Saturday, May 2, 2026

On Saturday, May 2, 2026, we arrived in Passau, Germany, our first German stop on the cruise. By this point, the Danube had carried us through several countries, but Germany felt like a new chapter. Normand had been adding countries to his list, and now the ship had delivered us into Bavaria with church towers, river bends, hillside fortresses, and just enough cobblestone to cause trouble.

Arriving in the City of Three Rivers

Passau is known as the City of Three Rivers because the Danube, Inn, and Ilz meet there. Coming into town by river makes the geography feel especially dramatic. The old town sits beautifully between the waterways, and as the ship approaches, the city seems to rise out of the meeting point: pastel buildings, steep roofs, church spires, and the fortress on the hill watching over it all.

Normand got some great videos from the top deck as the captain docked the ship. There is something mesmerizing about watching a river cruise captain work a vessel into place. It is slow, careful, and precise — less like parking a car and more like sliding a floating hotel into a parking spot with inches to spare while everyone pretends this is completely normal.

The cityscape was beautiful from the water. On one side, the old town gathered along the rivers. Above it, the fortress stood on the hill. The whole scene had that layered European look we had come to love: water at the bottom, old buildings in the middle, and history sitting proudly on top.

Because Kirsten’s ankle was still really sore, we decided to divide up for the morning. Normand went with Teyauna and Zakary on a hike up to the castle on the hill, while Kirsten explored the town at a gentler pace.

Climbing to Veste Oberhaus

The hike up to Veste Oberhaus gave us a good dose of cardio. There were plenty of stairs, and the climb was steep enough to remind us that river cruising does not automatically mean relaxing all day. Sometimes the river brings you to a pretty town, and then the pretty town says, “Now climb this hill.”

We made it up to the viewpoint and had a beautiful look over Passau. From above, the confluence of the rivers was easier to understand. The Danube, Inn, and Ilz all come together there, each arriving from a different direction. The old town sits between them like it was carefully placed for maximum drama.

The view made the climb worthwhile. We could see the rooftops, the cathedral towers, the curve of the rivers, and the ships below. It was one of those views where everyone gets quiet for a minute — partly because it is beautiful, and partly because everyone is still catching their breath.

Coming back down, instead of returning by the same stairs, we took a zigzag path down the mountainside through the forest. That ended up being one of the nicest parts of the walk. The path wound through trees and greenery, giving us a softer, quieter way back into town. After the steep climb, the forested descent felt peaceful and refreshing.

Meanwhile, Kirsten had gone into the little town to look around. She did not want to do anything strenuous, which was a very reasonable decision. Unfortunately, Passau’s charming old cobblestone streets had other plans.

Cobblestones are beautiful in photos and suspiciously aggressive under injured ankles. While walking through town, Kirsten twisted her ankle again and ended up in a fair amount of pain. She hobbled back to the ship, which was not exactly the leisurely German village stroll she had hoped for.

A Quieter Afternoon On Board

Eventually, we all returned to the ship and decided the rest of the day should be quieter. After the climb, the forest path, and Kirsten’s unfortunate cobblestone encounter, downtime sounded excellent.

We spent the afternoon relaxing on board, enjoying the comfort of the Avalon Passion and watching a movie together as a family. After so many busy days, a slower afternoon felt like a gift. There were no missed buses, no accidental extra-long walks, no urgent searches for bathrooms, and no need to interpret train announcements. Just a movie, the river nearby, and the chance to let everyone’s feet recover.

That evening, we had a wonderful dinner on board. Passau had given us beauty from the river, a great viewpoint from the hill, a peaceful forest path, and a reminder that cobblestones should not be underestimated.

It was not the most action-packed day of the trip, but it was memorable in its own quieter way. We had entered Germany, watched the ship glide into a city where three rivers meet, climbed to the fortress above town, and then settled back into the slower rhythm of life on the Danube.