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Heidelberg's Hauptstrasse, or Main Street, is a pedestrian zone lined with shops, sights, and restaurants that stretches more than 1 km (½ mile) through the heart of town. But don't spend your money before exploring the shops on such side streets as Plöck, Ingrimstrasse, and Untere Strasse, where there are candy stores, bookstores, and antiques shops on the ground floors of baroque buildings. If your budget allows, the city can be a good place to find reasonably priced German antiques, and the Neckar Valley region produces fine glass and crystal.
Although it moved to a new location in Old Town in 2024, there are still old glass display cases and shelves full of lollipops and "penny" candy. If you're looking for an unusual gift or special sweet treat, the shop fashions colorful, unique items out of sugary ingredients such as marshmallow and sweetened gum. Avoid early afternoon, when the shop is crowded with schoolchildren and indulgent parents or grandparents.
