About
Regensburg, Germany's medieval center has earned a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list, but the city has its modern side, too--including a state-of-the-art BMW plant where some 10,000 skilled workers produce the BMW 1 Series, 3 Series, M3, and specialized vehicles such as police cars. Since the factory opened in 1986, more than three million BMWs have emerged from its flexible assembly line.

Like other BMW facilities, the Regensburg plant offers tours to groups and individuals. The two-hour guided tour lets you walk right into the middle of the action: During your visit to the body shop, for example, you'll be surrounded by giant conveyors that lift car bodies into place for automated welding by computer-controlled robots.

Munich is the home of the famous BMW car firm. Its museum, a circular tower that looks as if it served as a set for Star Wars, contains not only a dazzling collection of BMWs old and new but also items and exhibitions relating to the company's social history and its technical developments.

OPEN: Weekdays 10-1) on the eastern edge of the Olympiapark. You can see the factory as well, but only with a tour that begins at the museum's box office.

COST: EUR2. OPEN: Daily 10-8. Petuelring (U-bahn).