Nine must-do highlights of Regensburg, Germany
The Cruise
Cruising along the Danube through Regensburg.Credit: iStock
Regensburg was the largest city in Germany to survive World War II without major damage, and today it’s a picturesque, UNESCO-rated backdrop for Danube cruises. Viking has eight-day voyages from here to Budapest. You can also sail in the opposite direction and disembark in Regensburg. Either way, you’ll have an overnight stay on the ship here, allowing time to explore. Danube cruises continue through the year into December, when gluhwein-fuelled Christmas markets, and potentially snow, create a festive bubble around Regensburg and other ports of call, including Passau and Vienna. From $2595 a person. See vikingcruises.com.au
The Landmark
The 16-arch Steinerne Brucke (Old Stone Bridge) and the historic old town, Altstadt, beyond.Credit: iStock
Ancient Roman legions settled here to defend the border of their empire, the Danube, against Germanic tribes on the other side of the river. Nowadays pedestrians and cyclists breeze across the Danube on the 16-arch Steinerne Brucke (Old Stone Bridge), which links the Altstadt (old town) with Stadtamhof, once a separate village on a tiny island that boomed when Regensburg grew rich from the medieval salt trade. If you’re peckish, tuck into a grilled sausage from Historische Wurstkuchl, which has been fortifying punters on Regensburg’s riverside since the bridge’s construction in the 12th century. See tourismus.regensburg.de/en
The Neighbourhood
Woven with narrow cobbled lanes, squares and merchants’ tower-houses – many housing shops, bars and al fresco eateries – the postcard-pretty Altstadt has a dark and fascinating past. Within this district are traces of Germany’s oldest Jewish Quarter, founded over 1000 years ago but suffering periodic bouts of persecution, including in AD1519 when Jews were expelled from Regensburg. A new synagogue opened in 2019, replacing one destroyed during a Nazi-led pogrom in 1938. It has a striking contemporary design and offers guided tours. See jg-regensburg.de
The Church
Regensburg’s twin-spired St Peter’s Cathedral is considered the most significant piece of gothic architecture in all of Bavaria. The building’s hulking size provokes awe and inside you can bathe in the “holy light” that pours through its magnificent stained-glass windows. Your visit might coincide with a recital or mass. This cathedral claims to have the world’s largest hanging organ (it’s fitted with 5871 pipes) and one of Europe’s oldest boys’ choirs (established in AD975). See domplatz-5.de
The Museum
In a new steel-and-glass building by the river, the Museum of Bavarian History toasts the culture, heritage and natural charms of the largest state in the German federation. A figure of a lion – a heraldic symbol of Bavaria – greets you in the bright, high-ceilinged lobby, while multimedia-boosted galleries touch on everything from dirndls and lederhosen to BMW and FC Bayern; two Bavarian icons based in state capital Munich, 125 kilometres south of Regensburg (90 minutes away by rail). See museum.bayern
The Beer Garden
Beer is another Bavarian love and steins of the stuff – including golden-hued pils, dunkel (a dark ale) and weissbeer (wheat beer) – slake thirsts across Regensburg’s bars, breweries and beer gardens. If the weather’s pleasant, have a drink in the quaint cobbled courtyard of Bischofshof am Dom, an 87-room hotel set in a former bishop’s palace behind Porta Praetoria, a Roman gateway from AD179. Costumed musicians often perform and you can pair your brews with Bavarian classics (like boiled veal and dumplings) or international fare (Thai vegan curry). See hotel-bischofshof.de
The Palace
There’s a microbrewery and beer garden on the grounds of Schloss St Emmeram, the palatial home of the noble Thurn and Taxis family. Built on the site of a medieval Benedictine monastery, the 500-room, rococo-style pile opens its doors for guided tours. Edging the palace is a park with tree-shaded trails and landscaped gardens hosting seasonal events, from Christmas markets to open-air summer plays and concerts (Simply Red will perform on July 20). See thurnundtaxis.de
The Cafe
The espresso-scented air and punchy cups of coffee at Rehorik are guaranteed to perk you up. Founded in 1928 in Karlsbad (now Karlovy Vary in neighbouring Czechia), this family-run business relocated to Regensburg after World War II. Nestled a few doors down from the new Jewish synagogue, Rehorik’s snug, vaulted cafe-roastery also has a wine cellar for tastings and a deli and cheese store across the street. See rehorik.de
The Gallery
The Art Forum East German Gallery welcomes visitors with a quirky installation by Czech visual artist Magdalena Jetelova: a facade of neoclassical-style columns wrapped in red carpets. Inside, there are paintings and sculptures from the 19th century to the present day, with a focus on artists who grew up or worked in German-influenced parts of central and eastern Europe. These include Prague-born surrealist photographer Katharina Sieverding, and Lovis Corinth, an impressionist-expressionist painter who studied in Konigsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia). The gallery is located by Regensburg’s City Park, a leafy retreat on an old stone quarry. See kunstforum.net
One More Thing
Art also decorates Regensburg’s streets. Belarus-born contemporary artist Andre Maier has painted murals in passageways and courtyards, including one of a female medieval soldier on the Munchner Hof hotel. The city’s most snapped mural - depicting David battling Goliath - has adorned Goliath House since 1573. Incidentally, this 13th-century mansion has on its upper levels a performing arts theatre (Turmtheater), and Storstad, a Nordic-inspired Michelin-starred restaurant with a terrace peeking over Regensburg’s rooftops. See regensburgerturmtheater.de and storstad.de
Steve McKenna was a guest of Viking Cruises
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