Discovering the Things to See in Regensburg From a Local

Bavaria has many tourist destinations, but there’s an interesting reason many visit Regensburg. While it may not be as famous as Munich or trend quite like Rothenburg ob der Tauber, people often come because it’s a common river cruise stop on the Danube.

But my reason was different. While on a big trip through Germany , I decided to finally call in on my friends, Lori and her husband, from the California Globetrotter, in their adopted home. Not only was it great to catch up with them, but they were kind enough to show me around. They introduced me to the best things to see in Regensburg, and I completely get why they chose this UNESCO-listed medieval city as their home.

How to get to Regensburg

Unless you also have a local friend to rely on, you’ll probably want some advice on visiting Regensburg and getting there.

The good news is that Regensburg couldn’t be easier to reach by public transport. You’ll have no trouble getting the train from nearby cities, such as Munich and Nuremberg, with the latter under an hour away.

However, it may be cheaper if you try Flixbus. I was even able to travel directly from Regensburg to Vienna with them, giving you the option to come straight here from Austria.

I will say that having a rental car will be very useful here. There’s plenty to see outside of Regensburg, as you’ll soon see, and reaching these places without one isn’t quick and easy.

Of course, maybe you’re coming here on a river cruise. In that case, you don’t need much help, since you’ll be docking right by the Old Town.

Where to stay in Regensburg

I can’t give any specific recommendations about where to stay. After all, my friends’ spare room isn’t on Booking.com.

However, you will find a decent selection of accommodation around Regensburg if you stay overnight. I can recommend staying within walking distance of the Old Town, as that made exploring the main attractions in Regensburg super easy. Alternatively, staying over in Stadtamhof would also provide a cosy atmosphere.

To save you time, I’ve fished out some of the best-rated places in Regensburg here:

• Hotel Das Regensburg
• Hotel Orphée
• L’Ostello Altstadthotel
• Hotel Goldenes Kreuz

Things to do in Regensburg

While catching up with my friends was one reason for visiting Regensburg, seeing their home city was the other. I’d only ever passed through the city on a bus in the middle of the night, so I was quite keen to explore.

Regensburg may not be one of the most popular destinations in Bavaria, but it’s no slouch either. There’s certainly no shortage of things to see in Regensburg, especially through Regensburg city centre. These are the things to do in Regensburg I’d recommend focusing on with a couple of days there.

Exploring Regensburg Old Town

Unlike nearby Munich, Regensburg has a wonderfully preserved and UNESCO-recognised medieval Old Town waiting to be explored.

Passing through its narrow streets and open squares, there’s an awful lot to take in. One moment, you’re looking at a 16th-century painting of David and Goliath on the side of the house. The next, you’re standing by the remains of an ancient Roman gate.

There are actually quite a few bits of Roman ruins through Regensburg that my host knew I’d be keen to see. It’s always fun when you come across Roman ruins in different parts of Europe.

As for major landmarks in town, we ran the gamut. Probably the most iconic sight in Regensburg is the city’s Old Stone Bridge with the charming Brückturm at the end. The bridge dates from the 12th century and has plenty of local legends surrounding it — taking a guided tour of Regensburg is a great way to learn them.

Delve into the Old Town, and you’ll soon find the pretty Old Town Hall, which was being worked on (as often is the case with my luck). While this is just a brief breakdown of what to do in Regensburg, you can find a more detailed idea of the city in Lori’s guide to Regensburg.

Churches of Regensburg

Being in Europe, we can’t overlook the churches of Regensburg.

The big one is Regensburg Cathedral, the sole Gothic cathedral in Bavaria, which is pretty hard to miss. It too was under renovation work, which is why we didn’t spend too long there. Instead, it was the Basilica of the Nativity of Our Lady below and St. Emmeram’s Abbey that are fresher in my mind.

That is the basilica above, so you can see why.

Beautiful spots along the Danube

One great thing about having local help is seeing Regensburg and all its most scenic spots. And it’s fair to say that Regensburg has quite a lot to choose from.

Some, like the city’s wonderful riverfront, are places to visit in Regensburg that you can easily find on your own. But it’s often those harder-to-find places that are the most worthwhile and require local knowledge.

Take the Allee of the Giants, for instance. This twisty path through giant trees is found on the Oberer Wöhrd island in the Danube. It’s in an area you’d not find by accident, and I was utterly transfixed when I was shown it. Definitely a great spot for taking photos, that’s for sure.

Sightseeing with a local also means being shown the best viewpoints around Regensburg. Even though the city is known for its patrician towers, I was shown some less obvious lookout points. One was up on the hills north of town, by the Dreifaltigkeitskirche.

From there, you can see right across Regensburg, with just the Regensburg Dom sticking out. We also got a much closer city view thanks to the rooftop views from the GALERIA shopping mall on Neupfarrplatz.

Regensburg restaurants to try

Finding good typical restaurants in an unfamiliar city is always a bit of a challenge. I also have to admit that I can be a bit lazy on the food front when I travel. Which is why it was so nice not to have to make decisions about food while in Regensburg.

We went to a few different places during my visit, starting with Wurstkuchl by the waterfront. After all, I had the local bratwurst while in Bamberg and had to compare it with Regensburg’s offering. Not sure I could pick a favourite – both were great.

The most anticipated meal here was dinner at Weltenburger am Dom. This restaurant is connected to the Weltenburg Abbey, whose beer may be the world’s oldest monastic brewery. So of course I had the bockbierschnitzel, a schnitzel served with a beer sauce. Doesn’t get much more German than that.

It wasn’t all beer and hearty food, though, thanks to some coffee and cake at Konditorei Opera. It’s a little out from the city centre and quite cosy inside, but the cake selection was impressive and quite creative.

Places to visit near Regensburg

Besides being shown around Regensburg, the other perk of having local friends is that they know the city’s surroundings as well.

What’s more, they have a car, so it was easy to zip around to places I’d never see otherwise. Over a day and a half, they showed me multiple places around Regensburg that are well worth a look. Safe to say, this part of Bavaria is blessed with plenty to see.

One place just outside the city to the east is the imposing Walhalla memorial.

This massive neo-classical building was built in the 19th century to honour significant people in German history. Inside its main hall are busts of renowned German writers, artists, scientists, and more. Then there’s the fantastic views from the top of its immense staircase leading down to the riverfront. Reach it by car or a boat cruise.

Another is the Kuchlbauer Brewery in Abensberg, which is special thanks to its incredible tower designed by famed architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

While I’ve seen several buildings designed by Hundertwasser in Vienna, it was cool to see one of his designs in Germany. Other places we visited include the riverside Weltenburg Abbey and its busy beer garden, and the beautiful village of Kallmünz.

Experiencing the Regensburg Dult

The timing of my visit to Regensburg was interesting, as it coincided with the local Dult festival. Similar to Oktoberfest in Munich, it’s a big beer festival that sees people dress up in dirndl and lederhosen.

However, Dult is actually held twice a year, once in spring and once in autumn. And while we weren’t feeling like a big night at the festival, we did drop in so I could see what Dult was like. What was quite cool was that we were able to briefly pop into the main tent and see what it was like.

Not that the festival stalls and amusement park weren’t entertaining. But quickly seeing the main tent isn’t really possible at Oktoberfest. And having seen Wiesnfest in Vienna, it was nice to witness another beer festival and see what it’s like.

If you’re curious about Dult, make sure to check out Lori’s guide to Regensburg’s Dult festival.
 

Have you ever visited Regensburg before while in Bavaria, or do you want to now? Do you enjoy having friends share their hometown or city with you when you see them? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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