2 Days in Speyer

Morning

Climb the Altpörtel gate

Start at the station or on the Altpörtel square. Climb the 55-meter gate; from the top the Maximilianstraße runs dead straight toward the cathedral, giving you your first real sense of the city's layout.

Tip: Open April to October, Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. Admission under 2 euros. Wear sturdy shoes.

Morning

The Maximilianstraße to the cathedral

600 meters of old imperial road, today a pedestrian zone with cafés, confectioners, the town hall and ice-cream parlors. If you have time, step into Holy Trinity Church on the right: a wooden barrel vault from 1717.

Lunch

Lunch at the Domhof

Right by the cathedral: a house brewery with a courtyard beer garden. Saumagen, liver dumplings or pork knuckle, with Domhof beer on tap. It does not get more classic than this.

Tip: Beer garden in summer, vaulted cellar in winter. A weekend reservation is a good idea.

Afternoon

Imperial Cathedral: interior, crypt, tower

Walk quietly through the interior and do not skip the crypt (the largest Romanesque pillared crypt, the burial place of eight emperors and kings). In summer, climb the southwest tower for a view over the Rhine to the Palatinate Forest.

Tip: Crypt access is via a separate staircase, admission free. The tower climb is paid and open only April to October.

Afternoon

The Jewish Courtyard and Museum SchPIRA

One minute from the cathedral into the Kleine Pfaffengasse: the remains of the medieval synagogue, the women's shul and the mikvah from 1128, one of the oldest surviving Jewish ritual baths in Europe. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021.

Dinner

Dinner at Zum alten Engel

In the historic vaulted cellar on Mühlturmstraße. A Palatinate menu (Saumagen, sausage, liver dumplings), a wine list of more than 60 local vintages and the atmosphere of a 300-year-old building.

Tip: An evening reservation is essential.

Stay overnight

Overnight at Hotel Goldener Engel

A four-star town hotel on Mühlturmstraße, five minutes from the cathedral. Its own underground garage is a rarity in the Old Town and worth its weight in gold.

Morning

Technik Museum Speyer

A walk-through Lufthansa Boeing 747, the submarine U9, the Soviet Buran space shuttle. One of the largest technology museums in Europe, for families and technology fans alike. Allow at least three hours.

Tip: The combined ticket with the sister museum in Sinsheim only pays off if you want to go there too. The IMAX dome is extra.

Lunch

Lunch at the hotel restaurant by the Technik Museum

Right at the museum exit, with a hearty Palatinate menu and big portions for families. Unspectacular but practical.

Afternoon

Adenauer Park and the city wall

By bus or on foot (20 min) back toward the Old Town, following the medieval city wall along the western edge. Wall towers, a playground and lawns make a calm break after all the technology.

Afternoon

Historical Museum of the Palatinate

If you still have the energy: on the cathedral square, the Historical Museum with the Golden Hat (Bronze Age), the oldest wine bottles in the world (4th century) and the cathedral treasury. Its special exhibitions are worth a separate visit.

Tip: Last admission is usually an hour before closing, so check the schedule online first.

Dinner

Dinner by the Rhine at the Rheinblick

To finish, head down to the Rhine and the harbor quarter. Fresh zander, sunset over the water and one last bottle of Palatinate wine.

Tip: Terrace seats in summer are only available with a reservation.