Autumn weekend in Bavaria

Arrival

I drove to Essing by car. At the beginning of the journey, my navigation system told me that the trip would take about five and a half hours. Unfortunately, it is not different in Germany than in Switzerland. On the way there were many road works, which slowed down the journey considerably. Nevertheless, I would like to say in advance that every minute in the traffic jam was worth it. 

Our accommodation

I spend the weekend at the amazing Heinfling Chalet in Essing. Family Heinfling has charming and totally lovingly furnished rooms. All chalets / rooms are equipped with wooden floors and wooden furniture. The bed was very comfortable, and I slept very well in it – honestly, I miss it already. The shower was super cool too, it’s in the middle of the room and you can’t see in from the outside but you can see out from the inside. Very nice idea! The balcony invites you to linger, very spacious and a great view to the garden.

Right at the beginning Doris Heinfling gave me a warm welcome. She is a very friendly person and she puts a smile on your face. She makes a great breakfast. If you’re there, you must have tried one of her famous Bowls. They are amazing! Of course, I don't want to deprive you of a photo of the bowl.

I really felt very comfortable at the Heinfling Chalet and will be happy to come back.

Essing

It was a great experience to finally see Essing live. I have already seen countless photos on Instagram but now the day has come and I’m really there. First conclusion – it is even more beautiful than I imagined.  

From far away I could already see the famous Tatzelwurm. The Tatzelwurm is a wooden footbridge that connects both banks of the Main-Donau Canal. At 193 metres long, it can proudly claim to be one of the longest wooden bridges in Europe.

Essing has a walking path along the water. It is best to walk on the side where you have a good view of Essing. What totally amazed me were these great reflections in the water. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this before.

The bridge at the Altmühltal and the bridge tower looks great too. There is even a flat in there. Must be pretty small but it’s cool to be able to say you live in a tower.

If you want to watch an amazing sunset, I recommend you go to the castle ruin Randeck and look down on Essing from above. Right next to the ruin there is the restaurant Ritterschänke Burg Randeck. The Ritterschänke is a family-run inn that offers local specialties as well as products from its own butchery.

Regensburg

The Bavarian city of Regensburg is located on the Donau in south-eastern Germany and is known for its well-preserved medieval centre. One of its landmarks is the Stone Bridge from the 12th century. On the bridge you have a great view of Regensburg.

Another important landmark is the 13th century Gothic cathedral with its twin towers. Unfortunately, the cathedral is currently being rebuilt, so one tower was packed in. Nevertheless, I took a photo of it. I also went inside the cathedral and I have to say it is beautiful.

The old town in Regensburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are many small alleys and many traditional shops. We were there on Sunday, but there was a Sunday sale in the afternoon, so everything was open. Accordingly, there were quite a few people. I liked the hidden alleys, where it was quieter.

If you like sweet things to eat, Regensburg is the best place to be. Everywhere there are small cafés where cakes are on offer.

Donaudurchbruch

My friends from Instagram from the Essing / Regensburg area recommended that I definitely should visit the Donaudurchbruch. The Donaudurchbruch is a natural narrow of the Donau between Weltenburg Kloster (Monastry) and Kelheim. The area is a protected nature reserve and is also designated as a geotope.

The best view of the area is from a passenger boat. You can board the boat in Kehlheim and travel upstream to the monastery for about 50 minutes. The return trip downstream takes about 20 minutes. Here is a link to the timetable and the ship.

Currency and means of payment

In Essing / Regensburg you pay in Euro (EUR). You can pay everywhere with credit cards. It is accepted as a means of payment in all shops, Restaurant or Hotels.

Tip

With these guidelines you are on the safe side: In restaurants, the service staff receive a tip of about 10% of the total bill. If the bill is several hundred euros, about 5% is sufficient. Taxi drivers receives a tip of 10%.

Language

In Germany the people speak German.

Opening hours

In most federal states the large grocery shops are open from 8am to 8pm. Shops in city centres from 10am to 8pm. In smaller towns or villages shops close earlier or are only open a few hours a day. Shops are also closed on Sundays and public holidays – unless it’s a Sunday sale as we had when we were there.