Romantic Danube

Witness a true medieval city almost untouched by World War II bombing and rich in architectural splendor. Set off on foot to explore Regensburg, one of Germany’s best-preserved cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As you walk with your guide, see some of the city walls erected by Marcus Aurelius upon its founding and pass the Old Town Hall. Take in the 12th-century Old Stone Bridge, a 14-arch feat of medieval engineering, and the Alte Wurstküche or “Old Sausage Kitchen,” one of Germany’s oldest restaurants. Gaze up at the 164-foot-tall Golden Tower, a medieval status symbol built by a local Patrician family. Conclude your exploration of Regensburg at the Gothic St. Peter’s Cathedral, where you may choose to go inside on your own to glimpse its impressive stained-glass windows.

Discover Regensburg during a walking tour and learn more about the city’s Jewish heritage. This tour contains all the same elements as the regular Regensburg Walking Tour but adds stops at several Jewish-related sights. Meet your guide at the pier and set off on foot, admiring Roman-era ruins and the many landmarks that date back to the Middle Ages. Continue your journey, delving into the city’s Jewish heritage, with stops at important monuments. Learn more about its history at Neupfarrplatz, in what was once the Jewish Quarter. Here, where the Synagogue once stood, is the site of a striking memorial. You will also see the former residence of Oskar Schindler, who saved more than 1,200 Jews, and the tombstones at the Old Town Hall and the Stumbling Stones memorial. These small brass plaques on the pavement commemorate the Jewish residents who died in the Holocaust.

Visit a splendid abbey, founded in the 7th century, at a spectacularly scenic bend in the Danube Narrows. Join your guide for a drive to Kelheim, where you will board an excursion boat for a short cruise through the lovely Danube Narrows. This area of unsurpassed scenic beauty is where the river has cut a pass through the mountains, carving the narrowest and steepest section of the river. Cruise past the white cliffs, then disembark for a visit to Weltenburg Abbey, one of Germany’s oldest monasteries. The ornate abbey features a gilded altar, elegant marble interior and masterful paintings of biblical scenes. Its famous brewery was founded in 1050, and beer has been brewed here ever since. The monastery brewery produces ten different brews, including its most recent “Anno 1050.” During your excursion, enjoy a local beer and an authentic German pretzel.

Sample a selection of Bavaria’s best-loved brews, accompanied by classic biergarten fare. Meet your knowledgeable guide for a walking tour and a brief introduction to Bavaria’s lively beer culture. During your brewery visits, you will learn about the art of brewing from a specialist and Bavaria’s strict Purity Law. You will also sample a traditional wheat beer, produced with more wheat than barley, as well as a refreshing pilsner from Kneitinger and a dark beer from Weltenburger. Snack on homemade Bavarian sausages and sauerkraut, and enjoy a breze, along with a tasting of different local mustards, for a full brauhaus experience. After your tour, you may return to the ship with your guide, or enjoy time to explore independently before returning to your ship.

Tour one of Germany’s most renowned and intriguing cities on this full-day excursion. Tour one of Germany’s most renowned and intriguing cities on this full-day excursion. Travel through the German countryside to Nuremberg’s Old Town, where you can delve into this medieval city’s complex past. Still surrounded by 14th-century walls, with many gates and watchtowers fully intact, it grew into a toy-making capital of Europe. Here, craftsmen shaped metal into inspiring sculptures, carved wood and used other materials to create decorative crafts. After you see the grounds on which Nazi rallies were staged and pass the Palace of Justice, admire the Imperial Palace, one of Europe’s most formidable fortresses. Then, stroll down the castle hill past half-timbered houses and browse the stalls at the Market Square. One of Europe’s most celebrated, it is famous for both its gingerbread and its Gothic Schöner Brunnen, or Beautiful Fountain. After lunch, you will have time to explore on your own before returning to your ship.

See the cultural and historic highlights of one of Germany’s most relaxed cities at the foothills of the Alps. Meet your guide for a drive to the Bavarian capital. Upon arrival, pass the Olympiapark, built for the 1972 Olympics, and the green spaces of the Königsplatz, center of the city’s museum quarter. Continue along three of the city’s royal avenues, lined with public buildings befitting an imperial city: Ludwigstrasse, Prinzregentenstrasse and Maximilianstrasse. Afterward, visit Marienplatz, the city’s main square. Here, admire the stunning gabled roof and bell tower of the Old Town Hall. At the New Town Hall, witness the famous Glockenspiel spring to life at noon and gaze up at the dramatic tower of Peterskirche. There will be time to browse the Viktualienmarkt, the city’s popular market. After lunch, enjoy free time to explore on your own before returning to your ship.