20 Things To Do In Regensburg

Regensburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. It is situated on the edge of the Danube in Bavaria and is a 90-minute car ride from Munich so can be experienced as a day trip but there are so many things to do and see in Regensburg, I’d suggest staying for at least a few days. The city has a well-preserved Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of interesting buildings to explore, such as the Old Town Hall and St. Peter’s Cathedral. You can wander along narrow cobblestone lanes and search for the colourful Medieval Patrician Houses. The Old Town remained virtually intact during the onslaught of WWII, so you can experience it as it was in the Middle Ages. Regensburg also has its fair share of museums and churches to visit, but culture isn’t the only draw. You might be surprised to discover it has the highest concentration of bars of any German city and the oldest sausage restaurant in the world. So, let’s take a look at the top things to do in Regensburg.

Regensburg, Germany

20 Things To Do In Regensburg

1- Explore The Old Town

The Old Town is the heart of Regensburg and the best place to start your tour of the city.

It houses over 1,500 heritage buildings, including St, Emmeram’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Cathedral.

As the buildings in the Old Town were constructed in different eras, you will find an eclectic mix of Roman, Romanesque and Gothic styles.

Wander through the narrow streets lined with tall, colourful buildings, and then go and see the 12th-century Old Stone Bridge which leads to the village of Stadtamhof.

There are also Roman ruins to be spotted, such as the remains of a Roman fortress built in 179, Castra Regina, which was built to protect the city when it was ruled by the Holy Roman Empire.

For something different, take the land tourist train around the Old Town to get your bearings and see the best parts of Regensburg.

It has an audio guide so you will learn about the places you pass by.

2- Take A Tour Of The Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall, or Altes Rathaus in German, offers guided tours, and this 13th-century building is well-worth visiting or you can visit it as part of a city tour.

It has a 55-metre (180-foot) tower which you can climb for a small charge and from the top, you will get fantastic views of the Old Town.

It’s also worth visiting the Reichstag Hall. which was the forerunner of the German Parliament.

The highlight, however, is in the basement, which held a torture chamber and interrogation room.

It still houses some of the torture tools that were used, such as the rack, and there is a dark cell which was used for drunken nobility.

Executions were held outside the building so that the public could watch.

The Old Town is at Rathausplatz. 1, 93047, Regensburg.

3- Visit St. Peter’s Cathedral

St. Peter’s Cathedral is also known as Regensburg Cathedral and is one of the highlights of the city.

Its Gothic spires can be seen from almost anywhere in Regensburg.

The cathedral was originally built in the 8th century but after a fire in the 13th century, it was rebuilt and designed in the Gothic style by a French architect.

The facade is particularly impressive and houses fantastic sculptures of gargoyles and kings on horseback.

You should go inside to see the Mediaeval stained-glass windows and the spectacular high altar from the 17th century.

There are also ornate tombs of famous Regensburg bishops to be seen and it’s worth taking a guided tour of the cathedral to learn more about it from a local or download a scavenger hunt.

St. Peter’s Cathedral is a Domplatz 1, 93047, Regensburg.

4- Eat At The World’s Oldest Sausage Kitchen

Germany is famous for producing and eating sausages of all types, usually served with a beer, and if you are a meat lover, you won’t want to miss eating at the world’s oldest sausage restaurant.

The restaurant dates to the 12th century and was widely used by construction workers building the Old Stone Bridge, St. Peter’s Cathedral, and other buildings.

It was rebuilt in the 17th century on the same site and this is the building you see today.

It originally served boiled meat but then, in the 18th century, charcoal-grilled sausages were introduced.

Today, it serves, on average, 6,000 sausages a day.

The speciality is sausages with sauerkraut, caraway-seed rolls, and mustard.

If you are very hungry, you can order Secs auf Kraut which is a plate of six sausages served on a plate of sauerkraut.

The Sausage Kitchen is at Thundorferstrasse 3, 93047, Regensburg.

5- Visit The Museum Document Neupfarrplatz

This museum is one of the best in the city and is unique because it’s underground, beneath the Neupfarrplatz square, and contains artefacts unearthed by archaeologists in the 1990s.

