Passau Things to Do

I saw my fellow VT'ers write up of this and went to find it---just to add that it is down right on the water on kind of a lower street...a great shot for photo buffs where there also ducks and other birds around.

There is a steep street in the middle of old town called Hell's Avenue and has a door that illustrates how the plague was dealt with back then---"Doctor Bird", a doctor with a special birdlike mask which was stuffed with herbs (so as not to catch the plague---not really sure if that would work!) would come to the door and use a long staff to bang on the door, where the plague victims would open just the little window in the door so the doctor could leave them herbs and such without having to get close.

The modern art Museum is located near the confluence of the 3 rivers in Passau on Braugasse and is worth a visit when in town. This June they have an exhibit on C.O.Paeffgen "Aus der Sammlung Groshaus" entitled "Krise" (crisis). Unusual and especially when you walk into one room, and an obvious portrait of Monica Lewinsky, sort of Warhol-ish staring back at you is straight across the room in a prominent spot. Yoko Ono has had a show here, and the manager told me a great story that The Empress "Sisi", Austria's Princess Di, once slept in this house now housing the Modern Art Museum, and Yoko really wanted to sleep in the bed that Sissy supposedly slept in, and did so the night after her show opened. There was also an exhibit called "Mothers, Women, and Witches" by Ernst Barlach and friends. It was 5 euros, children under 6 free.

There is a great playground right at the confluence of the rivers where you can bring young ones, bored of walking the streets of old town. There is a great child-size zipline, and other kid friendly play rides and slides. Also the gorgeous views of the rivers. There had been floods 2 weeks earlier where it was completely under water....but it was nice this past week.

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This is located inside the Wilderman Hotel across from the Rathouse in the old town. Our cruise excursion for the day included a tour of the Glass Museum, four floors of mostly cut crystal of different kinds and colors, many very old, from 1650-1950. Open from 1-6 in the afternoon, admission 5 euros.

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Fortress high above the town, good place to explore and home to the local youth hostel.
Didn't venture inside the museum and I don't think the fortress itself is open to the public (maybe wrong) but enjoyed an hour or so wandering around the outside and grounds. Great views over Passau.
A minibus travels from the centre, it's a steep walk (transport tip later)

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Dreiflüsseck, the point where the rivers Ilz, Inn and Danube meet, only the Danube continues.
Worth looking at from land and river, plenty of places to sit and watch the rivers merge and the traffic on them, then perhaps a trip on a river cruise?

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A journey of around 1 hour starting and ending on the Danube, a look at the Ilz and a short trip on the Inn. Great views of the city too on a surprisingly large boat. Time to enjoy a beer along the way too.
Operated by Wurm & Köck.
Cost (2009) a reasonable 7.80 Euro.
Interesting to see the different colours where the 3 rivers meet.

Other longer trips are available too, see website for details.