From the Netherlands, we traveled about 3 hours along mountainous roads to Heidelberg, Germany. Most can agree to describe our short stay in Germany as a sweltering hot castle-hopping experience. For a city that is generally mild in the summers, our tour landed us on a few of the hottest days of the year in Heidelberg. And during our time in this beautiful country, we explored a few of Germany's most famous castles.
The quaint city of Heidelberg prides itself in its traditional, non-industrialized aesthetic charm. Years ago, the town square banned the coca-cola umbrellas that patio cafes sported to more natural looking umbrellas of earthy shades. It's a small, but profound difference that preserves the authenticity of German city life, the independence of family business, and the beauty of the town. Heidelberg also prides itself in not only being a popular tourist spot, but a intellectual center of research in many fields of science.
A few hours drive from Heidelberg is the site of the Neuschwanstein Castle, supposedly the castle that inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. A nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace, this castle minimalist exterior housed an equally appealing ornate, lavish interior.
This view from the highest tower of the Neuschwanstein is a magnificent one. From here, you can see Hohenschwangau Castle in the distance.
