Wachau Valley

Background

The Wachau lies in Lower Austria, along the stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems. Melk Abbey, Göttweig Abbey and the Dürnstein castle ruins stand along its banks, and the slopes are covered with terraced vineyards of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. The valley was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000 as the "Wachau Cultural Landscape". There is no bridge over this stretch of the Danube, so ferries are the way to cross. People have lived in the valley since prehistoric times, and Palaeolithic figurines found at Galgenberg and Willendorf bear witness to early human activity. From the Middle Ages, Bavarian and Salzburg monasteries were founded here and vine terraces were created; winegrowers' farmhouses mostly form oblong, U-shaped or L-shaped courtyards. Fragments of the Nibelungenlied, an epic written around 1200, were discovered in the Melk Abbey library.

Local customs

• Take a Danube cruise for a full view of the valley
• cycle the valley cycle path
• taste wine at a winery
• climb to the Dürnstein castle ruins for a view over the river bend
• visit Melk Abbey's Baroque architecture and library.

Travel tips

• The cruise season runs from May to September, with timetables and fares as shown officially
• the riverbank can be windy, so bring a windproof jacket for cycling. Autumn is the grape harvest season
• in winter some cruises and wineries close, so check official information before you travel.
• From Vienna, take a train to Melk or Krems, then continue by boat, bus or bicycle
• if you drive, follow the valley road, with an A1 motorway exit near Melk. There is no bridge across the river within the valley, so take a ferry between the banks.