Danube Gorge and Altmühl Valley: Regensburg to Eichstätt
Regensburg’s medieval bridge, Ludwig I’s hall of victory, a boat through the Danube Gorge to Weltenburg Abbey, then the castles of the Altmühl.
- Distance
- 179 km (111 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 28 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 9
- Countries
- Germany
- Updated
- June 20, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 179 km (111 mi) with 9 stops, from Regensburg to Nuremberg. About 2 h 28 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Germany
Route description
Spend a morning in Regensburg, crossing the Stone Bridge into a medieval old town of towers, patrician houses and a Gothic cathedral. The historic centre is compact, so park outside it. Then take the B16 west along the Danube to Kelheim, about 30 km. Just before the town, a road climbs the Michelsberg to the Befreiungshalle, the round hall Ludwig I built to celebrate the wars against Napoleon.
Kelheim sits where the Altmühl, now part of the Main-Danube Canal, joins the Danube. From April to October boats run from here through the Weltenburg Narrows, a limestone gorge with cliffs rising 80 m, to Weltenburg Abbey. The baroque church by the Asam brothers and the monastery brewery are the reward. You can also drive round to a car park above the abbey and walk down.
Follow the Altmühl valley west on the quiet road through Essing, with its long wooden bridge, to Riedenburg, a town under three castles. The valley is part of a large nature park with juniper heaths and limestone crags, and good for easy walks and cycling. Continue by Beilngries and Kipfenberg to Eichstätt, about 60 km, a small baroque bishops’ town.
Above Eichstätt, the Willibaldsburg holds the Jura Museum with fossils from the local limestone quarries, and a garden of Renaissance plants. From Eichstätt it is about 90 km north to Nuremberg by the B13 and the A9. Roads along the Altmühl are narrow in places but fine for motorhomes. May to early October is the best time, when the Danube boats are running.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Regensburg
Germany - 21 km
Stone Bridge, Regensburg
HistoryRegensburg, GermanyA 12th-century stone bridge across the Danube, the entry to Regensburg’s UNESCO-listed medieval old town. Park in a garage on the north bank or at a park-and-ride; the old town is best explored on foot.
- 326 km
Befreiungshalle
HistoryKelheim, GermanyA round hall of fame commissioned by King Ludwig I on the Michelsberg above Kelheim, with 34 marble goddesses of victory inside. The gallery gives views over the Danube and Altmühl; parking is next to the building.
- 42 km
Kelheim
Germany - 57 km
Weltenburg Abbey
HistoryKelheim, GermanyA baroque abbey by the Asam brothers on a bend of the Danube, at the entrance to the Weltenburg Narrows gorge. Arrive by boat from Kelheim (April–October) or park above the monastery and walk down 15 minutes.
- 615 km
Riedenburg
Germany - 748 km
Willibaldsburg
HistoryEichstätt, GermanyA hilltop castle of the prince-bishops above Eichstätt, home to the Jura Museum of local fossils and a reconstructed Renaissance garden. Parking at the castle; the walk down to the baroque town takes 20 minutes.
- 81 km
Eichstätt
Germany - 978 km
Nuremberg
Germany
FAQs
How long is Danube Gorge and Altmühl Valley: Regensburg to Eichstätt?
3-day road trip of about 179 km (111 mi) with 9 stops, from Regensburg to Nuremberg. About 2 h 28 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Danube Gorge and Altmühl Valley: Regensburg to Eichstätt?
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 28 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Danube Gorge and Altmühl Valley: Regensburg to Eichstätt start and end?
It starts in Regensburg and ends in Nuremberg.
Which countries does Danube Gorge and Altmühl Valley: Regensburg to Eichstätt pass through?
Germany.
