The Wachau is a picturesque landscape in and around the valley of the Danube between Melk and Krems on the Danube. It is located in Lower Austria, about 80 kilometers west of the federal capital Vienna.
In the year 2000, it was included as a cultural landscape Wachau (English Wachau Cultural Landscape) with the pins Melk and Gottweig and the Old Town of Krems in the list of UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Varied landscapes, artfully landscaped with typical stone walls vineyards, vast plains and valuable art treasures on both banks of the most beautiful river valley in Europe to discover.
Cities : Melk , Emmersdorf , Spitz , Weißenkirchen in der Wachau , Durnstein , Krems an der Donau
Access : Coordinates: 48.364444, 15.434167 / From Vienna: S 5 to Krems or via the B 3 towards Melk , Coming from St. Polten: S 33 to Krems or via the B 3 towards Melk. From Linz: A1 to Melk, then via the B3 towards Krems, or A1 to St. Polten and then S 33 to Krems or via the B 3 towards Melk. From Graz: A2 direction Vienna, then A21 direction St. Polten and continue on the S33 to Krems / The nearest train stations are in Krems / Danube and Melk / Danube.
Region Nibelungengau: Located on the Westbahn route (between Salzburg and Vienna), there are regional trains to Pochlarn and Ybbs.
Wachau region: from Wien-Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof to Krems or to Melk (line Vienna-Salzburg)
By ship : Several companies are operate on the Danube river. Most of them connect the places in the Wachau. Here they regularly run between Krems and Melk.
Get around : In the warm season, Danube ships of several companies operate between Melk and Krems, most of the connections are operated by the DDSG shipping company or the Brandner shipping company. Well-developed bike paths with a variety of rest and overnight accommodations are available on both banks of the Danube, with the north side being more frequented as it leads through the more well-known towns such as Spitz or Durnstein.
Driving through the Wachau by car, there is the B3 on the north side and the B33 on the south side. The B3 is well developed, but special caution on the speed limits, which are often placed difficult to see (it is often measured by radar!). The B33 is also attractive, especially in summer, as it is significantly less traffic. It is less well developed and still has some bottlenecks in the old town centers, through which it runs.
There is also a fairly well-developed bus network between Krems and Melk. There is an hourly rate on the north bank, while there is a two-hour rate on the south bank. In addition, there are connections to Muhldorf, the Jauerling and Gottweig Abbey. For the buses there is a day ticket for 10 euros, which is also valid for the three Danube ferry.
Trains run from Krems to Emmersdorf between March and October. Tickets for the trains online on the homepage of NOVOG and directly at the conductor on the train.
There are no Danube bridges between Melk and Krems, but there are a few ferries for pedestrians, cyclists and sometimes also cars.
Highlights :
- Melk Abbey has been the spiritual and cultural center of the country for more than 900 years. Visitors to the congregation can look forward to excitingly designed museum rooms that showcase the history and present of the monastery, grand galleries and much more.
- Benedictine monastery Gottweig Gottweig Abbey – a Baroque Benedictine abbey, also called “Austrian Montecassino” because of its fantastic location.
- Renaissance castle Schallaburg : The most beautiful Renaissance castle north of the Alps is known for its annually changing cultural and historical as well as archaeological top exhibitions.
- Art Mile Krems : The Cartoon Museum Krems and the Kunsthalle Krems – embedded in the beautiful cultural landscape of the Wachau, between the two historic old towns of Krems and Stein – always guarantee an exciting and humorous art experience.
- Castle ruins Aggstein : 300 meters above the Danube perched the castle ruins Aggstein on a narrow rock. Here robber knight Jorg Scheck of the forest held the legend captives prisoners on the “Rosengartlein” caught.
- Schloss Artstetten : “Marchenhaftes” Schloss Arstetten mit sieben charakteristischen Zwiebelturmen, vormals Sommerresidenz der kaiserlichen Familie.
- Gozzoburg in Krems ,Hoher Markt 11 , Opening Hours
public tour with a guide from 11th of april til 26th of october: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and official holiday from 2 p.m.
Activities : boat trips / Wine experience for all the senses / cycling , he Danube Cycle Path is one of the most scenic cycling routes in Europe. It extends for about 1,200 kilometers from Donaueschingen in Germany to the Hungarian capital of Budapest./ Hiking , The Wachau World Heritage Trail is a 180 km long-distance hiking trail and follows the best in scenic trails through the Danube Valley and Wachau wine country / Climbing / Swimming , the many Danube beaches or in the outdoor pools in Krems or Spitz./ Water Sports / Sightseeing Tours /
Events : Further cellar days : In the cellar and cell ditch of the village of Furth near Gottweig on the 11th and 12th of May 2019, starting at 3 pm, the wine-growers open their cellar doors and offer wine tastings and delicacies./ Rehberger Kellergassenfest :
From May 30 to June 2, 2019, every day from 2 pm (on the 2nd of June from 10 am) in the picturesque Rehberger Kellergasse overlooking the ruins everything revolves around the topic of wine and culinary art./
Steiner wine festival : From May 30 to June 1, 2019, the wineries will be opening their cellar doors in the idyllic Kellergasse at the Steiner Weinfest. Wine enjoyment in the middle of the historic old town of Krems-Stein./ All apricot : All Apricot – the gourmet and cultural festival in Krems old town – is also this year from 12 to 14 July, every day from 10 clock in the sign of apricot./
Spitzer apricot teashop : At the traditional apricot fair from 19.-21. July 2019 show the Spitzer guests their variety of Wachau apricot specialties./
ellergassefest in Hobenbach :
Regional delicacies and wines from the Kremstal wine-growing region are offered by the winemakers from Hobenbach at the traditional Hobenbacher Kellergassenfest. This year from 26.-28. July 2019./ Rieslingfest Weissenkirchen :
The romantic Weissenkirchen in the Wachau, the largest wine-growing community in the Wachau region, invites you to the traditional Rieslingfest in the Teisenhoferhof from 9 to 11 August 2019./ Stratzinger Kellergassenfest :
Already for the 33rd time the Stratzinger Kellergassenfest will take place this year. The winegrowers and cellar owners spoil their visitors on August 15th, 17th and 18th with culinary delicacies and good wines./ Wine festival on Eichbuhel :
At the most promising wine festival in the Kremstal – at the wine festival at the Eichbuhel in Krustetten from 9.-11. August 2019 – the great panorama and fine wines are the focus./ Kellergassenfest in Krems-Thallern :
This small but very fine Kellergassenfest attracts more and more guests from near and far every year and offers excellent wines and excellent hot meals. This year from 6.-8. September 2019.
Go next : Tulln / Vienna / Donau / Nibelungau / Strudengau / Upper Austria / Linz
