There was an included tour to Regensburg which we did not do as we have been there before. So we had an extra day in Passau. Wandered to St Stephens and listened to the 1200-1230 concert on the organ. This organ is the second largest cathedral organ in the world. Has approximately 17, 450 pipes and it does put out the sound! Looked around the church and its courtyard. After this, we went to see St Paul church which we call the Black Church. Not the ornate church as in the case of St Stephens but it is stunning in its own. Has white walls and the alters are in ebony with gold plating/trim. Seems to be a church for the common folk as opposed to the stunning St Stephens. Is very peaceful as most people go to St Stephens – so just sit, listen and absorb the beauty. Wandered the old town, in particular, Patricia was looking for a shop she remembered from a few years back but could not find it. The ‘artist’ street, one block up from the river now has quite a few art shops and galleries. Probably what happened in 2013 there was a major flood that inundated the city. There are three rivers that come together – the Inns and the Danube and the Danube flows on south after the confluence of the two rivers. The flooding was the highest recorded since 1501. Indeed central Europe was flooded by rains which lasted several days and Passau was cut off to foot traffic. They seem to have recovered and there no readily visible signs of the flooding. We did eat at a really good little Italian restaurant with a really good pizza. Seems like there are a fair number of Italians that immigrated to Passau quite some time ago.
At any rate, after the concert, finding food, wandering around – back to the ship for the day.
Additional Information
Arrive in Regensburg midday. After lunch, tour this wonderfully preserved medieval city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including structures dating back to Roman times. Discover many 13th- and 14th-century patrician houses and see the splendid St. Peter’s Cathedral. During free time, visit the Alte Würstküche (Old Sausage Kitchen), Germany’s oldest restaurant. Alternately, you may choose to disembark this morning and drive with your guide to Munich for an optional full-day tour of this cultural and historic city, rejoining your ship in time to enjoy dinner on board before our evening departure.
Highlights:
Regensburg-1
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Regensburg Images
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