Welcome to Bavaria! Regensburg Rules

Regensburg is one of the few German cities that didn't get bombed back into the Stone Age in WWII, which is of course the age in which this Bavarian town actually has its roots. The result is a town that survived the war with its classic architecture nearly completely intact, which was more than enough to earn it a ranking as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Located in the heart of German Bavaria, this town truly came of age in medieval times when it controlled the waterways and hence extracted levies from passing ships (though I don't think that's the case for my riverboat). In the 12th century, Regensburg built the Old Stone Bridge, another important travel route, which is currently the oldest standing bridge in all of Germany. Most of the architecture seen today comes from this medieval era, including the glorious Gothic spires of St. Peter's Cathedral. To add to the city's beauty, the Bavarian Forrest lies just to the north and northeast.

Regensburg, which is also famous for its cuckoo clocks of all things, boasts a considerable student population. How did I learn that? A group of young people marched down the streets on behalf of Greenpeace encouraging the throngs of tourists and locals (information was in Germany and English) to start taking better care of the environment. You have to love that!

Most people outside Germany haven't heard of Regensburg, which is a surprise for someplace so beautiful. But what's even more surprising is how many important people have called this town home. For example, Pope Benedict XVI — our current pope — is from the area and taught theology for nearly a decade at the University. His brother still lives in the city. Oskar Schindler moved here after WWII before eventually moving on to Argentina. And if you like woman's soccer, Regensburg's got some Simone Laudehr (2007 world cup champ) for ya.

As I always say, "If it's good enough for the Pope, it's good enough for me," and that applies doubly to Regensburg.