Experience in Passau, Germany by Sandra

What is it like to live in Passau? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Passau is a curious mix out of idyllic town with beautiful buildings and sceneries and a large student community at the same time - it offers many bars, clubs, pubs and cafés, which aren't that cheap on a student's budget but are always worth a visit. Munich, one of Germany's biggest and most stylish cities, is a train ride of about 2 hours away.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Passau?

Apart from university itself, there is a vast sport course offer, from tennis over spinning to rowing and horse riding. Most students go clubbing during the week and can be found at one of the many cafés during the day. It's not a life style which will spare your budget, but most students join in anyway.

How much does it cost to live in Passau?

Rent is around 260 to 400€ (bills included) if you're looking for a central and well maintained apartment or flatshare. Gastronomy is a tad more expensive than in other cities, though clubbing is relatively cheap. Germany itself has some of the lowest prices for food offered in supermarkets, so cooking instead of eating out will save you some bucks.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Passau? Is there any advice you can give?

The search might take a while, but there's usually a wider range of offers for a semester or two, as it is common that students go abroad and search for a subtenant during that time.

Go visit the website "wg-gesucht.de" to find locals looking for flatmates or to find a tenant.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The supermarkets offer everything one could wish for and so do the restaurants. If you want to try out typical bavarian dishes (most meals contain some kind of meat or pork, sauce and a side dish), I recommend going out instead of trying to cook that at home.

What places would you recommend visiting in Passau?

Passau is enclosed by three rivers (which makes for a stunning scenery) and exploring the inner scity takes about an hour or two. Passau has a "castle" upon a hill which is easy to visit as well.

Is it good to eat out in Passau? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

As there is a large gastronomy community in Passau, you will find everything from traditional German / Bavarian dishes (ones like at the Oktoberfest) to Asian, Indian and especially Italian food. Most cafés offer handmade cakes and other sweet treats.

My favorite go to spots would be "PADU", an Italian place or one of the many burger places.

Is the nightlife good in Passau? Where is good to go?

Most students go clubbing during the week, as many of them are from some other city and use the weekend to go home and visit the family.

The most popular clubs are "Cubana" and "Frizz", though the last one may seem like a ramshackle place to outsiders (though it is known for some legendary nights around the student community).

If you visit in summer, the boat-parties are always worth purchasing a ticket: though expensive, these are the highlights of Passau's party events. Imagine being on board a cruise ship with some of Germany's most famous DJs on board.

The "Dult" takes place in summer as well and is a smaller version of the infamous Oktoberfest. Think litres of beer, everyone in traditional costumes and dancing on benches.

What advice would you give future students heading to Passau?

Start looking for a flat relatively early. Make use of the great offer of cafés, bars and restaurants around you, but try to safe money by cooking as well.

Sports are great ways to meet people and so are the parties!