Regensburg, Germany - July, 2026

 Our ninety-minute train trip from Munich Central Station to Regensburg was smooth and uneventful. We spent the night at Elaya Hotel, a charming boutique spot in the city center just a short walk from the train station. 

So, why Regensburg?. The city served as the launch point for our seven-day Danube cruise starting the next day. In the meantime, exploring its historic streets offered a welcome break from bustling Munich. As one of Germany's best-preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it really captivated us. Best of all, it gave us a perfect opportunity to reunite with our Vietnamese-German friend, Thuy Anh! We first met her last year in Paris, and since she and her family live right here in Regensburg, she was glad that we reached out while passing through town.

On the way to our hotel in the city center.

First encounter with the old city's historic gate.

A short swalk from the Elaya Hotel is the Cafe Restaurant Furstenhof, an Art Nouveau gem and one of Regensburg's most famous historic coffee houses.

Never missing an opportunity to get some laundry done so we're fresh and ready for the cruise 🚢.

*👪The next day, cruise day was finally here. Since we didn't have to be at the transfer location until mid-afternoon, we enjoyed a leisure morning catching up with Thuy Anh and her family. We took a nice walk around the Old Town and said our goodbyes after lunch.

Thuy Anh and her three children: Aurel (8 years old), Rielle (3) and Elora (new born).

Having a nice stroll through the city center.

St. Peter's Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture situated in the center of Regensburg's UNESCO Old Town. 

In front of St. Peter's Caathedral.

Inside St. Peter's Cathedral. 


Lunch time before saying goodbyes.

~💦Our river cruise was supposed to depart from near the Stone Bridge, just outside the Old Town. However, due to the water levels on the Danue, the ship had to dock in Vilshofen an der Donau instead-a ninety minute bus tranfer from Regensburg. Vilshofen itself is a scenic,
 historic town nestled along the riverbank in southeastern Bavaria, Germany.


Our ship, the Monarch Queen.

Checking-in.


Our cabin.

The view from our private balcony.

*✨According to our cruise itinerary, the next day featured a guided tour of Regensburg. So, we headed out to explore the historic landmarks of its medieval Old Town.


Leaving the ship for the guided tour.


First stop -The Stone Bridge, a historic 12th century stone arch bridge spanning the Danube River.

The entrance to Regensburg Old Town with St. Peter's Cathedral in the background.


 Bridge Tower, a medieval tower, orginally served as a fortification and checkpoint guarding the city. 

Exploring the Old Town. 

The Goliath House in the heart of Old Town, famous for its mural depicting the battle between David and Goliath.

The Old Town Hall.

The Regensburg Foot: Historic medieval length standards carved directly into the stone walls of the Old Town Hall.

Beautiful cobblestones, narrow streets winding through the Old Town.

The cornerstone of the Old Town, marking where the city's first street began.

Towering above the narrow streets are massive, multi story residential stone towers built by wealthy merchants of the city.

One of the last stops before leaving Regensburg Old Town - St. Peter's Cathedral.

*🌉Crossing the Stone Bridge and looking back toward the city reveals the true beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

 Stone Bridge and the Danube.

The historic Salzstadel (salt warehouse) and the iconic Stone Bridge along the Regensburg riverfront.  

The oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world. Originally built in the 12th century on the banks of the Danube River, Regensburg's Historic Sausage Kitchen  has been serving travelers for over 850 years. 
 

 850 years later, and it's still the most popular lunch spot in town. The takeout line at the Historic Sausage Kitchen 🌭.

Eiserne Bridge, looking downstream toward the Stone Bridge and the Old Town.

A peaceful moment along the Danube.

An amazing view of St. Andreas Church reflecting on the Danube as we leave Regensburg ⛪💟.

Leaving Regensburg behind, but the Danube adventure continues in Passau...

Munich, Germany - July 2026

 We arrived in Munich by mid-afternoon and took UBER to our hotel near city center.  Our hotel, the Ibis Muenchen City,  featured a central location with convenient access to public transit and major local attractions. It was also just a short walk from the Munich Central Train Station, where we would catch our train to Regensburg at the end of our stay. 

This is our first time truly visiting Munich, outside of passing through the airport. With two full days to explore this incredible city, we were eager to set out on our adventure the moment we settled in.

Passing by the grand Palace of Justice on our walk to city center. 

                                                        

Fountain at the gate tower marking the entrance to Munich's Old Town.

Gate tower. Entrance to Kreuzviertel, one of the four quarters that make up the beautifully preserved district of the historic Old Town.

Citizen's Hall Church (Burgersaalkirche) in Kreuzviertel.

St. Michael Church.

Inside St. Michael Church.

Frauenkirche - Cathedral of Our Lady, located in the heart of Kreuzviertel district.

The legendary Devil's Footstep lies in this iconic Cathedral of Our Lady.

Inside the Cathedral of Our Lady.

A grand New Town Hall dominating the north side of Munich's historic Marienplatz.

The historic mechanical clock, Rathaus-Glockenspiel at the New Town Hall puts on spectacular daily show at Munich's Marienplatz.

The Mariensaule, a Marian Column located at the center of Marienplatz, stands directly across from the New Town Hall.

💚💜💛

After familiarizing ourselves with Munich's historic old town, we set out to explore the nearby surroundings the next day. The weather was quite pleasant, making our leisurely walk from the hotel even more enjoyable. On the way, we stopped at Munich Central Station to buy train tickets for our next destination, Regensburg.

Palace of Justice, facing the Old Botanical Gardens.

The Botanical Gardens entrance.

The garden still looks nice, even with the summer heat and drought🌻🌿!

Neptune Fountain in the Old Botanical Gardens, 

The Angerviertel historic quarter in Munich's Old Town, with the grand stone tower of St. Peter's Church rising in the background.

Cafe Rischart, a well-known bakery near Munich's old open-air food market.

A seafood restaurant in the old food market.

After having a quick "Cheese Brat" lunch in the Old Town's open-air food market, we headed to the English Garden, a major urban park, to watch the famous Eisbach surfers. Yes - the surfers appear in the afternoon to ride the river's standing wave, surprising and intriguing sight waiting to be discovered.

Eisbach River flowing through the English Garden.

A look at the Eisbach surfers and the crowd gathered to watch 🏄!!

Eisbach surfers riding the wave while the spectators cheer them on 🌊!

A perfect escape from the heat: Eisbach waves and the fearless surfers!

*~It was a busy day, and we covered a large part of the city on foot. But we save the best for last: the Munich Hofbrauhaus, one of the world's most famous beer halls and a vibrant symbol of Bavarian culture. That's where we enjoyed our final dinner in Munich.

Hofbrauhaus entrance.

Colorful murals and classic Bavarian decor frame the lively crowd inside Hofbrauhaus. 

Hofbrauhaus, the Munich icon that stays busy from open to close.

Joining the crowd at Hofbrauhaus. Cheers 🍺!!

"Bretzl Lady" wandering the aisles with basket of fresh pretzels.

Cheers to a great time in Munich - from a cozy dinner.

 to the sweetest finish 💑!

*~Because the Hofbrauhaus sits in the southern quarter of Munich's Old Town, Graggenau, we ended up visiting all four of the city's famous historic districts. We truly enjoyed Munich and everything it had to offer. Maybe next time we'll come back for Oktoberfest.

 Munich's Graggenau district just moments before sunset.

                                                                            ~~👭💗🌇~~