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Three rivers from three directions, plus an old town as painted: The Bavarian city of Passau on the border with Austria has truly been richly endowed in its history - and is happy to share its beauty with visitors from all over the world.

The best place to experience the beauty of Passau at a glance might be the Veste Oberhaus one of the most powerful castles in Europe. It towers majestically high above Passau - from here you can see how the Ilz River from the north, the Danube from the west and the Inn River from the south gather in the city and move eastward as a common Danube river. Fascinating.

But that is only one of the sights with which Passau - the independent university city in eastern Bavaria with a population of just over 50,000 - enchants its guests. The New Residence, for example, built in 1730, formerly the seat of the prince bishops with the famous ceiling fresco by John Carlone - sensational. St. Stephen's Cathedral, the seat of the bishops, with one of the largest organs in the world - magnificent. But also the worldly pleasures - cafés, restaurants, stores - are hidden in the baroque old town of Passau behind glamorous-historical facades.

And if you've had enough of Bavarian-urban folklore, there's plenty of wild nature waiting for you in the region - for example with the "Goldsteig"a 660 kilometer long hiking trail up to the Upper Palatinate Forest, with the "Großer Arber" a 1456 meter high mountain with a chic skiing area as well as with the Treetop path a 1300 meter long wooden boardwalk on stilts in the Bavarian Forest National Park.

By the way, you can find tips on how to travel comfortably and inexpensively on long-distance and local trains with Deutsche Bahn here.

Cover image: ©shutterstock.com/Rudy Balasko

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