"It lacks must-see sights, but the old town is pleasant, especially the small streets below the main square, where streams diverted from the River Lech run alongside pedestrians."
That's all Rick Steves has to say about Augsburg, despite it's prime location on the Romantic Road (which he recommends) and despite noting that, at over 2,000 years old, Augsburg is one of Germany's 3 oldest cities. Indeed, despite it's super convenient location (it also sits between Stuttgart and Munich, and is only 30 minutes by train from the latter city) it's often overlooked by American tourists and even American expats. Which is a shame, because after an overnight there, I'd say it's probably my second favorite city in the state of Bavaria (after Nuremberg). It's certainly a city that should be recommended for at least a few hours' stopover if it's on the way (and for most visitors to Southern Germany, it will be at some point) but there's enough to see and do for fans of history and culture that you can easily spend 2 days here and not see all sights of interest.
From the historical perspective, Augsburg's importance lies in it's status as a Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire that was also situated on many of the most important medieval trading routes. It was the richest city in all of Germany during the Renaissance, when Munich was a relative backwater. As a result, there isn't much of a medieval atmosphere - instead the glorious architecture of the city is a mixture of Italian and German Renaissance styles, and the city includes Germany's first Renaissance buildings, thanks to the Fuggers. The Fuggers were a trading family that replaced the Medicis in terms of influence and power. Jakob Fugger remains one of the richest men to have ever lived. The Fugger influence is inseparable from Augsburg, as many of the most glorious buildings and monuments in the city are a direct result of Fugger money.
The relatively large inner city is beautiful throughout, with surprisingly unified architecture and many pedestrian-only streets, and what seems like dozens of fountains. But the highlight is the 17th century Rathaus, which is by far the biggest Rathaus in Germany. I've never seen anything like it. Inside you can visit the beautifully restored Golden Hall which has to be seen to be believed. It's not hard to imagine the Imperial Diet taking place there. It's next to a beautiful large tower, which combine to make a stunning backdrop to the Christkindlmarkt which was currently running during our visit. It was a particularly nice Christmas market, with some goods I hadn't seen elsewhere and particularly delicious food, such as tiny maultaschen (Swabian ravolis) fried with bacon and onions, and the local "Bosna" sausage topped with ketchup and a fiery spice. It was also nicely laid out, with wide lanes, which prevented it from feeling too crowded or hectic. During the weekends there are several additional unique markets throughout the city, as well as choir performances for the Christmas season.
Augsburg was an early center of Christianity, and as a result is bursting with many impressive churches all within walking distance of each other. The main Cathedral houses the oldest figurative stained glass in Europe dating to the 11th century, and the St. Afra and Ulrich Basilica houses the remains of both saints who have colorful legends surrounding them. St. Anna's exterior is hidden by scaffolding at the moment (and in the heart of the inner city so it stands out less than the other two) but features a beautiful Baroque interior by the Asam Brothers as well as an amazing frescoes Goldsmith's chapel from 1420. There was also the remodeled and creepy St. Mortiz church, which was the personal church of the Fugger family. We only made it to those four, but there are at least three more interesting churches in the city center.
Continued....