Regensburg

Roman gate, Stone Bridge and Thurn und Taxis palace in two days

Two days in Regensburg cover the Roman and medieval old town. Day one runs from St. Peter's cathedral and the Porta Praetoria to the Wurstkuchl, the Stone Bridge, the Old Town Hall and document Neupfarrplatz; day two brings St. Emmeram, the Thurn und Taxis palace, the Bavarian history museum and an evening trip to Walhalla.

Day one, morning. Begin at the cathedral of St. Peter, built from the 13th century onward, and look up at the stained glass. Then walk a few steps north to the Porta Praetoria, the surviving Roman gate. Continue west to the Alte Kapelle, whose plain exterior hides a lavish rococo interior.

Midday. Head to the river for sausages at the Wurstkuchl beside the Steinerne Brücke, then walk across the bridge and back. Peek into the Brückturm museum at the southern end.

Afternoon. Tour the Old Town Hall and the Reichstagsmuseum, where the Perpetual Diet once sat, then wander through Kohlenmarkt and Haidplatz, looking up at the tower houses. The Goldener Turm on Wahlenstraße is the tallest. Finish at Neupfarrplatz with the underground excavation of the medieval Jewish quarter, known as document Neupfarrplatz.

Evening. Dinner and beer in the western old town, or across the bridge in Stadtamhof.

Day two. Visit St. Emmeram and the Thurn und Taxis palace, the home of the princely postal dynasty, with its cloister and state rooms. After lunch, see the Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte, Bavaria's history museum, on the Danube bank, or walk to the Kepler museum in the house where the astronomer died in 1630. In the late afternoon, take the boat or cycle downstream to Walhalla for the sunset over the river.

The Old Town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 2006. The listing covers Roman remains such as the Porta Praetoria, Romanesque and Gothic churches the Stone Bridge, finished around 1146, and the patrician tower houses that merchant families built in the 13th and 14th centuries to show their wealth. The World Heritage visitor centre in the Salzstadel beside the Stone Bridge explains the site with free exhibitions and is a good first stop before crossing the bridge to Stadtamhof.

Wurstkuchl sausages, Händlmaier mustard and beer brewed in town

Regensburg's essential meal is small grilled bratwurst with sauerkraut and Händlmaier's sweet mustard at the Historische Wurstkuchl by the Stone Bridge. The rest of the menu is Bavarian, from Schweinsbraten to Dampfnudeln, and the beer is brewed in town by Bischofshof, Kneitinger and the Spital brewery in Stadtamhof.

The essential snack is a plate of small grilled bratwurst from the Historische Wurstkuchl on the riverbank by the stone bridge. It started as a canteen for the bridge builders and now claims to be one of the oldest continuously open eateries anywhere. The sausages come with homemade sauerkraut and Händlmaier's sweet mustard, a local firm's recipe now found in every Bavarian fridge.

The city also gives its name to the Regensburger, a short, thick pork sausage eaten cold in salads or warm with bread. Beyond that, the menus are classic Bavarian: Schweinsbraten with dumplings and dark gravy, Obatzda (a spiced cheese spread with pretzels) and in winter roast duck. For something sweet, try Dampfnudeln, yeast dumplings steamed in butter and milk and served with vanilla sauce, at the small specialist café inside a medieval tower near the Old Town Hall.

Beer is brewed in town. Bischofshof belongs to the diocese, Kneitinger has a rambling tavern near the Arnulfsplatz, and the Spital brewery pours in its beer garden in Stadtamhof. On warm evenings, locals also take bottles down to the Danube meadows of the Oberer and Unterer Wöhrd.

The western old town, between Haidplatz and Arnulfsplatz, has the thickest concentration of pubs, Italian cafés and wine bars, while Stadtamhof is calmer and better for a long dinner.

Dult fairs, cold winters and boats to Walhalla and Weltenburg

Regensburg has cold winters, with January highs near 2 °C, and summers averaging 26 °C. Its fairs are the Maidult in May and the Herbstdult in late August and September, and the two classic excursions are Walhalla, about 10 km downstream, and the Danube gorge boat from Kelheim to Weltenburg Abbey.

The climate is more continental than in western Germany. July and August average 26 °C, but January highs sit near 2 °C with frosty nights around -3 °C, and the Danube mist can hang over the city for days in late autumn. Rain peaks in early summer at about 80 mm in June, often as heavy afternoon storms.

Twice a year, the Dult fills the fairground on the north bank: the Maidult in May and the Herbstdult in late August and September, a smaller Bavarian cousin of Munich's Oktoberfest with beer tents, rides and a market. In odd-numbered years the Bürgerfest takes over the old town. July brings the Thurn und Taxis Schlossfestspiele, open-air opera and concerts in the palace courtyard. In Advent, the main Christmas market sits on Neupfarrplatz, and a ticketed romantic market fills the palace grounds.

The easiest excursion is Walhalla, a marble Greek temple full of busts of famous Germans, built by Ludwig I on a hill above Donaustauf about 10 km downstream. Reach it by boat, by bike or by bus, and climb the long staircase from the river.

Upstream, the Danube gorge at Weltenburg is the highlight of the region. Get to Kelheim, then take a boat between tall limestone cliffs to Weltenburg Abbey, where the monks' brewery and beer garden await. On the way back, stop at the round Befreiungshalle above Kelheim.