Things to do in Passau

Passau, the Dreiflüssestadt or City of Three Rivers, stands on a narrow peninsula where the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz meet. Below the point they stay unmixed for a stretch: the Danube blue, the Inn green, the Ilz black. Things to do in Passau start at that corner.

The peninsula and the heights

A fire in 1662 destroyed most of the town. Italian builders rebuilt it in baroque.

• St Stephen's Cathedral. Begun in 1668, one of the largest Italian-baroque buildings north of the Alps. Its organ, with 17,974 pipes, is the largest in any Catholic church.
• Town hall. Its flood marks start in 1501, the highest on record. June 2013 was the second highest.
• Glass Museum. Bohemian glass from 1650 to 1950, some 17,000 pieces on show.
• Veste Oberhaus. The bishops' fortress across the Danube, founded in 1219, with a viewpoint over the three rivers. Its museum opens mid-March to mid-November. A 15-minute climb, or a shuttle from the town hall square.
• Mariahilf. A pilgrimage church above the Inn, reached by 321 covered steps.

Where the cars go

Many Danube river cruises start at Passau. Day trips from Passau are private cars with a local driver, priced per vehicle. Some leave from Vilshofen, 22 km upstream, where cruise ships also dock.

• Český Krumlov. About two hours away: a castle town on a bend of the Vltava, UNESCO-listed since 1992.
• Prague. 220 km, about three hours each way, so a long day.
• Munich. Two hours direct. A stop at Dachau stretches the run to about four and a half.
• Salzburg. Under two hours south. Add the Chiemsee and it is a ten-hour loop from Vilshofen.

A guide is optional on the Prague and Český Krumlov days.

Practical

• Weather. July afternoons reach 24C and January ones 1C. Fog often gathers over the rivers.
• Organ concerts. Monday to Saturday at noon, May to October. The organ is under restoration, so it does not sound in full.
• Borders. Passau sits on the Austrian border. Germany has reinstated checks on its Austrian and Czech frontiers, so carry a passport or ID card.
• Pick-up point. Confirm whether the car leaves from Passau or Vilshofen. They are 25 minutes apart by road.
• Airports. Passau has no commercial airport. Munich Airport is about 160 km southwest, Linz 104 km southeast.