Bad Durkheim Wine tasting & Heidelberg

Day 4: Helene In Between River Cruise: A Day in Heidelberg – Castles, Wine, and the Magic of Christmas Markets

We started our day with an early morning wine tour and tasting, that was a first! It may have been early but, was a great experience! Bad Dürkheim is located just a short distance from Heidelberg, is famous for its Pfalz wine region, one of the oldest and most celebrated wine regions in Germany. Bad Dürkheim is also home to the world’s largest wine barrel, which measures over 200,000 liters in capacity.

We were greeted with a toast at arrival and even tried wine straight from a stainless steel tank during our tour. After, we tasted local specialties like sausages. I really loved their Secco! I was also surprised to find many wine bottles in Germany are a screw cap and not cork due to changeover for cork shortages.

Heidelberg Castle

We visited Heidelberg Castle, a sprawling fortress that has stood for centuries. We even witnessed a proposal! We had stunning views of the Old Town and the surrounding hills. The castle also houses the largest wine barrel in the world.

Old Town and Christmas Market

After our castle visit, we toured Heidelberg’s Old Town, filled with cobblestone streets, cafes, and shoppes. The Christmas market features over 100 decorated stalls, offering everything from handcrafted ornaments to local food and warm drinks. I had some amazing soup and bread and tried hot limoncello.

I would love to go back some day for the Philosophenweg (Philosophers’ Walk) and to walk the over the Old Bridge which we did not have enough time for.

Cheers,

Heidi