Heidelberg is also known for its paucity of cheap accommodation and its overpriced food. That said, the romantic appeal of the castle cannot be denied, and it is possible to escape the tourist hordes by tramping one of the paths in the hills surrounding Heidelberg, stopping now and again to gasp at the view. If you wander the back streets of town you might be lucky enough to stumble across the latest student hangout and linger for hours over a coffee watching the poets and the posers. To beat a hasty retreat, there are frequent train connections to Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich and elsewhere. The old town was heavily bombed in WW II but has been sensitively rebuilt and the town's stately charm is apparent today.
Cheapish accommodation is plentiful and there is a good variety of moderate restaurants.
There's a stark reminder of the war inside the Marienkirche . All rights reserved.