Bucket List: Tell Me About Passau, Germany
 

Near the top of my wish list is Passau, Germany at the confluence of the Danube and some other river(s) - on maps it looks like a wonderful setting and I've heard good things about the town but so few folks ever seem to mention it.

What is your opinion of Passau - nice town or ordinary town in a unique setting? I'd like to visit on my next trip but there are many other places on my bucket list as well.

any opinions or insights appreciated.

Thanks!

IMO you need to put that waaaay down at the bottom of the bucket. There's a reason most people don't mention the place but to each their own.

What's the reason Dukey1?

Passau is OK, but I would second Dukey1's ranking...

Why?

If you want a professional opinion, Michelin Green Guide gives it two stars, a good rating.

We visited there last December during the Christmas Market and we intend to return in warmer weather. It does .not. have a world famous Hofbräu Haus or a "Crime and Punishment Museum". It does have an atmospheric downtown and two very attractive river fronts.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Advent2...7269752_mTt8bM

We did visit Dom St. Stephan and found it enjoyable. We did not visit the Glass Museum or Veste (Fortress) Oberhaus across the river.

The best parts of the visit for us were evening walks through town and especially along the river. We had a couple good meals and nice stay at the Hotel König. If you want action-packed, Passau might not be for you. It worked for us.

Regards, Gary

Thanks for your takes from what Gary says I may like it but prepared to not be overwhelmed.

Thanks

"The best parts of the visit for us were evening walks through town and especially along the river. We had a couple good meals and nice stay at the Hotel König. If you want action-packed, Passau might not be for you."

'Nuff said...

Sounds good to me.

any other opinions/experiences?

Passau wasn't on my bucket list, but it was one place I always wanted to visit if the opportunity presented itself.

I've been there twice now, as a stopping point on the way to somewhere else.

It's not outstanding, except for its geography. It's quite impressive to stand at the junction of three rivers.

It's a good place for photography buffs - lots of nooks and crannies and Baroque and Bavarian things to take photos of.

There's a HUGE beer hall on the edge of town - Hacklberg.

Its worth an overnight in my opinion.

1* It's most scenically located, and the Altstadt is compact and pleasant to stroll around, as is the riverside precinct.
2* The Dom has the world's largest organ (apparently!), and the lunchtime concert we attended was very good, and very crowded!
3* Near the railway station was a 'Fatman's' clothing shop: Of great interest to me, but, perhaps, not to most.

I spent three nights in Passau last year, at the youth hostel in the Veste Oberhaus.

Passau is perfectly pleasant - really a fairly typical small, provincial Germany city. It stands out primarily due to the location at the confluence of the three rivers, as well as the Fortress across the Danube from the Altstadt. The city is well suited for strolling through the old city and absorbing some of the history (the city was, for many centuries, a wealthy and independent prince-bishopric).

We enjoyed the museum in the fortress - which had numerous historical exhibitions - as well as the views from the top of the hill (be sure to take the little shuttle bus from the Altstadt up to the Fortress if you don't feel like a fairly strenuous uphill walk). We also enjoyed a very nice mid-day organ concert in the St. Stephens Cathedral (apparently one of the largest pipe organs in the world). Otherwise, we just enjoyed strolling the old town and the rivers. There is a very nice playground at the Dreifluesseeck, where the three rivers converge.

I got the sense that Passau gets a fair share of passing seasonal day trippers and visitors from river cruise ships and, I have to say, much of the tourist infrastructure seems oriented towards this type of traveler. Shopkeepers and waiters seemed somewhat weary and impatient and there was quite a bit of out-of-place German kitsch in stores, particularly near the ship docks. Other than the fortress and the geography (rivers), it felt like many other small German university city.

We were passing through from Munich to the Czech Republic, and found that Passau was a great place to stopover on the way to Cesky Krumlov by bus/train. Three nights is probably excessive for people who have only limited time in Germany, but it's fine place to stop, particularly if you are passing through the region.

woyzeck - thanks a ton for that detailed description - sounds like a place I would like to see. I actually was in Passau once but on a sleeper train in the middle of the night and only saw a platform with Passau written on it - I figured there had to be more to the town than that.

Thanks for all others too for taking time to respons!

PalenQ,

Two other recollections.

You'll find plenty of day cruises from the docks, if you're in the mood for a river boat ride. There are longer rides towards Linz, Austria that would make more of a day trip. And plenty of people were taking advantage of short rides (ca. 1 hr) for a scenic ride down the river and back. Enough time to relax and sip a beer or have an ice cream.

If you are there longer and are looking for a day trip, consider the now privately run Ilztalbahn railway, which runs a very scenic train ride through the Bavarian Forest towards the Czech Border. We used this train to get us to the Czech Republic, literally taking a walk across the border to catch our Czech train to Cesky Krumlov. There were plenty of people who disembarked at various points in the Bavarian Forest for a day hike. The train is very clean and comfortable and the ride is very beautiful. (http://www.ilztalbahn.eu)

Woyzock - thanks a ton for the train info - I've seen the line and walk across the border - I'm a train buff!