Sanjay Correa, vice president and managing director, GE India Technology Center, loves the historical and cultural charm of this German city
At the confluence of the Regen and the Danube river, Regensburg is a one-and-a-half hour drive north-east of Munich. Most of the city was untouched by World War II, so you get to look at sights that are centuries old.
The city was the northernmost part of the Roman Empire, with about 6,000 legionaires stationed there. To place so many troops that deep into Germany was quite a statement for those days. After the Romans, the city’s next peak was a thousand years later, as part of the Venetian civilisation. The trade up and down the Danube made the merchants of Regensburg very wealthy; in the late 13th century, they built a mini Venice in Regensburg.
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I really like the Goliath hotel, with its big mural of David and Goliath. It was built in the first half of the 13th century, and is a world heritage site. You get a great continental breakfast and a fitness centre.
Bavarian food is very bland. The classic thing is weinerschnitzel, big pretzels, and beer. If you are vegetarian: Sauerkraut and potatoes. Boat cruises on the Danube take you to interesting historical sights.
Regensburg’s cultural centre is the old town square, which has nice bakeries and restaurants, and a liveliness about it.
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(This story appears in the 13 August, 2010 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)