Places to dine in Heidelburg and things to see and do...

The nerve of some people: trying to go places that Rick doesn't recommend (visualize a stern look given with hands on hips).:)But between you and me, Heidelburg is a lively university town with a vibrant cultural scene and it's easy to see why it was a favorite of the German Romantics.Where to eat:Kulturbrauerei HeidelbergSchlossweinstubeJust some of the things to see & do:Heidelberg Schloss (Castle)Walking tour of the old cityStroll along Philosopher's Walk (Philosophenweg)One of the other guidebooks will give you more ideas.

I think Heidelberg is lovely, especially when you get up to this wonderful old castle and look out over the city and the river. I have some great photos from the last time we took guests there. I always recommend this city. It was about the only city in Germany that did NOT get bombed, so everything is original rather than being rebuilt. There can be a lot of tourists there, but I figure they are there cause there is something great to see. Spend your time wandering around, the castle grounds are free, the tour in the castle isn't. Google Heidelberg to get more ideas. There are still 2 large Army posts nearby, 1 in Heidelberg and 1 in Mannheim, so this is another reason why you will see a lot of Americans there. They live there!

Theresa,
Heidelberg is gorgeous. I was lucky enough to live there for a couple of months before moving to the Landstuhl area. For a place to eat, although I never got the name of the museum, is the restaurant inside the museum. If you are walking down the hill on the main street, away from the castle, on your left will be a museum (there will be black bars over the windows). Go through the arch and on your right will be a FABULOUS restaurant. My husband and I had eaten there at least twice a month while living in Heidelberg. There is also a wonderful Italian restaurant to the left of the large church that sits at the bottom of the castle. As for things to do, the castle is very interesting, although you will only spend about 2hrs at the most in there. If you are a hiker, you could go across the river and follow signs to a hiking trail that will give you spectacular views of the castle with the city below it. If you continue up the hill there is an old Monestary with a grave dating back to 1028. Also there is an old Nazi Forum. Also, take a bus or train to Schwetzigen. The palace isn't much but the gardens are wonderful, one of my favorite things to do on the weekends was to go get lost in the gardens. The brauhaus is very good for a lunch or dinner. Also I would suggest a short bus ride to Speyer. Gorgeous cathedrals in that city.

I can't understand Rick's dismissal of this attractive old city. Yes, there's no world class museums here, and I would not spend more than two days, but its easily one of the most beautiful small cities in Germany.

I second all the others' recommendations. Also, if you like classical music, check the schedules of concerts at the churches. Or for free, just walk in while one of the many local ensembles rehearses!

the museum restaurant is really good. we eat there whenever we pass through. it is in about the middle of the pedestrian zone and well worth searching for.

for fun, the red ox is an old student tavern with lots of atmosphere right out of the student prince.

and the castle itself is well worth seeing; no matter how many tourists are there, heidelberg is one of my personal favorites.

we usually stay at the hotel am markt, which is right near the big church.

Thanks so much for the generous replies. I'm taking notes, and I'm more excited than ever for our trip in three weeks!