Nightlife

Combining quality drama with a dramatic setting, the Stadttheater Company is housed in the Stadttheater Passau, Gottfried-Schäfer-Strasse (tel. 0851/9291913; www.theater-passau.de), a beautiful baroque opera house built by the local prince-bishops. Call for performance schedules and ticket prices. Summertime brings drama, pantomime, opera, jazz, and classical concerts to town, scheduled as part of the Europäische Wochen (European Weeks) Festival, which runs June to late July. Call tel. 0851/4908310 for information; for schedules, tickets, or reservations, contact the Kartenzentrale der Europäischen Wochen Passau (tel. 0851/4908310; fax 0851/49083120; www.ew-passau.de).

Home to Passau's popular cabaret company, Theater im ScharfrichterHaus, Milchgasse 2 (tel. 0851/35900; www.scharfrichter-haus.de), is open September to July. It also hosts a series of jazz concerts throughout the year. Contact the theater for schedules, prices, and ticket availability. Tickets cost 15€ to 20€.

Café Innsteg, Innstrasse 15 (tel. 0851/51257; www.innsteg.de), housed in a bungalow hanging over the Inn River, offers the town's most scenic setting in which to relax with a drink. Like every other cafe/bar in town, it's open from midmorning to 1am. Café Kowalski, Oberer Sandstrasse 1 (tel. 0851/2487; www.kowalski.passau-live.de), is less dramatic but also has balcony views of the river. Underground, across the river, Joe's Garage, Lederergasse 38 (tel. 0851/31999), is a friendly student dive named after a Frank Zappa album.