See Three Rivers Converge in Passau

The German city of Passau is nestled against the Austrian border. Passau is located where Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers meet, and is therefore known as the Three Rivers City. Passau was formerly known as the prehistoric Roman village Batavis, and later, the site of the Holy Roman Empire’s largest diocese.

Visit the Veste Oberhaus, a 13th Century fortress high on the hill. There you can peruse the museum and climb to the observation tower for wonderful city and river views. Passau’s charming Old Town overflows with incredible baroque architecture, including St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its domed towers. If you’re lucky, you’ll be in town when one of the organ concerts takes place — with nearly 18,000 pipes, the organ in this church is the world’s second largest!

Walk down the cobblestone streets of Artists’ Alley to discover the unique boutiques and hunt for souvenirs. For something different, check out the sparkly wares in the Passauer Glasmuseum (The Glass Museum).