In the city of Heidelberg, southwest Germany

 “Have you also learned that secret from the river; that there is no such thing as time? That the river is everywhere at the same time, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the current, in the ocean and in the mountains everywhere,and that the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past nor the shadow of the future.” ― Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha

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(in southwest Germany) The city of Heidelberg is found on the Neckar River where it emerges from the forested hills of Odenwald, into the Rhine plain. It was first mentioned in 1196 and was the capital of the Rhenish Palatinate and the residence of the electoral counts palatine until 1720. Surrounded by forest, Germany’s oldest and most famous university town is renowned for its baroque Altstadt (Old Town), beautiful riverside setting and evocative half-ruined hilltop castle, which draw around 12 million visitors, in a "normal" year. They follow in the footsteps of the late 18th- and early 19th-century romantics, most notably the poet Goethe and Britain’s William Turner, who was inspired by Heidelberg to paint some of his greatest landscapes. In 1878, Mark Twain began his European travels with a three-month stay in Heidelberg, recounting his observations in A Tramp Abroad. Heidelberg's rich literary history, along with its thriving contemporary scene, reslted in it being named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2014.

+ Although hit hard during 17th-century wars, Heidelberg was rebuilt in the 18th century with baroque buildings. (The city experienced considerable growth in the 20th century.) For a pleasant walk, stroll through the historic city center's Gothic streets. Be sure to take in Heidelberg Castle, the symbolic heart of the city; Alte Brucke (Old Bridge), an 18th-century bridge; and, the Student Jail. Built as long ago as the 16th century, it was used to keep mischievous students off the streets for three days to a month at a time. The University of Heidelberg (Ruprecht-Karl-Universität), the oldest higher educational institution in Germany, was founded by Rupert I and chartered by Pope Urban VI in 1386. The university's Geological-Paleontological Institute houses the Heidelberg jaw, a fossil jawbone, perhaps 500,000 years old, which was found in the vicinity in 1907. Local structures that were not razed in 1693 are the Heiliggeistkirche (Holy Ghost Church), the Marstall (formerly the Royal Mews), and the Knight’s House. Other landmarks include the Old (or Karl-Theodor) Bridge (depicted here), the Town Hall, and the Jesuitenkirche.

+ Heidelberg’s Altstadt has a red-roofed townscape of remarkable architectural unity. After having been all but destroyed by French troops under Louis XIV (1690s), it was rebuilt during the 18th century. Unlike many German cities, it emerged from WWII almost unscathed. (Now 925 years old, Heidelberg has a population of around 150,000, with more than 39,000 of them students.)