Founded as the Roman colony Castra Regina by the Danube, the time-honored city of Regensburg has many facets to offer. On the one hand, an undamaged old town with the famous dome and the stone bridge, on the other the face of a modern university and industrial town. Its people coin the region with their happiness and sense of humor, being Oberpfälzer and Altbayern. Regensburg ist the district's capital.

The above mentioned traits brought forth a bar density like in no other Bavarian town, even in no other German city. Even Düsseldorf can't keep up when it comes to counting gastronomic businesses on one square kilometer of the city centre. All in all 570 locations keep the Regensburger satisfied. The „Schwarze Kipferl“, a spiced caraway bread is best in the „Alte Wurstkuchl“ by the Danube near the stone bridge. Not dry, but with a fried sausage and mustard. The Wurstkuchl has, by the way, invited the contruction workers of the stone bridge back then: since 1138 sausage are fried at this historic location.

Most of the gastronomic businesses will remain unmentioned here, but one  of them deserves attention : Kneitinger, restaurant and brewery in the middle of the old town. It is the meeting place for a diversity of people like the mayor or the housewife, the bishop or the choirboy. Kneitinger is well known and it is no wonder that the traditional beer is served in 9 owned and many other locations.

After a good meal you are well prepared for an extended stroll through the narrow streets of Regensburg. The old middle-class houses with oriels and their elaborate craftsmen and restaurant signs, a thousand towers, the squares with their great facades will leave you stunned. Therefore the UNESCO has handed over the title "world heritage" to the city of Regensburg on July 13th, 2006, a real honor as well as a duty.

In the 1970s Jahren the city already inaugurated the Donaueinkaufszentrum (DEZ), one of Germany's most modern shopping centers back then. A prove of the city's open-mindedness towards modernity. It was not for nothing that Otloh, a monk from the close monastery of St. Emmeram, stated in the 11th century: "Regensburg is old and new at the same time". Nowadays the arcades with over a 100 shops are another attraction for East Bavarians besides all the small shops within the city.

Cabaret is big by the Danube: in the Alte Mälzerei Bavarian cabaret artists  perform besides international musicians and the Regensburg student theatre presents great plays of scarcity value. Opera, operette, musical, plays and ballet have their home in the theatres at Bismarckplatz, in Velodrom and at Haidplatz. And finally something to water your mouth: after a night of party Würstl-Toni (from 5 am, except Sundays) will be the perfect place for a white sausage breakfast.

by Dietmar Stanka