4 Best Sights in Passau, Franconia and the German Danube

Situated at the eastern end of the Domplatz, this cathedral rises high above the city, making it Passau's most visible landmark. A baptismal church stood here in the 6th century, and 200 years later, when Passau became a bishop's seat, the first basilica was built. It was dedicated to St. Stephen and became the original mother church of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. A fire reduced the medieval basilica to ruins in 1662; it was then rebuilt by Italian master architect Carlo Lurago. What you see today is the largest baroque basilica north of the Alps, complete with an octagonal dome and flanking towers. Little in its marble- and stucco-encrusted interior reminds you of Germany, and much proclaims the exuberance of Rome. Beneath the dome is the largest church organ assembly in the world. Built between 1924 and 1928 and enlarged in 1979–80, it claims no fewer than 17,774 pipes and 233 stops. The church also houses the most powerful bell chimes in southern Germany.

Walk to the eastern tip of the Altstadt and look straight out at the wide waters ahead. You are standing at the confluence of three rivers: the Inn (on your right), the Danube (on your left), and the Ilz (behind you on the left; the small outlet on the other side of the Danube). It's always interesting to witness the jostling flows and currents, but it's particularly impressive on a sunny day, when you can clearly see the different water colors mingling together; the navy-black Ilz flowing into the blue-brown Danube, before meeting the aqua-green Ilz. This point also marks the western end of the Innkai, a pleasant riverside path that leads past the striking 13th-century Schaiblingsturm. It's a far more relaxing experience than the bustling Danube promenade.

This large square in front of the Dom stands on the earliest-settled part of the city. In addition to the cathedral, it's bordered by a host of sturdy 17th- and 18th-century buildings, including the Alte Residenz, the former bishop's palace and now a courthouse. The neoclassical statue at the center of the square is Bavarian King Maximilian I, who watches over the Christmas market in December.

Passau's looming 14th-century town hall sits like a vast Venetian merchant's house on a small square (called, logically, Rathausplatz) fronting the Danube. The building was once home to a wealthy German merchant, before being declared the seat of city government after a 1298 uprising. Today it holds two council chambers, home to wall paintings depicting scenes from local history and legend, though it's not currently possible to visit these interiors. Even if you don't see the Rathaus, you'll probably hear it, as the tower is home to Bavaria's largest glockenspiel, which plays daily at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm.