December is a magical time to visit the medieval city of Regensburg, Germany. Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006, this location was a great trading metropolis built up in the middle ages and was not destroyed during any of the wars. The people are friendly, the shops along the cobblestone streets of Old Town are charming and the regional foods are especially tasty.
I was fortunate to visit several Christmas Markets of Europe, including Nuremberg, Passau, Vienna and Budapest, during a trip on the Romantic Danube with Viking River Cruises. The Christmas market located around Neupfarrplatz has been an annual tradition for over 400 years.
Regensburg at night
When the sunsets, Regensburg comes alive at night. The streets are lite up with twinkling lights and luminated decorations hang suspended between narrow streets. A huge Christmas tree dazzles with white lights by the main square and the smell of gluhwein fills the air. Like munchkins from the Wizard of Oz, locals and visitors are beckoned to come out and meet one another in this festive winter atmosphere. Parents bundle up their children in brightly colored clothing and place them on carousel horses as they dance round and round to the beat of the holiday music.
Regional German food
One of my favorite discoveries at the European Christmas Markets was the regional foods; specifically the sausages. Nurembergers are very proud of their pork sausages – the size of a “pinkie finger” the smallest finger on the human hand. In Regensburg, it’s all about the 1/2 meter Bratwurst. Have you tried these sausages or the pork sausages served at the Sausage Tavern?
Insider Tip
Make sure to stop for a pork sausage at the Historic Sausage Kitchen not far from the Cathedral of St. Peter. Sit outside the 900-year-old building and take in the views of the Stone Bridge over the Danube River.
For additional insider tips follow Luxury Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown on Twitter @Nancydbrown and follow Regensburg Tourism @Regensburg_trip on Twitter.
Article written by, video and photos courtesy of Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California. Disclosure: thanks to the folks at Viking River Cruises for making this trip a reality. All opinions are my own.