Find hotels in Regensburg for your cultural trip

If you’re looking for a hotel in Regensburg, the cultural highlights of your trip can help guide your choice. The city combines medieval heritage with museums, historic buildings and views of the Danube. First, consider whether you’re most interested in the city’s history, sacred architecture or exhibitions – this can help you plan your stay around the themes that appeal to you most.

Old Town and Stadtamhof: medieval heritage

Regensburg’s Old Town with Stadtamhof is an exceptional example of a medieval trading centre in Central Europe and illustrates the exchange of cultural and architectural influences. The Old Town has retained its original medieval layout since the 14th century. Stadtamhof lies on an island between the Danube channels and, together with the Old Town, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. These features give the cityscape a clear historical framework: the layout tells the story of the city’s development, while Stadtamhof’s location reveals the distinctive landscape between the Danube channels.

Cathedral, bridge and archaeological traces

St Peter’s Cathedral is the only Gothic cathedral in Bavaria. Its distinctive features include the largest surviving collection of medieval stained glass in the German-speaking world. If you’re interested in architectural history, the Stone Bridge is another historic landmark: construction began in 1135. The surviving bridge tower on the city side offers excellent views across Regensburg; the Porta Praetoria is also a highlight of a visit.

The document Niedermünster offers a different perspective on the past. This archaeological excavation site lies beneath the Romanesque Niedermünster church, next to Regensburg Cathedral. Using contemporary 3D reconstructions and a lighting concept, it presents the city’s historical development from the 2nd to the 12th century. This offers two distinct ways to explore the past: the cathedral through its Gothic architecture and stained glass, and the document Niedermünster through its focus on earlier layers of development.

Museums and courtly history

The House of Bavarian History is located right on the Danube. Historical exhibits and presentations are spread across 30 stages; there are also around 1,000 exhibits, numerous multimedia installations and an area of around 2,500 square metres. This combination of objects, presentations and digital elements offers a different approach to history from the archaeological interpretation at the document Niedermünster.

Regensburg also has a strong presence of courtly history. The extensive complex of buildings belonging to the former Imperial Abbey of St Emmeram has been the main residence of the Princes of Thurn and Taxis since 1812. A guided tour of the palace museum presents courtly living culture from the Baroque period to Historicism in lavishly furnished living and reception rooms. The carriage museum of the Princely Thurn and Taxis Museums complements this look at courtly life with an extensive collection of carriages, sleighs, sedan chairs and carrying chairs from the 18th and 19th centuries.

City tours and views of the Danube

Certified guides offer classic city tours and themed walks covering history, architecture or local life. A themed tour can help place individual buildings in a wider context; alternatively, you can choose the focus of your visit yourself. The visitor programme also includes boat trips on the Danube. Check departure times before planning. The visitor programme lets you explore Regensburg on foot, by bus, boat or bicycle – offering different ways to discover the city, each with its own perspective.

There are several ways to choose a cultural focus: the medieval layout and island district, the cathedral and archaeological layers, or museums and courtly living culture. These differences can help you plan your trip around the themes you’d like to explore further while you’re there.

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