Regensburg Region: 8 Tips for Day-Trips with Public Transport

Sure, Regensburg and its medieval Old Town are always worth a visit. But our 8 day-trip destinations are proof that the surrounding area is also worth a visit and no less exciting.

1 

Walhalla – A Temple of Celebrities Above the Danube

It’s easy to see towering over the Danube valley from afar: Walhalla, the memorial to important personalities of “teutscher Zunge”, or “German tongue”. The Temple of Honour is reminiscent of the Greek Parthenon in Athens and was built between 1830 and 1842 according to plans by Leo von Klenze. The idea came from King Ludwig I.

Currently, the collection comprises 132 busts and 65 commemorative plaques commemorating individuals, deeds and groups. The list ranges from medieval kings to scientists, all the way to artists and the Nazi resistance fighter Sophie Scholl. The view from the temple over the Danube valley is magnificent, with a café nearby that invites you to take a break.

How to get there: 10 kilometres to the east, in about 30 minutes with bus line 5 to the stop “Donaustauf, Walhallastraße” or “Donaustauf, ReiflidingerStraße”, then fifteen minutes on foot Or take a 45-minute boat ride (donauschifffahrt.eu or schifffahrtklinger.de) and then walk. Or you can take the bus and the boat for the outward and return journey

rvv.de/walhalla-bei-donaustauf (only in German)

2

Baier Wine: Exceptional Taste on a Small Space

It was probably the Romans who brought winegrowing to Regensburg. It experienced its heyday from the 13th to 16th centuries,  when the southern slopes facing the Danube created a single vineyard landscape. Since 1970, winegrowing has once again been revived between Regensburg and Wörth; at five hectares, it is the smallest winegrowing area in Bavaria.

Anyone wanting to learn more should visit the Baierwein Museum in Bach a. d. Donau. It was built in a historic “Biethaus”, or a wine house where wine production and storage once took place. The adjacent educational wine trail provides information about viticulture. Afterwards, you can taste Baier Wine in a cosy atmosphere in wine taverns in Bach and Kruckenberg near Wiesent.

How to get there: 15 kilometres to the east, half an hour by bus number 5 to the “Bach West” stop; from there it’s about a 100-metre walk to the museum Or in 1.15 hours by boat.

schifffahrtklinger.de | regensburgerlandwein.de (only in German)

3

Nepal Himalaya Park: A Quick Climate-Friendly Trip to Asia

The Nepal Himalaya Pavilion graced the Expo 2000 in Hanover as one of its most beautiful structures. It combines a Buddhist stupa and a Hindu temple in one structure. The pavilion is not a religious site, but a symbol of peace, harmony and tolerance and is meant to serve as an art and cultural centre.

It was dismantled in Hanover and reconstructed true to the original in Wiesent at the foot of the Bavarian Forest in 2003. A large perennial park with more than 6,200 plant species and numerous works of Asian art surround the pavilion. The park has also been displaying buildings from Bhutan since 2018.

How to get there: 20 kilometres to the east, 45 minutes by bus line 5 to “Wiesent Schlossplatz”, from there a 25-minute walk to the park

nepal-himalaya-pavillon.de (only in German)

4

Knightly Splendor at Wolfsegg Castle

Wolfsegg is one of the best-preserved castles in the Upper Palatinate. It was built in the 14th century. The complex features the “Festes Haus”, the mighty palace, which is characteristic of a ministerial castle of the late Middle Ages. Today Wolfsegg is home to the modern museum “Leben auf einer Oberpfälzer Burg”, or Life in an Upper Palatinate Castle.

Visitors can see, among other things, excavation finds, everyday objects and weapons from the Middle Ages. Rotating special exhibitions and events during the “Wolfsegg Castle Summer” complement the programme for visitors. The “Regensburger Burgensteige” trails connect Wolfsegg with other castles and castle ruins in the area.

How to get there: 15 kilometres to the north-west, 45 minutes by bus number 14 to the bus stop “Wolfsegg Raiffeisenbank”; from there 250 metres on foot to the castle

burg-wolfsegg.de

5

Schwandorf: A Visit to the Underworld

Beneath the residential homes of Schwandorf, north of Regensburg, stretches the largest rock cellar labyrinth in Bavaria. More than 130 rock cellars were carved into the sandstone side by side or one above the other. They extend for about one kilometre.

