Change of tempo: IIz River Nature Walk

After a busy day yesterday in Munich and at Oktoberfest, the choice of guided excursions today from Crystal Mozart, moored at Passau, included a tour of the Bavarian country side by bike, a Discovery tour of Roman Times and Roman dishes, a Passau Walking Tour or an IIz River Nature Walk. There was also a shuttle service into Town if you wanted to do your own thing. Mind you, it was always tempting to relax on board, with the excellent Crystal team taking care of you.

We chose the escorted Nature walk, just to have total change of tempo. This was a walk along the banks of the Ilz River in a thriving nature reserve, accompanied by a Nature Expert to teach you about the wildlife in the region. The river is said to be one of the most beautiful river landscapes in Germany and it was a wonderful, natural experience. The river is sometimes called "black pearl" and I understand the name refers to the dark brown water coloured by the peaty soil. The river enters the Danube in the city Passau.

As promised, our guide was very knowledgeable, and the walk conducted at a steady pace, so we had time to chat to fellow guests and enjoy the views. The idyllic nature of this tour is what makes it so special. Passau's most beautiful recreational area includes not just the slow flowing River Ilz, but also lots of untouched nature. Along the path, you can also glimpse the ruins of Hals Castle in the background.

Then it was back to our mother ship, Crystal Mozart, before it set sail to Bratislava, Slovakia. During the afternoon after lunch, we enjoyed scenic cruising through the “Schlögener Schlinge”. Lying on one of the loungers on sun deck, watching the scenery go by, interspersed with a walk on wraparound promenade area, a visit to the popup bar or going down to the Bistro on Deck 3 to get some top notch coffee and cookies, was so relaxing.