Salzburg visit or Nurenberg Past and Present
We're going on our first Tauck river cruise in May, Amsterdam to Budapest, and are getting really excited. Our itinerary shows a choice of either a 9 hour bus tour to Salzburg or a Passau walking tour. Has anyone done these? Do you have much time to walk around Salzburg or is it mostly riding past sights? What would we be missing in Passau? Any comments would be appreciated.
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I've been to Passau twice and Salzburg once (its less than a 2 hr bus ride to there from Passau). They are both very interesting places I've enjoyed touring. I do like Passau in that it's one of those cities where the ship docks right next to the tour area so you can walk from the ship as you wish vs any coach time.
Salzburg has the best beer hall, if you're in to that - Augustiner Braustübl. https://www.augustinerbier.at/home.html
It's a beer hall that the local people use, not like the Hofbräuhaus in Munich, which is a tourist place. It has a wonderful (social) feeling. In the hallway, there are food stands - just buy what you want - you can go back for more if you're still hungry. You go to a place where you get your stein and they fill it with beer that is low alcohol - so you can drink a lot without getting drunk.
Here's a picture of the interior
smilingretireds,
I have not experienced this cruise but have been to both cities. Choosing one over the other depends on your interests, as well as your tolerance of bus rides (which I always enjoy). If you like classical music, Salzburg is the home of several masterful composers. If you enjoy churches/cathedrals, Passau has many and some with stunningly beautiful stained glass windows.
The title of your thread mentions Nürnberg, rich in history—mostly tragic—and with a myriad of excellent museums. The Hauptmarkt is a great place to stroll and enjoy some regional cuisine.
Have a lovely trip and please consider posting a review afterwards.
Mike - Augustiner originated in Munich, where it is the most popular beer with the locals. They have a beer hall in Munich, too. While it does get some tourists, it is popular with locals. I agree that it's a much more authentic experience than the Hofbräuhaus.
I didn't know that, Ken. I went to the Saltzberg hall first, then when I went to Munich I went to the Hofbräuhaus. Major difference.
Next time I go to Munich I'll look for the Augustiner beer hall there. The Hofbräuhaus was a real disappointment - but that's the one you seem to hear about all the time.
I have visited Salzburg on a land tour (Tauck's Alps tour in 2011) and Passau on 2 river tours. There's not a lot to do in Passau, but it is a quaint town to walk around and, if you're lucky, enjoy an organ concert. Salzburg has a lot more to do, but I don't think a 9-hour trip to visit it for a few hours would do it justice. I suggest doing Salzburg on another trip, and enjoy your time in Passau and on the riverboat.
The bus ride to Salzburg is about 2 hours with a 25min convenient stop. The scenery is lovely. Although you can walk directly into Passat from the ship, I would choose Salzburg.
Yes, it's a two hour bus ride to Salzburg. If you plan to do any more cruises or land tours in this area you are likely to visit one or both. Passau is your typical Bavarian river city/town. It does not have quite the history as Salzburg (pseudo real as in Sound of Music and real as in Mozart, etc.) You'll be too early for the Salzburg festival (Jul & Aug), but there is more than a good chance you will be able to catch a portion of a performance by some local or international choir or orchestra.
There is a bit of walking to do in either place- do as much or as little as you want.
On our Danube Christmas cruise in 2023 the ship docked at Linz which is about the same distance to Salzburg. Our coach ride was an adventure. The area had been hit with the biggest snow storm in years but the coach headed out anyway and we zoomed down the autobahn at a pretty good pace i.e. scared the .. out of me. We did make a rest stop at a hotel/restaurant complex. Sadly for some the power cut out after about a 1/3 of us made it thru the restrooms. The rest had to just get back on the bus. Ouch.
It was Saturday so nothing had been shoveled in Salzburg and I found out the hard way my boots were not waterproof. But the markets and town were great to wander in and Tauck had lunch arranged at the Fortress Hohensalzburg where you ride a short funicular up to the castle. If they offer that its worth doing.
I love both Salzburg & Passau & I don't think you can go wrong with either. They are 2 of my favorites along the Danube.
The fact that the ship docks in Passau would make my choice Passau. I love Salzburg & highly recommend you book either a land tour or river cruise & see Salzburg one day. We've been 4 times, 3 times as a day trip on a River Cruise & once on the Ultimate Alps & Dolomites Land tour where we stayed in Salzburg for a couple nights which is so much better than a day trip as you also get to see Eagle's Nest, a Salt Mine, and spend more time in Salzburg which has amazing history, architecture, food, cathedrals, concerts, etc.
You will enjoy Passau - it is on the water, is very walkable, has 2 stunning cathedrals, an original gingerbread store (Simon) that is fun to sample & purchase gingerbread using centuries-old recipes (I posted a review of this shop on our Danube Xmas Market Trip if you are interested - Tauck does a demo of this on their Xmas Market River Cruise). Passau, in my opinion, is worth it over a 4 hr RT bus ride to Salzburg - but again, get to Salzburg one day. You really can't go wrong with whatever you choose.
I've been to Salzburg 3 times, the first time I had booked a tour with Viator from Munich, don't remember how long it took to get there but it's a lovely place and worth seeing, the other 2 times where on river cruises, one of them was a Christmas Market cruise and we went during the day and then returned at night, it was magical.