This is the place to find the updates on our travels: where we've been and (in due course) a little bit about the places.
Würzburg
A 165km drive north-east from Heidelburg took us to Würzburg - a slightly smaller city than Heidelburg at 130,000 inhabitants and somewhat older, having been founded in 704AD. Like Heidelburg, it boasts a very well regarded university, and although its city centre is rather more compact, it's culture is equally vibrant with a great many cafes and restaurants in the central squares and streets. It also has its own tram system.
Würzburg sits on the river Main and like Heidelburg it has a central bridge (Altebrücke) which connects to the old part of the city and a fortress which overlooks the city, albeit on the opposite bank. The pedestrianised bridge is very much a centre of local culture for students, locals and tourists alike where one of the traditions is to drink local German wine (e.g. Silvaner) on the bridge, to chat or maybe listen and dance to music. Restaurants at both ends of the bridge sell wine starting at €6 for 25cl.
Also like Heidelburg, there are many iconic academic and religious buildings to be seen at every turn, but the highlight is the Residence, an enormous palace with UNESCO listing which served as the proclamation of grandeur for the prince-bishops of the region from the first half of the 17th century. Much of it was destroyed during the second work war but it has been painstakingly restored and its breathtaking ceiling frescoes are again on display.
The Würzburg fortress (Marienberg Fortress) is best reached by car or public transport as the route, although being just 1km from the Altebrücke, is steep. The location gives great views over the city of Würzburg but has otherwise much less to display given the shift in power to the Residence during the 1700s.
Images of Würzburg can be seen here.
Heidelburg
Compared to the small towns which dot the Neckar river, Heidelburg is a big old city (with 160,000 residents today and founded in 1196). It has a well-defined old part (Altstadt) which covers about 3km along the river between Karl's Tor and the Theodor-Heuss-Brücke with the famous Alte Brücke in between. The Altstadt is dominated by Heidelberg castle which itself spans some 500m and sits 100m above the river. The 'hill' above that (Königstuhl) is a total of 450m above the town and the summit offers a panoramic viewpoint over the entire Neckar valley, the city, and the Rhine plain.
In terms of what to do, there is a well-specified walking route around the old city which takes in more than 30 of the major sights, though it is easy to become overwhelmed with one famous building after another. The Altstadt in particular is replete with cafes and restaurants and as you move further east beyond the Alte Brücke, particularly along the Hauptstraße, these give way to shops with familiar brand names.
That trail aside, the dominant attraction by far is Heidelburg Castle. It's possible to walk up a path to make the visit but there is a great funicular railway which can take you there instead and the price of the train includes entrance to the castle. For a little more, the funicular railway connects with a second railway to take you all the way to the top of Königstuhl which at €17 return total (May 2026) is reasonably priced compared with other funicular railways and gondolas around Europe.
One can easily spend a couple of hours at the castle and its grounds. In contrast, there is little to do at the Königstuhl peak unless you are fond of mountain biking through the view from the top is something to tick off your 'to-do' list.
Across the valley on the opposite side from Altstadt is a path known as Philosopher's Walk, so called as it provided a tranquil route for students in the 18th and 19th centuries to stroll, reflect and relax. At 100m above the river, it also provides great views of Heidelburg and the castle and I was able to take a blue-hour shot of the castle and town from this location. Today though, the trees along the route are very mature and good viewpoints are relatively few in number.
Views of Heidelburg including the Altstadt centre, the castle and the panoramas from Königstuhl peak and Philosopher's Walk, can all be seen here.
The Castle Road
As stated in the previous blog, the Castle Road (Burgenstrasse) is an incredible 800km long within Germany, from Mannheim to Beyruth although if the stretch to Prague is included it extends to 1200km. It is one of Germany’s longest established scenic roads lined with 90 impressive castles (and castle ruins), palaces and stately homes. Our visit along this road extended only to 33km between Heidelberg and Eberbach before moving on to a completely different German tourist route: The Romantic Road (of which more later).
Along this section, are the 'Romantic 4' castles at Neckargemund (Dilsberg), Neckarsteinach, Hirshhorn and Ederbach - the features of this blog - plus the mighty castle at Heidelberg (separate blog) making 5 in total in this area. Neckargemund (Dilsburg) is actually a large fortress containing a significant number of houses equivalent to a small village. Neckarsteinach claims 4 castles in its own right (Swallow Nest or Schadeck, Hinterburg, Vorderburg and Mittelburg). Schadeck and Hinterburg are ruins whilst the other 2 castles are lived in and although it is possible to view the scenery from a distance, none of these castles proved to be particularly accessible.
Hirschorn has a rather splendid castle which is open to visitors and which provides splendid views of the Neckar river and valley whilst the castle at Ederbach is a ruin, reached only via an uphill mile trek through the woods from a small cark park outside the town. All of these historic towns nevertheless have very picturesque old town centres bordering the Neckar river including a very plentiful supply of churches and inns with no shortage of photographic viewpoints which can be seen here.
Neckargemund
Neckargemünd is a town along the Neckar river about 17km from Heidelberg which boasts a rich history spanning over a thousand years. Originally a 10th-century fishing village, it evolved into a prosperous medieval Free Imperial City before becoming an idyllic, historically preserved residential hub today. Neckargemünd breaks down into 'Neckar', the river and 'Gemünd' which derives from an old German word meaning 'mouth'.
The old town retains its medieval streets and timber-framed houses and staying in the centre of this historical area provided an opportunity for a worthwhile photographic expedition. Images of Neckargemünd can be seen here.
Route to southern Germany: town of Spa in Belgium
Nestled in the Belgian Ardennes, the town of Spa is the birthplace of the multi-trillion-dollar global wellness industry. Famous for its natural iron-rich mineral springs since Roman times, it evolved into the 'Cafe of Europe' for nobility in the 18th century, ultimately lending its name to the generic 'spa'. Who knew?
Under King Leopold II (he who exploited the Congo), Spa was heavily expanded and grand municipal baths (such as the palatial building that now houses the historic baths) were constructed.
During the First World War, Spa served as a headquarters for the German Army, and it was here the Kaiser abdicated in 1918. Following the global conflicts, the town experienced a steady decline in aristocratic tourism, forcing it to modernize and democratize.
Visiting today, like many spa towns which were popular up to the mid 19th century, Spa feels like its day has passed, but the town continues to adapt. The grand baths has been converted to a 5 star hotel and a new spa complex was constructed in 2003/4 on the hillside above the town. At €35 for 3 hours, it's not cheap but offers a large indoor/outdoor pool, jacuzzis, sauna, steam and hamman rooms and an on-site restaurant. No photos inside the complex were allowed unfortunately.
Images of Spa can be seen here