Germany
Passau, where three rivers meet, hosts a small Christmas market in its cathedral square, home to the world's largest cathedral organ.
Famous for
Three-rivers city — and the world's largest cathedral organ, played at Christmas concerts.
Passau sits at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers — and its Italianate baroque old town feels more Mediterranean than German. The Christmas market, in the cathedral square, is small and intimate, and the headline is the St. Stephen's Cathedral organ: with 17,974 pipes, it's the largest cathedral organ in the world, and Advent concerts here are unforgettable. Passau is a standard stop on Danube Christmas sailings between Regensburg and Vienna.
Dates: Late Nov – Dec 23
Vibe: Intimate and musical — a small city of three rivers and an outsized cathedral.
Local tip
Time your visit for an Advent organ concert at the cathedral — they're daily in December and free or cheap.
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