Regensburg – what a charming, vibrant, and cultural city. During our time in Bavaria, we realized how beautiful the state truly is. The nature, the beautiful towns, the charming old towns, the proximity to the mountains, the water, the history. There’s so much to discover, and finally, Regensburg was on our itinerary. After a few days there, we all agree: We’ll be back! We’ve now compiled our Regensburg tips for a perfect short trip along the Danube. Enjoy browsing!

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• This might also interest you:
• Regensburg Tips & Highlights
• The Hotel Elements in Regensburg
• City tour of Regensburg
• The best view from above
• Regensburg’s Old Town
• Creative & Hip – Das Degginger
• Short break at the café “Die Couch”
• Excursion to Walhalla
• Sunset on the Danube
• Reader tips & highlights
• Conclusion: Regensburg

Regensburg tips & highlights

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The Hotel Elements in Regensburg

After arriving at the train station in Regensburg, we headed straight to our hotel. After just a 10-minute walk, we arrived at our accommodation. The Elements Hotel* is located right in the heart of the old town and already scores points with its magnificent location.

The building itself dates back to the 16th century and is just a 2-minute walk from the cathedral, with Café Rinaldi right next door. The name of the hotel says it all, as the four suites were designed according to the different elements of fire, water, air, and earth.

Each room has a private bathroom with shower, TV, coffee maker, free drinks, seating area, radio, and Wi-Fi. The colors, furniture, and designs in the individual rooms are completely different. Our Luft & The Magic Forest Suite particularly captivated us with its cloud-white four-poster bed, airy atmosphere, and playful details. You can book the accommodation here: Elements Hotel Regensburg*.

City tour of Regensburg

We started our Regensburg trip with a 90-minute guided tour of the old town. It’s not a bad idea to take such a tour at the beginning, as you immediately get a first impression of the city. There are a variety of tours offered locally by the Regensburg Tourist Office. Our historical tour took us from the Old Town Hall to the Cathedral, the Stone Bridge, the Porta Praetoria, the patrician houses, and the family towers. Again and again, we discovered small, charming alleys and courtyards.

And as we strolled through the streets and alleys of the old town, listening intently to our tour guide, I repeatedly found myself briefly leaving the group to capture a few small, beautiful details with my camera. If you look closely, you’ll find small works of art on the walls here and there. Some street names are also somewhat curious. For example, there’s the “Happy Turkish Street.”

And did you know that Regensburg’s Old Town is a World Heritage Site? It boasts a unique medieval city center that can’t be found anywhere else. The city has a rich history with many famous citizens. The astronomer Johannes Kepler spent the last days of his life here in Regensburg.

We’d also never asked ourselves why Regensburg is actually called Regensburg. However, our tour guide told us that this city was named that because the Regen River flows into the Danube here. So it has nothing to do with the rain falling from the sky. Learned something new again! #check. Our tour ended after about 90 minutes, right on the Danube in front of the Stone Bridge. We said goodbye to the group and continued exploring the city on our own.

The best view from above

Viewing a city from above is always a highlight. The many roofs, the towers, the sky, the clouds, the sounds—from above, it’s simply special. By chance, we passed the Trinity Church. We saw a sign on the door that directed us directly to the tower entrance. We paid a €2 entrance fee to a truly lovely old lady in the church and made our way up. This money goes entirely towards building maintenance.

In the summer months, you can climb the eight-story north tower. No sooner said than done! When we reached the top, we enjoyed the magnificent view of Regensburg’s old town, the cathedral, and the hinterland. Generally, we visit a cathedral, a church, or, abroad, a mosque or a temple in almost every city. Here, you can simply feel this special atmosphere and, above all, the tranquility.

Regensburg’s Old Town

We wandered from one alley to another, even walking in circles a few times. Somehow, we lost our bearings at some point. And as is so often the case, you find the best spots when you just drift along aimlessly, right? The atmosphere in the Old Town is very special! The many cafés and restaurants invite you to feast and relax. We recommend, for example, the Orphée Restaurant or the Weltenburger Restaurant by the Cathedral.

If you feel like shopping, you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for here in the Old Town. We’ve never seen so many shops selling traditional Bavarian costumes before. We would have loved to try them on ourselves. And you’ll also find all kinds of other decorative items, souvenirs, clothing stores, and boutiques.

Creative & Hip – Das Degginger

We discovered a real gem by chance. The creative workshop “Degginger” is located right in the heart of the city. Concerts, poetry slams, exhibitions, readings, and workshops take place here. In the café, you can relax, sip an after-work beer, and observe the quiet hustle and bustle of the alley.

We would have loved to grab our laptops and get to work right away. The location is simply fantastic for co-working. At the entrance, there’s a monthly overview of all the workshops and events, some of which are completely free. You can find the exact program schedule here: Degginger Regensburg program schedule.

Short break at the café “Die Couch”

On Fröhlichen-Türken-Straße, you’ll find a touch of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. This is where the small café “Die Couch” is located. This location opened almost three years ago and blends inconspicuously with the shops and restaurants on the street. The furniture and decorative items come from flea markets and are privately owned, among other things. Everything somehow feels like great-grandma’s living room.

Excursion to Walhalla

“You absolutely have to go to Walhalla.” Okay, let’s just do it! Walhalla is located across the Danube, just 45 minutes from Regensburg. A small boat departs from the Stone Bridge and takes you to the jetty near Walhalla. Coffee and cake are served on the boat, as well as a relaxed atmosphere on deck. In good weather, you can sit upstairs and enjoy the sun.

Even from a distance, you can recognize this neoclassical building, a kind of temple made up of many columns. Commissioned by King Ludwig I, one of the most important German national monuments of the 19th century was built here. The temple is clad inside and out with precious marble and rises above an enormous, stepped base. You have to climb a few steps to get a wonderful view of the Danube.

Sunset on the Danube

The best way to end the day is directly on the Danube. From the Stone or Iron Bridge, you have a fantastic view of the other side of the city. We walked over the Stone Bridge and back along the river on the other side via the Iron Bridge. From here, we were able to take great photos of the old town and the cathedral. Many young people gather here by the Danube or picnic in the green spaces.

Reader Tips & Highlights

And if you still haven’t had enough in the early evening, you should either go for an ice cream at “Stenz”, order delicious tapas at “Bodega”, sip a beer at “Die Couch”, or try traditional sausages right on the Danube at “Wurstkuchl”. Regensburg definitely has a lot more to offer; we’ve put a great overview of all the highlights and reader tips into a map here:

Conclusion: Regensburg

Regensburg is absolutely worth a visit. We visited many regions and cities during our tour through our home country, but we particularly liked Regensburg. The small alleys of the old town, the relaxed atmosphere, the proximity to the water, and a few really cool spots for eating and chilling – what could you possibly go wrong?

Update March 2018: We finally have the fantastic issue of Regensburg Magazine in our hands. There’s a whole double-page spread to see (and read) about us. Simply amazing! Thank you for this wonderful surprise.