a friend in heidelberg

From the moment I got in contact with Manfred, I knew it was going to be a great tour. After several discussions around what we wanted to see and do, I realised that our day with him was going to be special. We wanted to do something different to the usual ‘stuck in a bus’ tourist ride, and Manfred totally delivered. From insights and locations off the usual track, to introducing us to the locals, it was just an amazing experience. Manfred even heard that my wife was missing our dog (after several weeks away) and arranged for his dog to join us for a walk around the old town.I can’t recommend spending a day with Manfred enough. It may cost more than a tour company trip, but you will get so much more out of it…

My husband and I had a day between flights at Frankfurt Airport and decided to spend it with Manfred of A Friend in Heidelberg. It was a great time touring Heidelberg and another local village for six hours. Highlights included the Castle ruins, a lovely lunch in the town, walking around the town, and visiting shops, churches, and other points of interest. Manfred was an excellent tour guide who was very friendly, organized, and fun. After Heidelberg, we stopped in another town often used as a movie set in Bollywood movies. We took the more expensive option to have him pick us up in Frankfurt and return us there, an alternative would be to take a train there and back, but the convenience was worth it for us. Overall, a great day, a friendly and knowledgeable host, and well worth it.

Manfred was such a great host to me and my family. He truly is a friend from Heidelberg. One of the big reasons we decided to go to Germany was the fact that we could have a private customized tour of what turned out to be such an incredible town of Heidelberg. Castles, great restaurants, and other surprises made this such a great trip and we would recommend to all. My 3 kids (age 8-14) had such a great time as well. Manfred made the trip great for all of us. Definitely a must-do trip!

5 stars are not enough to rate Manfred (our friend in Heidelberg). With taking over 15 tours, this tour was by far our favorite. The name of the tour/company is exactly what you are getting. I would say a day with Manfred is exactly what you get when visiting a friend in another state or country. This tour is not educational in a way like a tour you might book to learn everything in a museum or historical landmark. This is a tour of the beautiful cities, countryside, castle, etc, while Manfred takes and talks to you what it’s like to live in these places. Manfred treated us to a cup of coffee where we sat and spoke and laughed for a while. It was as if we’ve known him forever. When it was time to eat, we had lunch together. It wasn’t like a tour where they tell you to find food and meet back. We never felt like we were on the clock. I could not recommend this tour enough. Manfred’s true gift is his friendly nature and making you feel like you are catching up with an old friend that had moved to this beautiful city. We hope to one day return to beautiful Heidelberg and when we do, Manfred will be our first call.

Touring with Manfred is touring with a friend who wants to show you the best his home has to offer. Prior to the tour he called me to get to know a bit about me and my family and what we wanted to do. Working with him is easy and he looks for ways to make your time with him special. He really goes above and beyond. We had a unique experience having lunch at a restaurant that uses ingredients from only their own region. And when we visited the town my ancestor came from, Manfred found someone there who could tell me why my ancestor left for the colonies in the 18th century, which was an experience we will cherish. Everyone we met while with Manfred was so gracious and friendly, which is a testament to how well Manfred does do at building relationships with others. He truly is a friend in Heidelberg and we had the best time traveling with him.

We found A Friend in Heidelberg, operated by Manfred Pitz. Manfred really listened and paid attention to the small details about what we wanted to enjoy on our trip. He understood it was important that we visit Sinzheim, Ottersdorf, and the Black Forest area where we had family history. Manfred’s preparation for our tour was perfect.We were able to visit churches that had a family connection and also a museum. Manfred took us to Sinzheim, Ottersdorf, and the Black Forest. We also visited several historical sites in Strasbourg and Heidelberg.Manfred’s luxury van was spotless and a very comfortable way to travel and see the beautiful German countryside. He has a great knowledge of history and we enjoyed learning about the German culture. We loved sharing delicious German meals at some wonderful restaurants.To sum it up, our trip was more than we ever could have hoped for and we are very grateful to our friend in Heidelberg! Manfred introduced us to the beauty of Germany. We never dreamed we would have experienced so much in two days. We highly recommend A Friend in Heidelberg! Manfred really is a friend.

I had an amazing time with Manfred in Heidelberg. I was transiting via Frankfurt with a 10 hrs. layover, and I wanted to see a bit of German towns and villages, get a taste of their culture and food. Manfred is the perfect person for that! He picked me up from the airport in his VW bus, and we drove together to Heidelberg, where we walked around the Neckar river, had a nice lunch at a local restaurant, then walked to the Heidelberg castle and had a tour there. Then we walked around the town, the Heidelberg university, had the most delicious hot chocolate, after which he dropped me back to the Manheim train station for my ride back to the airport. Throughout the tour I had a great time talking to him, he is such an engaging person, we talked about the history of the castle, the history of the town, a bit personal and professional conversations. Manfred is a retired tech professional, he came up with the “friend in Heidelberg” out of pride and joy in the history of his home town/country, he is fluent in English, possess deep knowledge about the rich history of his country, fantastic to talk to. He is truly a friend in Heidelberg. He is equipped with everything you need, water, umbrella etc. in the van. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a nice time in Germany.

Manfred is indeed a friend. It was easy to forget that we were tourists when we were with him. He kindly asked about our wishes and needs before embarking on the journey, and tried to accommodate us in every possible way, keeping the itinerary flexible and making the ride pleasant.I was traveling with my elderly mother who had difficulty walking due to a recent accident. Manfred was able to find the best way for her to see a little bit of everything.We managed to get a taste of Black Forest, Baden Baden, and of course Manfred's hometown Heidelberg, without much walking.Manfred is an excellent driver, very kind and easy to talk to. We had some interesting conversation along the way, and took a nice nap in his comfortable luxury car during a longer ride.If you are looking for a friend in Heidelberg, Manfred is ready for you!

Manfred took our family of five on a tour of Heidelberg and nearby countryside - we had three kids - 15, 18, 20, and he catered it to what we were interested in seeing. He gave us great recommendations for restaurants and getting to our next day of our trip. His van was very clean and spacious. He truly is like having a friend in town.

Manfred was excellent as a driver and tour guide. He picked us up at our Viking ship in Mannheim and drove us to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. Before our outing, he was responsive and easy to coordinate plans with. During our outing, he was prompt, courteous, and friendly, and we enjoyed his company throughout the day. We even got a short bonus tour of Heidelberg! Overall, it was a great day and definitely one for the memory books!