The Danube in Pictures: 55 Free Photos of Dürnstein, Passau and Linz
The Danube in 55 free photos, from three stops on the river between Bavaria and Lower Austria: Dürnstein in the Wachau, Passau and Linz, many of them taken from a river cruise ship.
How to download: click a photo to see it large, then use Download. The originals are about 1200 × 800 pixels: right for blog posts, slides, social media, school projects and video call backgrounds.
Dürnstein and the Wachau
The Wachau valley between Melk and Krems, with its terraced vineyards, apricot orchards and castles, is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Dürnstein is its jewel: a walled village below the ruins of the castle where Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner in 1192 and 1193, with the blue and white baroque tower of its abbey church rising over the river. In autumn the vineyards turn gold.
Passau
Passau, on the German side of the border, stands where the Inn and the Ilz flow into the Danube. Its baroque St Stephen’s Cathedral, white and gold inside, holds one of the largest church organs in the world, and narrow lanes and arches run down from the old town to the rivers.
Linz by night
Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, puts on a show after dark: the Brucknerhaus concert hall and the Ars Electronica Center, a museum of art and technology, light up in changing colours on the banks of the Danube.
More free photos
- Vienna pictures
- Salzburg pictures
- Graz pictures
- Budapest pictures
- Munich pictures
- Free night city pictures
Questions about these photos
Can I use these Danube pictures for free?
Yes, for personal and commercial projects. All we ask is a link back to BigFoto.com; the box at the top of the page has a credit link you can copy.
What is the best way to see the Wachau?
By boat between Melk and Krems, about three hours downstream, or by bike on the Danube cycle path, which runs along both banks through the vineyards.
