Enjoy the hearty regional fare of the Palatinate in an historical student inn or treat yourself to something exotic, such as Malay or Middle Eastern cuisine. The culinary range extends from gourmet temple to quaint old corner pub.

While the centers of many big cities turn into ghost towns after the bustle of a business day, the heart of Heidelberg is just getting started.

Enjoy the hearty regional fare of the Palatinate in an historical student inn or treat yourself to something exotic, such as Malay or Middle Eastern cuisine. The culinary range extends from gourmet temple to quaint old corner pub. A host of refined restaurants and cafes are found in the historic Old Quarter. And the districts of Handschuhsheim, Ziegelhausen and Rohrbach are also insider tips for gourmets, serving up a lavish array of fine food and drink.

Heidelberg's culinary scene is probably most known for its student taverns. At Zum Roten Ochsen, established in 1703 and in the Spengel family for 165 years, guests can choose from slices of boiled beef with vinaigrette or horse-radish, local sausage with roasted onions and sauerkraut, or ragout of game with red-cabbage and cranberries. And don't be surprised if the piano playing quickly inspires an impromptu chorus.

Or head uphill and upscale to the Mensurstube at The Hirschgasse, the very room where student fencing took place with sharp swords - much to the fascination of Mark Twain. You might even sit at a 200-year-old table where Count Otto von Bismarck carved his name. With all the swords, fraternity caps and photographs hanging from the ceiling, you'll quickly catch the spirit of earlier times.