Passau: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Passau's old town sits on a narrow tongue of rock where the Inn and the Ilz flow into the Danube. Everything here was shaped by water: the salt trade that made the bishops rich, the floods marked on the walls, and the Italian architects called in after the great fire of 1662. This walk runs from the cathedral down to the very tip of the peninsula. About two hours on cobbles, best in the late morning so you reach the cathedral by noon.
A short history of Passau
Passau lies where three rivers meet: the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz. Celts lived here, and the Romans built a camp called Batavis. In 739 the bishopric was founded in the city, and for centuries the bishops ruled a vast territory along the Danube, as far as Vienna. In 1662 a fire burned most of the city, and it was rebuilt by Italian architects in the Baroque style. St Stephen's Cathedral has one of the largest organs in the world. In 2013 a flood swamped the old town, breaking a record that had stood for more than 500 years.
The ten best sights in Passau
1St. Stephan's CathedralCome at noon on a weekday in summer for the organ concert
2Veste OberhausThe fortress above the Ilz; the view down on the three rivers is the reason to climb
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3Old Town Hall
Look at the flood marks painted on the wall facing the Danube
4Passau Glass MuseumRoom after room of Bohemian glass; easily two hours
5Mariahilf Pilgrimage ChurchA covered stairway climbs to it from the Inn side
6Museum of Modern ArtIn medieval houses by the Danube, quiet even in season
7Roman Museum Kastell BoiotroFoundations of a late-Roman fort across the Inn bridge
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8Niedernburg Abbey
The grave of Gisela, first queen of Hungary, is in the church
9St. Salvator ChurchBuilt on the site of the medieval synagogue, at the foot of the Ilzstadt
10ScharfrichterhausA cabaret stage with a long name in German satire; shows are in German
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Passau →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Passau:
Free walking tours in Passau
Between the rivers
Passau's old town sits on a narrow tongue of rock where the Inn and the Ilz flow into the Danube. Everything here was shaped by water: the salt trade that made the bishops rich, the floods marked on the walls, and the Italian architects called in after the great fire of 1662. This walk runs from the cathedral down to the very tip of the peninsula. About two hours on cobbles, best in the late morning so you reach the cathedral by noon.
- St. Stephan's Cathedral · Its organ, with more than 17,000 pipes, is one of the largest church organs in the world, and in summer it is played at a short midday concert on weekdays.
- Residenzplatz · The square is lined by the New Residence of the prince-bishops, who ruled Passau as their own small state until 1803.
- Höllgasse · The name means Hell's Lane; today it is a row of artists' studios and small galleries, open to walk in.
- Old Town Hall · The marks on its wall record the floods; the 2013 flood reached almost 13 metres, the highest in about 500 years.
- Niedernburg Abbey · Gisela, wife of Stephen I, the first king of Hungary, ended her life here as abbess, and her grave is still visited by Hungarian pilgrims.
- Ortspitze · From the tip you can see the Inn, which at this point usually carries more water than the Danube itself.
Over the bridges
Passau has three banks, and each one tells a different story. North of the Danube the bishops built a fortress to watch both the rivers and their own citizens; across the Inn the Romans kept a fort at the edge of their empire; and on the hill above it pilgrims climbed to a shrine of Mary. The Ilzstadt also holds a hard chapter: the church that replaced the synagogue after the Jews were expelled in 1478. Half a day with two steep climbs; wear proper shoes.
- St. Salvator Church · After a host-desecration accusation in 1477, Passau's Jews were tortured, executed or expelled, and this church was built on the site of their synagogue.
- Ilzstadt · The Ilz comes down from the bogs of the Bavarian Forest, which is why its water looks almost black.
- Veste Oberhaus · Prince-Bishop Ulrich II began the fortress in 1219; it was later used as a prison, and today it holds the city museum.
- Schaiblingsturm · The tower stood guard over the Inn harbour where salt boats from the Alps unloaded, the trade that paid for much of the town.
- Roman Museum Kastell Boiotro · The fort guarded the Inn crossing in the 4th and 5th centuries, when Saint Severin worked among the last Romans on the Danube.
- Mariahilf Pilgrimage Church · Pilgrims reached it up 321 covered steps, and some still climb them praying on every stair.