There are a few remnants of Castra Regina, an ancient Roman military fort, but the highlights are the remains of a Jewish ghetto, including a synagogue.

Regensburg was amongst the first cities in the country to have a Jewish population, and by the 12th century, this ghetto had become one of the most important Jewish settlements in Europe.

However, the Jews were expelled in 1519 and their ghetto was destroyed.

The square was built on top of the remains and the museum houses artefacts found during the excavations.

A highlight is the collection of 624 guilders from the 14th century.

Take time to look at the monument in the square which was where the synagogue used to stand.

The Museum Document Neupfarrplatz is at Neupfarrplatz 1, 93047, Regensburg.

6- Explore The Thurn And Taxis Palace

If you want to see how German royalty lived, head to the Thurns and Taxis Palace, which is still inhabited by their descendants.

Part of it is open to the public and you can visit on a guided tour.

The palace was built in the 19th century on the site of an 8th-century Benedictine monastery called St. Emmeram.

In 1812, part of the monastery was converted into a palace for the House of Thurn and Taxis who had made their money from the postal business.

The tour takes you to elaborately decorated staterooms, a Neo-Rococo ballroom, and the Throne Room.

The library used to belong to the monastery and has an amazing fresco on the ceiling.

You will be able to see valuable porcelain, furniture, and weapons in the Royal Treasury.

Head to the stables and riding hall, where the Carriage Museum exhibits a wide array of carriages and sleighs.

The original chapel still exists and there you will see an extravagant Baroque interior which was added in the 18th century.

There are also tombs from the 12th to the 15th centuries to be seen as well as three crypts.

The Thurn and Taxis Palace is at Emmeramsplatz 5, 93047, Regensburg.

7- Cross The Old Stone Bridge To Stadtamhof

The Old Stone Bridge in the Old Town is a Mediaeval construction that has stood the test of time.

It was built in the 12th century over the Danube, and until the 1930s was the only way you could cross from Regensburg to the village of Stadtamhof on the other side.

The bridge has 12 arches, and at one time there were watermills alongside to create currents that were burned down during the 30 Years War.

The bridge is 300 metres (984 feet) long and offers a lovely view of the Danube.

An interesting and curious feature is the statue on the bridge of a half-naked man shielding his eyes.

Adding to its mystery is that nobody knows why it was sculpted.

Stadtamhoff is a pretty village that shares UNESCO World Heritage Status with Regensburg.

There is plenty to keep you occupied there for a few hours.

Visit the Rococo church and monastery complex of St. Mary and the hospital church of St. Katherina.

If you are interested in art, head to the Andreasstadel, previously a salt warehouse, but now full of artists’ studios and galleries.

There is a cafe if you need to replenish your thirst or hunger.

You should also go to Stadtamhof Strasse to see the pastel-coloured houses that are worthy of a photo or two.

8- Take A Trip To Walhalla Memorial

A few kilometres outside Regensburg, in the town of Donaustauf, is Walhalla Memorial.

You can take a boat trip on the Danube to get there, or drive (it’s about 15 minutes by car).

Walhalla Memorial was built in the 19th century on the commission of King Ludwig I who dedicated it to famous Germans, including artists, scientists, royalty, and politicians.

Inside, there are over 2,000 busts, paintings, and plaques honouring these people.

The building replicates the Parthenon in Athens, Greece and, like the Parthenon, it is on top of a hill and has amazing views of the river and the surrounding countryside.

Be prepared for a short, but steep, climb to reach it.

9- Take A BMW Factory Tour

If you are a petrolhead like I am, you won’t want to miss the BMW factory tour.

It is well worth the entrance fee as it lasts for three hours and there is an English-speaking guide but be prepared for a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes.

You will get to see the body shop, paint shop, press shop and assembly lines.

You will probably be as amazed as I am to learn that the factory produces around 1,100 cars each day.

You will be given safety glasses to wear throughout your tour and at the end, you will be offered a drink and a BMW poster.

