On the Road to Heidelberg

Our first stop en route for a good breakfast.

It will not be possible to write in detail about all the interesting places we visited on our four day visit, so I will just post the most interesting photographs with a short description.  We left early on Monday morning, travelling in a very comfortable coach via Goettingen, Kassel and Frankfurt am Main to Heidelberg.  After several comfort stops on the way, one of which was for a good breakfast, pictured left, we  eventually arrived in Heidelberg mid afternoon, ready for our guided tour around the city.   We split into two groups, and enjoyed an interesting guided tour of the beautiful city that lies in the valley of the river Neckar.  Many of the buildings are constructed with the local red sandstone, which gives the city a gentle rose colour.   Below can be seen the medieval bridge over the river, with the two towers and defensive gateway.  The city suffered little damage in the war, so much has remained unaltered over the centuries.   

Heidelberg's bridge was built in 1786/88 and crosses the River Neckar.  It replaced several earlier wooden bridges that were washed away by flooding over the centuries.  We visited the side of one building were the various heights of the flood water are recorded.  The last serious flooding was in 2011.  The flood of 1789 is the highest ever recorded, and completely inundated the city.

The town centre of old Heidelberg with the semi-ruined castle on the hillside.  So many of the buildings displayed window boxes beautifully planted with geraniums of many colours.  The place is lovely and maybe next year I will visit again for a few days.  There was too much to see in one afternoon.  A really lovely place I shall always remember.