Trips from Regensburg
Follow the Altmühl and Danube by bicycle, explore nearby historic cities, or make Regensburg part of a longer journey.
BEYOND THE CITY
Day Trips and Onward Journeys
My four recommended days combine Regensburg with Weltenburg, Kelheim and Walhalla. The six ideas below extend the trip farther, either by rail or as a separate cycling journey. The two bike articles describe routes I have ridden: through the Altmühltal into Regensburg and along the Danube toward Passau. They are multi-day journeys, although you can choose a shorter section.
Nuremberg, Munich and Ingolstadt offer contrasting city visits, while Passau makes a rewarding onward stop. Decide whether you want a day out or a new overnight base before comparing travel times. Leave enough time in Regensburg itself for the first two days of the city itinerary.
EXPLORE MORE
Plan Your Visit
Find ideas for your visit, drawn largely from my own travels, from neighborhoods, sights and local food to festivals and journeys beyond the city, with practical tips along the way.
Altmühl by Bike
Limestone cliffs, historic towns and the winding Altmühl shape this cycling journey from Weißenburg through the Altmühl Valley to Kelheim and Regensburg. We rode the route in three days, arriving in Regensburg by bicycle rather than using it as our starting point. The detailed account follows that journey through the valley, where small settlements and rocky slopes provide a changing backdrop before the final stretch along the Danube.
Danube by Bike
My three-day ride from Regensburg to Passau followed the Danube for roughly 155 kilometers, with overnight stops in Straubing and Deggendorf. It formed part of a longer cycling journey toward Bratislava in 2018. This stretch connects riverside landscapes with the historic towns of Lower Bavaria, finishing in Passau at the meeting of three rivers. The linked account covers the route and overnight stages.
Nuremberg
Nuremberg’s Imperial Castle, city walls and bridges over the Pegnitz give its historic center a character distinct from Regensburg. I lived here for several months, and the walk from Frauentor toward the castle remains a familiar route. Franconian food and the market square are part of the appeal, while the city’s museums and twentieth-century historical sites reveal a more complex story beyond the medieval landmarks.
Munich
Munich is the city I grew up with, and its royal residences, art collections and expansive parks offer a different experience from Regensburg’s compact medieval center. Marienplatz and Viktualienmarkt bring together civic history and market life, while the Residenz reveals the world of Bavaria’s rulers. The English Garden and beer gardens show another side of the city, where outdoor life is as much an attraction as the buildings and museums.
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt brings together a historic Danube city, Bavarian military history and the automotive world of Audi. The New Castle gives the Old Town a distinctive landmark, while the city’s museums explore subjects quite different from Regensburg’s churches and medieval trading history. Its compact center and riverside setting make it a smaller-scale city outing, with the contrast between historic Bavaria and modern industry providing the main interest.
Passau
Passau stands at the meeting of the Danube, Inn and Ilz, with a peninsula Old Town shaped by the surrounding rivers. Baroque buildings and St. Stephen’s Cathedral give it a different appearance from Regensburg’s medieval streets. Riverfront walks lead toward the three-river confluence, while elevated viewpoints reveal the city’s unusual geography. Passau is also the endpoint of my Danube cycling route and a natural onward stop when traveling east.
Final Thoughts
The two cycling routes can form successive stages of a longer trip: the Altmühl route brings you from Weißenburg into Regensburg, while the Danube route continues from Regensburg through Straubing and Deggendorf to Passau. Regensburg therefore makes a natural break between them, with a few days off the bicycle to explore the city.
For a wider city itinerary, Nuremberg lies northwest, Ingolstadt west, Munich south and Passau southeast of Regensburg. If your travels already lead in one of those directions, the corresponding city can become your next stop without returning to Regensburg. Weltenburg, Kelheim and Walhalla are covered separately in the main guide’s daily itineraries.