The factory is a little way out of Regensburg city centre, so if you haven’t hired a car, you can get there by bus X9 which leaves from the bus station in Albertstrasse.

The bus journey takes around 30 minutes.

The BMW Factory is at Herbert-Quandt-Allee, Tor 2, 93055, Regensburg.

10- Tour Kneitinger’s Brewery

Germany is famous for producing and enjoying beer, and in the heart of the Old Town of Regensburg, is Kneitinger’s Brewery.

It has been brewing beer for over 150 years and is a small traditional brewery which nevertheless uses state-of-the-art equipment to produce excellent beers.

You can take a tour of the brewery which ends, of course, with a tasting of fresh and unfiltered beers in the brewery cellar.

It produces different types of beers including lager, dark beer, and even alcohol-free.

A nice touch is the beer diploma that you get at the end of your tour.

Kneitinger’s Brewery is at Kreuzgasse 7, 93047, Regensburger.

11- Visit The Basilica Of The Nativity Of Our Lady

This church, known as Alte Kapelle in German, is the oldest Catholic church in Bavaria.

It was first built in the 800s on the commission of the grandson of Charlemagne, Ludwig the German, on a site which had a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess, Juno.

The current building was constructed at the beginning of the 11th century by the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry II.

In the 15th century, the church was extended and had a High Gothic Choir added, and in the 18th century, the inside was completely renovated in a luxurious Rococo style.

Inside, you will see beautiful frescoes on both the walls and ceiling of the nave and choir and gilded stucco work throughout.

The Basilica of the Nativity of Our Lady is at Schwarze-Baron-Strasse 7, 93047, Regensburg.

12- Explore The Regensburg Museum Of History

This museum is in a building that was once a Mediaeval monastery.

The Gothic cloister is still there and is particularly stunning, housing liturgical statues and a well.

The museum showcases German history from as far back as the Stone Age until the 19th century.

The ground floor covers prehistory and Roman occupation, with artefacts such as ceramics, inscribed stones, and jewellery on show.

There is even the skull of a decapitated woman from the 3rd century.

On the first floor, you will see textiles, furniture, votive panels, and paintings from the Middle Ages.

The second floor focuses on Renaissance liturgical art by artists such as Albrecht Altdofore.

Also exhibited are Regensburg arts and crafts from this period.

Regensburg Museum of History is at Dachaupi, 93047, Regensburg.

13- Go And See The Goliath House Mural

Goliath House is a tall building built around 1260.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was constructed on the southern base of an old Roman fort.

It got its name from theology students who called themselves ‘Goliards’ after their patron saint Golias, and who rented accommodation in the area.

The mural itself wasn’t painted until 1573 by an artist from Salzburg, Melchior Bocksburger.

It is massive and shows the biblical story of David and Goliath.

Because the building is so tall, it was possible to create Goliath as the giant he was depicted as in the Bible.

It’s a perfect photo opportunity.

Goliath House now has a restaurant on the top floor serving excellent food and offering great views of Regensburg.

The Goliath House Mural is at Goliath Strasse 4, 93047, Regensburg.

14- Find The Patrician Towers

The cityscape of Regensburg is filled with tall houses, many storeys high, and you may wonder why.

The reason is that, like in all times, people liked to show off.

In the Middle Ages, the way the nobility did this was to build a towering house, and there were competitions to see who could build the tallest.

Goliath House is one of these houses, but the tallest is Goldener Turm on Wahlenstrasse, which is now used as university student accommodation.

It is 50 metres (164 feet) tall.

Another tall building is the pink Baumburger Tower which is seven storeys high and is at Watmarkt 4.

15- Admire The Buildings In Haidplatz

Haidplatz is a large square, which happens to be triangular, in the centre of the Old Town.

The most prominent building is the Golden House, a patrician house dating to the 13th century and designed in the Gothic style.

Its golden cross adds to the attractiveness of the house.

Another stunning building is the Neuewagg, a former burgher house which was turned into a weighing house in the 15th century.

It is a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

In the centre of the square is a fountain from 1656, the Justitiabrunnen.

