We arrived in mid-morning, and the first thing we saw was the ancient Stone Bridge across the Danube with its 16 curving arches. This 1017-foot long bridge was built in the 12th century and is an amazing piece of medieval construction.
We had a walking tour from the ship, and loved everything about this picturesque village from the old 12th century sausage kitchen on the edge of the river to the magnificent St. Peter's Cathedral towering over the old town.
Regensburg even has a statue honoring Don Juan of Austria, the illegitimate son of a local girl (Barbara Blomberg) and Austrian Emperor Charles V. Don Juan led the Spanish navy in the defeat of the Turks in the naval battle of Lepanto in 1571. Barbara Blomberg's old home has a marker indicating that "the emperor slept here".
We were in Regensburg on a Saturday, and the old town was filled with local families and tourists. The unseasonably warm weather in Regensburg was wonderful, and like everyone else in town, we enjoyed sitting outside at a small cafe driking a local beer.
At 5:00 pm, the Viking Spirit left Regensburg and sailed towards the continental divide of Europe, Nuremberg, and the Main-Danube Canal.
