Regensburg and Bavarian Countryside
Bavaria, Germany
Custom Dates Available
- Minimum group size of 6 people and 2-month lead time.
- Rich will be in Europe from Sept 29 – Oct 11, 2025, so possibility of scheduling an Antwerp Immersion during that window.
- Contact Rich to request custom dates or inquire about being added to existing groups.
Price: 2 days for $799
Likely breweries, visits, tours, and meals:
Weisses Bräuhaus Schneider (“Schneider Weisse”), Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg, Brauerei Michael Plank, Kneitinger, Spitalgarten, Historiche Wurstküche, and more!
10% discount for Beverage Industry! Cicerones®, Certified Beer Servers, Sommeliers, WSETs, and employees of restaurants and beverage producers & wholesalers get 10% off!
The Beer-tiful Blue Danube
The majestic Danube River flows through the heart of beautiful, historic Regensburg and beneath a stone arch bridge completed in 1146. Halfway across this bridge is an island, once the site of a hospital that brewed beer; only the brewery survived and now site is the Spital Biergarten. From underneath its chestnut trees, you can gaze across the river and see Regensburg’s many towers and spires, Regensburg’s main cathedral, and Europe’s longest-running sausage restaurant (opened for the bridge builders in the 1100s).
The largest German city to be untouched by Allied bombing in World War II, Regensburg’s old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is home to ancient Roman ruins, a university, and an amazing number of restaurants, bars, cafes, and cute shops — as well as three breweries. This is a fun city with tons of history.
Ferry trip through the Danube River Gorge to Weltenburg Abbey Brewery
Paradise of Weissbier, Dunkel, and Bock
Another highlight: a visit to Plank Brewery, in the hills northwest of Regensburg, which has won more World Beer Cup medals than almost any brewery in the world. With rivers, breathtaking cliffs, rolling hills, ancient ruins, and medieval architecture, this is a beautiful and historical part of Europe. And with excellent restaurants and some of the finest breweries in world, Regensburg and its surrounding countryside is a must-visit hidden gem for eating and drinking!
Special Beer Styles:
- Weissbier: refreshing, unfiltered wheat beer with fruity-spicy aromas
- Heller Weizenbock: extra strong version of weissbier
- Dunkler Weizenbock: extra strong, dark, toasty version of weissbier
- Dunkles: savory, smooth chocolatey lagers
- Bock: strong, nutty, toffeeish, chocolatey lagers
- Central-Bavarian-style pils: golden lager with bittersweet finish
- plus: lots of refreshing Bavarian helles, a weizen-eisbock, and a few American-hopped rarities
Local Dishes:
- Gebratene Ente: roasted duck (quarter or half) with braised cabbage and large potato dumpling
- Steinpilze in Rahm mit Semmelknödel: local wild porcini mushrooms in cream sauce with bread dumplings
- Schweinsbraten in Dunkelbiersoße: roasted crispy-skin pork loin in dark beer sauce
- Wurstsalat: thin slices of cold cooked sausage tossed with vinegar sauce, pickles, and red onion
- Käsespätzle: soft flour dumplings with melted cheese and grilled onions
- Apfelradln mit Vanilleeis: breaded apple-ring fritters with vanilla ice cream
- Zwetschgen: delicious local plums, which feature in many desserts or sauces for meats
Local Customs We’ll Join In On:
- Starting the day with a rye bun (“kipferl”) of bratwurst from a 900-year-old sausage kitchen
- Taking a ferry to 1000-year-old Weltenburg Abbey Brewery: a pilgrimage for beer
- Enjoying the world’s best weissbier while snacking on weisswurst sausage
- Sitting beneath chestnut trees, sipping beers on the banks of the Danube
Local Non-Beer Sights We’ll See:
- Regensburg St. Peter’s Cathedral, Old Stone Bridge, Ancient Roman Porta Praetoria, Salt Warehouse, Altes Rathaus, Europe’s Oldest Sausage House
- UNESCO World Heritage Old Town
- Weltenburg Abbey, Baroque Weltenburg Chapel, Romantic-Era hilltop monument Befreiungshalle, Weltenburg Beach
- Danube River, Danube Gorge, trains and walks through the hilly countryside
Hotel Recommendations
Functional/Budget Category:
- Hotel Weidenhof
Maximilianstrasse 23, Regensburg ~ Hotel Website ~ TripAdvisor
Mid-Range Category:
- ACHAT Hotel Regensburg Herzog am Dom
- Bischofshof am Dom
Domplatz 3, Regensburg ~ Hotel Website ~ TripAdvisor
My comments: Nice, spacious rooms and in-room modern bathrooms in a medium-size hotel, with elevator. Located in the heart of the Old Town/Altstadt, across from St. Peter’s Cathedral and with the Regensburg biergarten of the Weltenburg monastery brewery in the rear courtyard, surrounded by restaurants, bars, and shops. 10-min walk to the train station; 0-min walk into the historic heart of the Old Town/Altstadt.
Krauterermarkt 3, Regensburg ~ Hotel Website ~ TripAdvisor
My comments: Hotel and restaurant of Regensburg’s well-known Bischofshof Brewery.
Boutique Category:
- Hotel Bohemian
- Hotel Orphée
Gesandtenstraße 12, Regensburg ~ Hotel Website ~ TripAdvisor
My comments: Nice rooms and in-room modern bathrooms in a charming, small hotel with centuries-old vibe; 3 floors tall, *no elevator*. Located across from Holy Trinity (Dreieinigkeit) Church and steps from Bismarckplatz State Theater, surrounded by restaurants, bars, and shops. 15-min walk to the train station; 2-min walk to the historic heart of the Old Town/Altstadt.
Untere Bachgasse 8, Regensburg ~ Hotel Website ~ TripAdvisor
My comments: Note that the Orphée consists of 3 separate properties: the Großes Haus (Grand Hotel) and Kleines Haus (Small Hotel) are located in a great, central location in the Altstadt/Old Town, 1 block away from each other. I don’t recommend the location called “Andreasstadel” because it’s located on an island in the middle of the Danube River, rather than in the city center.
Elevated Category:
- Hotel Goldenes Kreuz
Haidplatz 7, Regensburg ~ Hotel Website ~ TripAdvisor
These hotel recommendations are based on a combo of location, online reviews, and my experiences. I’ve stayed at some, but not all, of these hotels. I don’t get any perks or discounts for referrals. You should feel free to book at any of these, but of course you’re welcome to choose other accommodations.
10% discount for Beverage Industry!
Cicerones®, Certified Beer Servers, Sommeliers, WSETs, and employees of restaurants and beverage producers & wholesalers get 10% off.
Beer Immersions are an amazing way to study and learn about beer, and they’re incredibly fun, memorable team building opportunities.