It was my last day in Germany.

By that time, I’d traveled to nearby towns and even ventured a bit further to visit Neuschwanstein Castle and the Zugspitze. As I was staying Regensburg, I somehow thought it wouldn’t be hard to fit in some time to explore the city. I saved the last day for strolling around Regensburg, and it worked quite well. There’s no better way to say goodbye to a place than making the most of the day to mill around. Marion had to work that day, so after giving me a few directions, she left to work and I took a bus to the town center.

The first stop was the Information Center near Haidplatz, where I spent the first 30 minutes wandering around, enjoying the sun.

The first thing I realized about Regensburg was, there were many, many building with bright walls, as in other places. In less than an hour walking around, I already knew I loved this city.

From there, I went to St. Emmeram’s Abbey, also known as Schloss Thurn und Taxis (named after the family currently residing at this place).

Two days before that, I just went to Neuschwanstein Castle, and to be honest that kind of ruined other historical sightings. As lovely as St. Emmeram’s Abbey was, it didn’t take my breath away somehow. After an hour of guided tour, I walked back toward the town center. Halfway through, I ditched the map and decided to just follow the narrow, cobbled alley, didn’t really care if I was lost. I wanted to be lost.

It turned out that it was hard to get lost in Regensburg, as I suddenly saw the sight of the river again.

I crossed the Stone Bridge and got to the other side.

The weather was really nice that day, and everybody was out, soaking the sun. I went back after an hour, crossing the bridge again. The Stone Bridge was built in medieval time and it was the only bridge across the river until 1930s. It was really beautiful, but when I was there it was under construction (had been for a few months, apparently). Too bad, as it would’ve been really nice to get a picture of the town’s iconic landmark.

From the bridge, you can see the Historical Sausage Kitchen on one end. When my friend gave me a list of things I should see/visit/try in Regensburg, this sausage came first on the list. “Don’t miss it,” she said. “It’s the best sausage in here.”

You know if a German says something about the best sausage, you’ve got to try it. So I did.

The place stood humbly next to the bridge, in an old, small hut. It was easy to spot, but the sign definitely didn’t scream the best sausage in town. If my friend hadn’t told me beforehand, I would’ve given it a miss. This place was originally built for serving food for the Stone Bridge workers a long time ago, and it amazed me that it still served sausages for all these years.

I ordered a plate of sausages with sauerkraut, and bottle of Radler, and, oh god. My friend wasn’t exaggerating when she talked about this. It was THAT good. Best sausages I’ve had in life. I ordered the second plate right after I finished the first, much to the amusement of a local who was enjoying his plate and beer alone. He came to me to ask if I liked it (duh), and at this point I should’ve been ashamed, but I wasn’t. Only good sausages did that.

We ended up talking about his recent travel to Asia, and about Regensburg. As he was a history geek, by the time I finished my second plate, he offered to give me a tour to Porta Praetoria, the remains of Roman fortress walls. I ended the day by saying thank you to this nice stranger and taking the bus back to my friend’s place.

Regensburg is the fourth largest town in Bavaria, yet it didn’t feel big at all. It’s beautiful, and there’s something quaint about this place (well, the fact that the center is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites must say something). This is a humble town which will instantly make you feel welcome, with stunning landscapes and old buildings that added more to the charm. I went to this place with no expectation, and yet I left it with such a heavy heart, knowing it would be another thing on my wish-I-could-go-back-here list.

For the previous part, click here:

Prelude: The Second Hellos

Bavaria Trip | Prelude

Bavaria Trip | The Danube Narrows and Weltenburg Abbey

Bavaria Trip | Nuremberg

Bavaria Trip | Bamberg

Bavaria Trip | Munich

Bavaria Trip | Neuschwanstein Castle

Bavaria Trip | Zugspitze and Linderhof Palace