Route of Emperors and Kings

The mighty Bavarian-Bohemian Forest Mountains stretching along the border of Eastern Bavaria is also known as the "Green Roof of Europe". In the west and south, Eastern Bavaria extends to Franconia and Upper Bavaria. The specialties include the glass craft in the Bavarian Forest, the stalactite caves and limestone reefs in the Bavarian Jura, the volcanic cones and the 4,000-lake landscape in the Upper Palatinate Forest as well as the porcelain production.

German emperors and kings, the French emperor Napoleon I and the Austrian empresses Maria Theresia and Sisi paid their respects to the three rivers city. One of the biggest city events is the imperial wedding of Leopold I, who sought protection in Passau seven years later in 1683 because of the Turkish siege of Vienna. Passau's backdrop with towers, squares, promenades and alleys was created by Italian baroque masters. In the middle of the old town rises the proud Cathedral of St. Stephen, in which the largest Catholic church organ in the world can be heard. Veste Oberhaus and Mariahilf greet majestically from the heights.

Linz surprises, inspires and changes: whether on the ship on the Danube, at wonderful concerts, high above the city, with the spray can in the graffiti gallery or while experimenting in the museums. Once you immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere, you will always return fascinated. Visitors let themselves be carried away by the open atmosphere in the center, the buildings from different eras, the diverse cultural offerings and the Danube, which is more than ever a part of Linz.

The St. Florian Monastery (pictures on the right), one of the largest and best-known monasteries from the Baroque period in Austria, is located in the market town of St. Florian near Linz in Upper Austria. The Roman Catholic Collegiate Church of the Assumption of Mary is a parish church and a minor basilica. It belongs to the dean's office Enns-Lorch in the Diocese of Linz.

Rich cultural treasures, probably the most enchanting river valley in Europe and an internationally renowned wine-growing region - the Wachau-Nibelungengau-Kremstal region is a unique work of art and a preferred meeting point for connoisseurs from all over the world. As one of the oldest cultural landscapes in Austria, the Wachau received the European Nature Conservation Diploma in 1994, was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000 as the only region on the entire Danube and at the end of 2008 it was named "Best Historic Destination in the World" by National Geographic Traveler Magazine chosen.

It is the modern Danube metropolis at the intersection of different cultures. Archaeological finds of an extensive Celtic settlement as well as a Roman fort prove the important trade routes on the Danube and are of strategic importance as part of the Limes Romanus. From 1536 to 1783 it was the capital of Hungary because the Turks were in Budapest. Ten Hungarian-Austrian kings were crowned in St. Martin's Cathedral in Bratislava, including Maria Theresa (1741). The touch of bygone centuries can be felt on a tour of the renovated old town and trendy cafés and restaurants beckon everywhere.