Up the Inn, down the Danube
Passau sits on the Austrian border, and a short drive in either direction crosses it. Up the Inn there are two castles facing each other over the gorge and a baroque Austrian town; down the Danube the valley narrows between wooded hills, with a monastery and a castle on the bank. This is the stretch the cycle path follows on its first day, so it is also a preview of tomorrow's ride. A loop of about 80 km by car, a full day with stops.
- Burg Neuburg am Inn · The castle stands on a cliff over the Inn exactly opposite Wernstein castle in Austria, two fortresses watching one river border.
- Schärding · The row of brightly painted houses on its upper square is called the Silberzeile, the silver row, after the rich merchants who lived there.
- Engelszell Abbey · It is the only Trappist monastery in Austria, and the monks brew a beer that may carry the official Trappist label.
- Haus am Strom · The nature centre sits by the Jochenstein power station, named after a rock in the river that marks the German-Austrian border.
- Schloss Obernzell · The bishops' castle on the bank is now a ceramics museum run by the Bavarian National Museum; Obernzell was long a centre of pottery.
- Dreiflüsseeck · Back in town, the viewpoint shows the three colours side by side, and they flow a long way before mixing.
Getting to Passau and getting around
- Passau Hauptbahnhof · Trains to Linz and Vienna; ten minutes on foot to the cathedral
- ZOB Passau · Regional buses leave right next to the station and the mall
- Wurm+Noé boat landing · Danube boats down to Austria; bikes can usually come aboard for a fee
Cheap eats in Passau
Lower Bavaria eats hearty and early. The quick lunch is a Leberkäse roll, a warm slice of meat loaf in a crisp bun, or a pair of sausages with sweet mustard; the afternoon belongs to coffee and cake. Bakeries open around six for the cyclists, and most of the cheap counters cluster between the cathedral and the station.
- Bäcker Hoft · Pretzel and a coffee for the road, about €4
- Café Stephan's Dom · Coffee and cake by the cathedral, about €7
- Passau Döner · Döner in bread, about €8
- Mr. Crêpes · Sweet or savoury crêpe, about €5-8
- Pommesfreunde · Fries with sauces near the station, about €5
- dean&david · Salads and bowls, about €10-13
Museums in Passau
- Passau Glass Museum · Bohemian and Bavarian glass; allow two hours
- Oberhaus Museum · City history inside the fortress
- Museum of Modern Art · Changing modern shows in old riverside houses
- Kastell Boiotro · Roman walls and finds across the Inn
- Schloss Obernzell · Ceramics museum in a castle on the Danube
Nature and day trips near Passau
- Dreiflüsseeck · Watch the colours meet; free, always open
- Inn Promenade · Flat walk or ride along the Inn
- Lusen · Summit of granite boulders in the national park, under an hour away
- Hans-Eisenmann-Haus · Visitor centre of the Bavarian Forest National Park
- Ortspitze · Benches at the tip of the old town
Things to do in Passau with kids
- Passau water park (PEB) · Slides and pools, indoor and out, west of town
- Tierfreigelände · Wolves, lynx and bears in big forest enclosures; free entry
- Haus am Strom · Hands-on Danube nature centre by the dam
- Three-rivers boat trip · Under an hour on the water around the peninsula
- Veste Oberhaus ramparts · Walls and towers to run along, with a view
Where to eat in Passau
- Heilig-Geist-Stiftsschenke · Bavarian classics in a vaulted old tavern; book ahead
- Goldenes Schiff · Traditional Bavarian cooking near the Danube
- Bayerisch Venedig · Riverside tables on the Danube bank
- Blauer Bock · Old inn by the river landing
- Scharfrichterhaus · Dinner, then a cabaret evening in German
- Königlich Bayrisch · Pork knuckle and beer in the old town
Frequently asked questions about Passau
What is there to see in Passau?
The top sights in Passau are St. Stephan's Cathedral, Veste Oberhaus and Old Town Hall. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Passau?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Passau without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Passau?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Passau, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Between the rivers.
How do you get to Passau and get around?
The main ways are Passau Hauptbahnhof, ZOB Passau and Wurm+Noé boat landing. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Passau, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Passau that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Passau for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.