"Speyer" Speyer by Aunt_Bertha

Speyer Travel Guide: 331 reviews and 1,114 photos

Germany, Speyer

Speyer is one of the oldest cities in Germany and definitely one of my most favorite as a result of the laid-back, almost Mediterranean life style. The city is located on the Rhine and due to the Upper Rhine Valley's mild climate, the area has been nick-named "Tuscany of Germany". It goes without saying that wine is cultivated here, predominantly white and rosé, but you can also find a few nice red wines.

Speyer was founded by the Romans and it now has a population of approximately 50.000. First it was called Noviomagus, then Civitas Nemetum (the latter after the Teutonic tribe of the Nemetes that had previously settled in the area). Later the Romans finally made up their minds to call the city Spira, which is still reflected in its modern German name. Occasionally, the city is referred to as Spires in English, Spire (French) Spira (Italian), and Espira (Spanish). Speyer also used to have a notable (and one of the oldest) Jewish community (that is slowly being re-established these days - a new synagogue opened in 2011) in Germany. Jews with the last name of Shapiro, Spiro, Shapir, Sapir most likely have ancestors who lived in that city.

Although it's not a huge city, there's always something fun going on. Well, the "Pfälzer" (people of the Palatinate) just love to celebrate and to have a good time, so if you're in the area, it's definitely a great place to visit. Speyer also boasts a beautiful and historic old city as well as one of Germany's largest and most famous cathedrals. I frequently visit Speyer and I really enjoy strolling around the old city and checking out all the events that take place on Maximilian Street (the pedestrian area) all year round. Leisurely walking along the Rhine Promenade and watching the ships drift by is also a wonderful pastime, although the promenade tends to be quite crowded whenever the weather is nice, even in the winter.

Pros and Cons

Pros:A beautiful, historic, laid-back, and fun city.
Cons:Are there any? Not to my knowledge.
In a nutshell:Speyer has it all, including a warm and welcoming small-town atmosphere.

Intro Updated Mar 30, 2012
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Reviews (2)

Speyer Cathedral Favorites (1)

In 1024 a Salian from the Speyer district became King of Germany making Speyer the center of imperial politics as well... more travel advice

Merry Maximilian Street Things to Do (1)

Maximilian Street (Maximilianstrasse in German) is the pedestrian area in the heart of Speyer. It starts at the Speyer... more travel advice

Comments (2)

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Nemorino May 10, 2012 at 2:53 PM

Informative tips on the Cathedral and Merry Maximilian Street!
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MalenaN Mar 30, 2012 at 7:57 AM

Nice photo of Speyer Cathedral!