The Wachau Valley—An Awesome River Cruise Experience
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist
There are 3 incredibly scenic sections of Europe Rivers that are cited by most travel writers as sites on their “must-see” experiences.
On the Rhine River, the Middle Rhine’s 40 castle stretch is always on their lists.
On the Danube, there are 2 sites—the Iron Gates of the Lower Danube and the tranquil Wachau Valley on the Upper Danube.
So, let’s explore together and learn about the Wachau Valley on the Danube River.
Where is the Wachau Valley?
The Wachau Valley is a 30 km (19 miles) part of the Danube River from Melk to Krems. Monasteries, grapes and apricots, tranquil vineyards and some scattered castles make this an area of beauty, a little intrigue, and a place to slow down and enjoy some Austrian good life.
It is a UNESCO heritage site, in recognition of the agricultural history of the region and the architectural significance of unique abbeys and other buildings in the region.
It is famous for high quality wines, and apricots. The small villages dot the countryside, and the steep hills help make this a scenic area a great place to sail through on a river cruise.
Abbeys
There are 3 main abbeys in this region. Melk Abbey, Göttweig Abbey and the Stiftkirche in Dürnstein are stunningly beautiful.
Melk Abbey, located on a high hilltop (748 feet above the Danube River.), was built in 1702, and refurbished between 1715 and 1733. It is a massive baroque Benedictine monastery (17,500 square meters).
The Melk Abbey complex is built around 7 courtyards and stands out due to its mustard yellow paint on the structures. There are 88 imperial guest rooms in the abbey. The library of the monastery has over 100,000 books and manuscripts. There are significant art paintings and frescoes in the abbey. The church area is stunning in its detail and glittering gold adornments.
Göttweig Abbey, another Benedictine monastery is near Krems. It is often visited by some river cruise companies. Painted a pale pink, with a distinctive red roof, it is known as the “Austrian Montecassino”, a reference to the original Benedictine monastery in Italy. With towers and defensive walls it is a spectacular site
Göttweig became famous as a center of earning and strict monastic life up until the 15th and 16th centuries, but by 1564 there was not a single monk left at the abbey.
The abbey has a library of 130,000 books and manuscripts. It also has an important collection of religious engravings, antiquities, a rare coin collection, and musical manuscripts.
The Stiftkirche in Durnstein, has what is considered by most to be the one of the finest baroque towers in all of Austria. Resplendent in blue and white, it dominates the small village as you approach towards the docking port. The entrance way to this abbey is quite ornate.
Castles
There are some fascinating castles on this part of the river—three castle ruins and a castle built right on the river.
Schloss Schonbuhel is built on a rock about 130 feet above the Danube River that is on the riverbanks. It began as a defensive fortress in the 12th century. It is nick named the “Watchman of the Wachau”.
Burguine Aggstein castle is 15 km from Melk and built about 300 feet above the riverbanks on a rocky ledge. It dates from 1180. It is notorious for being inhabited by “robber barons” who imprisoned rivals for ransoms (they apparently tied victims to the rocky ledges around the castle and threatened to throw their captives off the ledges to their deaths) and exacted tolls from boats sailing in the area around the castle.
In Dürnstein, the ruins of Kuenringerburg, a hilltop castle above the town where Richard the Lionhearted was held for ransom during the Crusades, is often offered to guests as a hike up to the former castle site.
The story of King Richard I dates to the 3rd Crusade dispute between Richard and Leopold the Virtuous. During the crusade, Leopold was offended during Battle of Acre, where his standard (flag) was thrown off the walls of the city and he also suspected Richard ordering the murder of his cousin. A huge ransom was paid for Richard’s release—35,000 kg of silver.
From the top of the hill, the views of the river and valley are glorious after a 20-minute hike up to the ruins.
Hinterhaus Castle was built in the 12th century and is first mentioned in writings in 1243. It is near Spitz. It has been besieged and destroyed several times—1409, 1504, 1620.
Hinterhaus is said to be haunted by the ghost of a lady who appears annually on the date of her husband’s death. Today tours are possible for visitors to see the remains of the castle.
Melk
Melk is the start of the Wachau Velley. It is larger than most other towns and villages in the area and has a population of around 5,257. It once was a walled city. The city has an interesting city town hall square with a beautiful fountain.
Spitz and Weissenkirchen
Spitz is an attractive wine village. It has a population of only 1,627. The Spitz Parish church was once a fortified church and some of the defensive walls still remain.
In Weissenkirchen, population 1,291, has a fortified parish church that is surrounded by vineyards.
Dürnstein
This small village numbers only 600 residents. A Dürnstein visit will allow you to take a closer look at its 16th-century Baroque houses and 13th-century Romanesque church on a walking tour along cobblestone streets, that you can experience on many river cruise companies’ visits to this area.
There are great chances to taste wine here and apricot products.
Krems
Krems is the center of the wine trade in this region. One of the most important sites in this town is the Steiner Tor, a preserved city gate, dating back to the days when Krems was a walled city.
Our Final Thoughts
You should sail through the Wachau valley and visit as many of the sights in lower Austria.
We hope you enjoyed this report.
We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.
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ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 51+ years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent
