Regensburg, Germany
Our morning began in the sleepy, little town of Vilshofen, Germany. We awoke to a beautiful, crisp day and left the River Cloud to begin our drive to the town of Regensburg. Regensburg is a wonderful, historic city, with a great mixture of architectural styles. The origins of the city date back nearly 2,000 years and the old-town area is a wonderfully preserved look at Medieval Europe. Originally, Regensburg was the capital of Bavaria and the home of generations of kings, dukes, princes, and bishops. Its fabulous Stone Bridge (Steinerne Brucke) was constructed between 1135 and 1146 and boasts 15 stone arches across its span.
We began our explorations just outside of the Schloss Thurn and Taxis. Some went with Sharon to explore the Jewish Quarter and visit a famous hat shop. Others accompanied a local guide, Ray, and Lucy, to hear about the origins and history of the town. We all reconvened, however, for lunch at the Café Thurn and Taxis. Our lunch was a traditional Bavarian feast, complete with Weisswurst (local white sausage—a delicacy), Bavarian beer brewed locally, and Regensburg mustard. We tried local cheeses and breads and traditional German potato salad. No one was left wanting, in the end.
After lunch, we followed local guides through the Palace of the Thurn and Taxis family. Once a Benedictine Monastery, the palace is still inhabited by the Princely Family of Thurn and Taxis. We explored rooms gilded in gold and in silver, enormous wall tapestries covering each room, and beautifully designed and preserved furniture from the family’s original palace in Frankfurt.
At the end of our visit, we returned by bus to Vilshofen, driving through the Bavarian countryside. Fields of rape (known in the United States as “canola”) were in bloom and the trees were just beginning to don their fall colors. It was a fitting way to begin our adventure exploring the Danube River.
Our morning began in the sleepy, little town of Vilshofen, Germany. We awoke to a beautiful, crisp day and left the River Cloud to begin our drive to the town of Regensburg. Regensburg is a wonderful, historic city, with a great mixture of architectural styles. The origins of the city date back nearly 2,000 years and the old-town area is a wonderfully preserved look at Medieval Europe. Originally, Regensburg was the capital of Bavaria and the home of generations of kings, dukes, princes, and bishops. Its fabulous Stone Bridge (Steinerne Brucke) was constructed between 1135 and 1146 and boasts 15 stone arches across its span.
We began our explorations just outside of the Schloss Thurn and Taxis. Some went with Sharon to explore the Jewish Quarter and visit a famous hat shop. Others accompanied a local guide, Ray, and Lucy, to hear about the origins and history of the town. We all reconvened, however, for lunch at the Café Thurn and Taxis. Our lunch was a traditional Bavarian feast, complete with Weisswurst (local white sausage—a delicacy), Bavarian beer brewed locally, and Regensburg mustard. We tried local cheeses and breads and traditional German potato salad. No one was left wanting, in the end.
After lunch, we followed local guides through the Palace of the Thurn and Taxis family. Once a Benedictine Monastery, the palace is still inhabited by the Princely Family of Thurn and Taxis. We explored rooms gilded in gold and in silver, enormous wall tapestries covering each room, and beautifully designed and preserved furniture from the family’s original palace in Frankfurt.
At the end of our visit, we returned by bus to Vilshofen, driving through the Bavarian countryside. Fields of rape (known in the United States as “canola”) were in bloom and the trees were just beginning to don their fall colors. It was a fitting way to begin our adventure exploring the Danube River.
