So, how to see Heidelberg in 4 hours? We planned to see Heidelberg in 4 hours because we arrived later than expected. We parked the car in town only at 15h. Although it wasn’t as early as we expected, we still decided to visit the Town Centre. Parking was easy as there were many car parks at reasonable prices.
Heidelberg is located in the south-west of Germany and about 80km from Frankfurt.
The city of Heidelberg is famous for its University, the oldest in Germany. It is known as the city of Art and Science for the same reason.
It was initially founded in 1386, and with its baroque style, it is a perfect romantic destination.
Although is not the most famous touristic destination worldwide, it can offer plenty of interesting sites like the Old Bridge Gate and the Heidelberg Ruins.
How to see Heidelberg in 4 hours
We only had a few hours to visit it before it got too dark and cold, but this is how we managed to see Heidelberg in 4 hours.
1- Have a walk on the main Street of Heidelberg
It was a lovely walk where you can admire the architecture of the buildings. The streets were full of students walking or cycling home.
To point out an interesting fact, the Heidelberg population is about 150,000 and 39,000 are students. That is almost a quarter of the main population.
2- Check out the famous Hotel Zum Ritter
During our walks in the old town, we just stopped in front of this majestic and beautiful building, and I thought that, at first, it was a museum, but actually, it wasn’t.
The building was a famous Hotel, considered one of the oldest, keeping original features. It was first built in 1592 and completed renovated in 2006.
3- Cross the Old Bridge Gate
This beautiful arched stone bridge was built in 1788 by Charles Theodore, the elector of Bavaria. It was originally named Karl Theodore Bridge but is nowadays only known as “The Old Bridge”.
The narrow street of Steingasse leads to a magnificent white arched gate, the ‘Stadttor Gate’ and connects the old town with the Neuenheim District over the river Neckar.
4- Visit the Ruins of Heidelberg
The castle is located in the Königstuhl hillside, about 80 metres high. Before 1214, the castle had its first structure and has been destroyed and rebuilt many times throughout the years.
During the Thirty Years War, the castle suffered its first challenge. From 1618 to 1648, the castle was in possession and lost by the Holy Roman Troops and remained under their control until the end of the Thirty Years War.
At this point, continuing our small tour, instead of crossing the bridge, we decided to walk back and visit the ruins of the famous castle of Heidelberg.
When we arrived at the top, we realized we would need more time to visit it properly and more daylight (as you can see in the pictures). We looked around, and the traces of destruction and decay were undeniable. The castle walls and the bricks that one day held the castle in one
We walked around the castle for about 30 minutes, and it got dark. So, at this point, we decided to look for a way out and go downhill towards our car.
Where to stay in Heidelberg
We stayed in a hotel called Hotel Leonardo. The hotel was just 11 minutes away by car or 20 minutes walk. It had everything we needed: a comfy bed and excellent showers. It cost 80 euros, and they charged 5 euros per dog. The parking was free.