill , the Heidelberg castle ....


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