The square is the venue for many big events during the year, such as the Bavarian Jazz weekend in July and the Christmas market in December.

If you are hungry, there is an inexpensive food stall in the square.

For less than 7 euros, you can get a Bavarian sausage, sauerkraut, a giant pretzel and a choice of sweet or spicy mustard.

16- Visit The Museum Of Danube Shipping

This museum is unusual as it is located within two historic boats on the Danube in the Old Town.

One is the Ruthof/Ersekcsanad, which is a steamboat launched in 1923, while the other, the Freudenau, is diesel-powered and was launched in 1942.

They both display the history of transportation on the river.

On the boats, you will be able to view the crew’s quarters, the kitchen, the bridge and the engine room.

On the steamboat, there are information boards that take you through the history of shipping on the Danube and other rivers.

It starts in primitive times with canoes right up to the modern day.

The Museum of Danube Shipping is at Thundorforstrasse, 93059, Regensburg.

17- Visit Scots Monastery

The Scots Monastery was first built in the 11th century but was renovated in the 12th century in the Romanesque style.

Irish missionaries lived here, but from the 16th until the 19th century, it was run by Scottish monks.

These days, it isn’t a monastery anymore and can be visited.

The highlight is Scot’s Portal which covers a third of the northern facade.

Here, the arch is covered in statues and ornamental sculptures.

Above the doorway, you can just make out an image of Jesus Christ.

Above this is a spectacular frieze of Christ and his apostles.

However, on each side are strange images of crocodiles, dragons, eagles and sirens.

It isn’t known why they are on the facade of a religious site.

The Scots Monastery is at Jackonstrsse 3, 93047, Regensburg.

18- Climb The Bell Tower At The Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church

The Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church is one of the first Protestant – Lutheran churches to be built in Bavaria.

It was designed by the architect Hanns Carl and completed in 1631.

It is a pillarless church which was unusual for the time and meant that everybody would have a clear view of the pulpit and altar.

The church has a bell tower with 102 steps.

If you conquer these steps, you will be rewarded with a fantastic view of the Old Town with its colourful buildings and red tile roofs.

You will also be able to see the spires of St. Peter’s Cathedral.

When you have done this, head outside to the back of the church where there is a cemetery with elaborate tombs of Reichstag Protestant envoys.

The Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church is at Am OLberg 1, 93047, Regensburg.

19- Enjoy Regensburg’s Christmas Markets

Regensburg has several Christmas markets, but the two most notable are at Neupfarrplatz and at the Thurn and Taxis Palace.

The Christmas market in Neupfarrplatz is the main Christmas market and is free to enter.

It has stalls selling ornaments, Christmas gifts, and food like bratwurst and gingerbread, as well as mulled wine, and children are entertained by the historic carousel.

The church in the square is worth going to as it has beautiful Christmas decorations.

You will be impressed by the Thurn and Taxis Christmas Market.

Although you have to pay to get in, it is well worth the entrance fee.

It has an Old World feel about it, with wooden stalls, fire pits, and local artisans displaying their trades.

You might see glass blowers, weavers, candlemakers, and blacksmiths at work and many of the items produced are for sale.

Get warm at the fire pits and try some of the foods cooked in them or a hot drink such as spiced rum.

There is an arts and crafts village where you can buy Christmas gifts and a Magic Children’s Forest with rides and games.

After dark on Thursdays to Sundays, you can visit an area of the grounds with beautiful Christmas lights. Join this Private Christmas Market Tour with a local.

20- Visit St. Ulrich Church

St. Ulrich Church was built in the 13th century but was deconsecrated in the 19th century.

It was then renovated and turned into the city’s diocesan museum.

The church walls have been kept intact as they have beautiful frescoes adorning them dating to the 12th and 15th centuries.

The exhibition in the museum starts in the 11th century and continues in chronological order until the 20th century.

You will be able to see paintings, sculptures, and gold from Regensburg’s churches and monasteries.

Some of the most outstanding exhibits go back to the 13th century, such as a life-size crucifix and an ivory chalice.