Bavaria’s first capital, Regensburg, owes its impressive historical lineage and rich architectural heritage to 600 years as a Free Imperial City, a fact recognized by UNESCO in 2006. Today, you’ll discover how the beautifully preserved medieval city coexists with a vibrant modern urban center.
Select your choice of these carefully curated excursions, which operate at the same time.
Regensburg Walk with Thurn & Taxis Castle Visit
Begin this three-hour excursion with a visit to the city center of Regensburg’s Old Town, which has much to offer including the Porta Praetoria Roman ruins, the Old Stone Bridge, St. Peter’s Cathedral, medieval patrician towers and the former Jewish Quarter among many other sights. Next, take a short walk to the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis. The family estate is difficult to miss: at over 1,000 years old, the mansion boasts over 500 rooms complete with chandeliers, gold leafing, incredible art and architectural touches to make it truly a sight to behold. The palace has an incredible history and stands as a tale of revival, endurance and baroque style. What’s even more spectacular? The palace has a long list of celebrities who have stayed within its walls: Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Steve Martin, Plácido Domingo and more. These walls may not be able to talk, but if they could they would surely say, “Come see for yourself!”
The Giant Sphere of Bavaria
Take a short drive to the Upper Palatinate Lake District to find something entirely unexpected: a giant wooden ball sitting right in the middle of the serene landscape. Made up of twisting walkable paths, this “adventure ball” is the largest of its kind in the whole world. Walk to the top of the ball for amazing views of the lake. After, take a short hike to the lakefront to discuss local plants, fish, and conservation with an expert guide. You’ll learn about how a passion for sustainability shapes the farming and building efforts in the area, and see some of the interesting Eco Houses that have been built at the lake.
This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; and Global Goal 13: Climate Action.
“From Hops Field to Beer Stein” Farm Visit
Hops vines grow up their strings in a field tower almost twice a person’s height. They’re grown for their flowers, which add a distinctive flavor to beer—but the fields they grow in add a distinctive flavor to the hops. You could call it terroir for beer, and you can delve into hops cultivation and hops brewing today. Travel through Bavaria’s Holledau region, the largest hops growing district in the world, and meet an enthusiastic ambassador of hops growing and beer making. She give you a quick and lively history of hops in Germany—including Bavaria’s law governing the making of beer, which has specified since 1560 that the only ingredients permitted in beer are water, barley and hops—and lead you on a tour through the growing fields her family owns, followed by a craft beer tasting in the cozy barn turned beer hall. It’s a delicious way to get to know a fascinating aspect of the international farm-to-table movement.