The cellars are up to 500 years old and relics of the once flourishing brewing industry in the town. The rooms were created as fermentation and storage cellars for beer, then functioned as “refrigerators” for daily needs and served as air raid shelters during the Second World War. Today, the labyrinth – a renovated, underground connected area of more than sixty rooms – can be visited on guided tours. Sturdy shoes and a jacket are recommended. The temperature is 8 degrees all year round. Please call 0049 (0)9431/4 55 50 to register.

How to get there: 35 kilometres to the north, by train to Schwandorf in 30 minutes, from the station to the tourist office, where the tours start, it’s about 800 metres on foot

schwandorf.de

6

Kallmünz: Castle and Boat

The small romantic town of Kallmünz is located north of Regensburg at the junction of the Naab and Vils rivers. It was and remains an attraction for artists. It was here that Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter once found inspiration for their work. Today, artists continue to leave their mark on the town with galleries and art courses. A castle ruin sits enthroned on a rocky outcrop.

The site is walkable and accessible via several footpaths. You can book individual guided tours of the town and castle by calling 0049 (0)9473/7 17 99 99. However, you can also hire a boat and wander down the Naab towards Regensburg. Depending on the level of your mood and fitness, the stages Kallmünz-Pielenhofen and Kallmünz-Penk are ideal.

How to get there: 25 kilometres to the north, in 50 minutes by bus line 15 or 42

kallmuenz.de (only in German)

7

Eilsbrunn: A Record-Breaking Inn and Jurassic Landscape

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest tavern in the world is in Eilsbrunn near Regensburg. No restaurant has been run by the same family for longer than “Gaststätte Röhrl”. It has been around since 1658. The current landlord, Muk Röhrl, is already the eleventh generation to run the place.

Before stopping for a bite to eat, we recommend a hike on the “Vorderer Alpinen Steig”. It leads from the “Röhrl” to “Naturfreundehaus Alpiner Steig” in Schönhofen and back (just 1.5 kilometres). Along the way you experience a rocky landscape with a view over the valley of the Schwarze Laber river. Alpine-looking rocks and protected rough grassland give the area along the trail a unique character.

The signposted hiking trails “Jurasteig” and “Burgensteig” also run through the landscape conservation area. A circular hike via Loch, Eichhofen and Schönhofen is also possible (7 kilometres, taking the Main-Danube trail out and the W7, Burgen- und Jurasteig trail back).

How to get there: 10 kilometres to the west, in 15 minutes by bus 27 to “Eilsbrunn, Kirche” (Monday to Friday), on Saturdays in 25 minutes by train RB15 and bus 26/27, on Sundays by bus 26/27

rvv.de/wandern-am-alpinen-steig-bei-eilsbrunn-schoenhofen (only in German)

8

Straubing: Roman Treasure and the Environmental Museum

The Gäubodenmuseum boasts a history of collection that dates back more than 175 years. There you can learn about the settlement of the Straubing area from the Neolithic Age to the beginnings of Bavarian regional history. The museum is known far beyond the region for the Straubing Roman treasure collection, which includes antique mask helmets, horse headdresses, greaves and statuettes made of brass and bronze. Unique pieces of jewellery and weapons from the Bavarians are also on display, as well as sacred art and artefacts from the town’s history.

The NAWAREUM (Renewable Resources and Renewable Energies in the Museum, nawareum.de), a hands-on museum for sustainability and climate protection, is brand new. Behind the modern façade of a wooden building in the Old Town, visitors can expect a mix of artworks and games, nature and technology, knowledge and inspiration. There is a lot to learn: about life on earth, nutrition, plants, forms of energy, sustainable materials and more.

How to get there: 40 kilometres to the south-east, half an hour by train, then about 1 kilometre on foot to the Gäubodenmuseum, 1.5 kilometres to the NAWAREUM

gaeubodenmuseum.de (only in German) | nawareum.de