Bidding Farewell to the Envision & Bus Ride to Heidelberg
On Friday morning, we packed up our bags and said goodbye to the Avalon Envision in Strasbourg. Since low Rhine water levels prevented the ship from sailing further north, Avalon transferred us onto a comfortable motorcoach for a scenic 1.5-hour drive across the border into Germany toward Heidelberg.
Exploring Heidelberg Castle & Riding the Funicular Down
Our bus dropped us off right near the upper entrance of the legendary Heidelberg Castle (Heidelberger Schloss). Perched high above the Neckar River, these sandstone ruins are breathtaking. We explored the inner courtyards, admired the intricate Renaissance carvings, and took in panoramic views of the red-roofed Old Town below.
Inside the castle cellar, we saw the famous Heidelberg Tun—a gigantic 18th-century wine vat built from 130 oak trees that held over 50,000 gallons of wine! After finishing our castle tour, we boarded the Bergbahn funicular railway to enjoy a smooth, scenic ride down the mountain directly into the heart of the Old Town.
Heidelberg Old Town & “True” German Iced Coffee
After riding the funicular back down to Old Town (Altstadt), we strolled across the cobblestone market squares, admiring the historic Old Bridge (Alte Brücke) and the twin white towers of the bridge gate.
Naturally, we stopped at a local café for a treat. Our guide had warned us that in Germany, “iced coffee” doesn’t mean espresso over ice cubes—ordering an Eiskaffee means getting chilled coffee poured over rich vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream! It was absolute heaven on a warm afternoon.
Arriving in Koblenz & Boarding the Avalon View!
Reenergized by our coffee stop, we boarded the motorcoach for the final leg of our transfer north to Koblenz. There, waiting for us at the dock, was our new home for the rest of the journey: the Avalon View!
The ship swap went smoothly. We checked into our new stateroom, unpacked our bags, and celebrated a successful transfer day over a delicious multi-course dinner in the dining room as we rested up for our upcoming tour of Koblenz and Marksburg Castle!
