2 days in the Wachau Valley, Austria

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About an hour outside of Vienna is a beautiful region of Austria – the Wachau Valley. It follows the Danube river, and is known for its rolling hills, amazing vineyards, Richard the Lionheart (a King of England in the 1100s who was imprisoned here) and Melk Abbey. The region is well worth dedicating a couple of days to exploring as there is lots to discover.

To visit the area, you could travel by car, however we chose to explore by a combination of bike and boat. From Vienna we took the train to Krems and then cycled along the river to Dürnstein, through the countryside stopping at wineries along the way. We also took a boat trip to visit Melk Abbey and admire Aggstein castle.


  1. Contents
  2. Wachau Valley Itinerary Day 1
    1. Start the day with a idyllic cycle ride along the Danube
    2. Explore historic Dürnstein
    3. Wine tasting at Domäne Wachau
    4. Pedal on to Weißenkirchen
  3. Wachau Valley Itinerary Day 2
    1. Visit Aggstein Castle
    2. Danube cruise including Schloss Schönbühel
    3. Melk Abbey

Cycling along the Danube is a really special experience. We did this by taking a train from Vienna to Krems, and then cycled through the Austrian countryside. You could do this as an organised tour, or just hire your own bikes. Wachau bikes are great as they can drop the bikes off and collect from your accommodation in the Wachau region and you can rent for a day, a few days or a week – whatever suits your visit.

We chose to start in Krems, taking in the beautiful towns and countryside along the way, until we reached Dürnstein, which takes around 30 minutes.

Scenic views along the bike path

Dürnstein is quite popular with tourists given its scenic spot on the Danube and famous castle. Getting to the castle is a steep climb, but it is worth it to visit the place where Leopold V, Duke of Austria, held Richard the Lionheart captive in 1192 following their dispute during the third crusade. It was also amusing to see reference to Robin Hood around Dürnstein!

In Dürnstein, walking to the castle and view from the castle

Cycle the short way to Domäne Wachau – an amazing spot for some local wine tasting (what could go wrong, drinking wine before getting back on a bike!). Tasting takes place at local ‘Heurigen’ which are family owned farms only allowed to open from time to time because the family are farmers and the sale of alcohol is not the main business. Cartwheels or ship wheels are displayed outside when the heurigen open for wine tasting.

We learnt that the Wachau region specialises in dry white wines which are classified in three categories according to alcohol level. (i) Steinfeder – light and sparkling with an alcohol content not exceeding 11%. (ii) Federspiel – made with riper grapes and having an alcohol content of 11-12.5%. (iii) Smaragd – contains at least 12.5% alcohol. This category is sought after and critically acclaimed with the potential to age for over 20 years.

Wine tasting time

After a further 30 minutes of pedalling along the picturesque Danube, you will arrive at Weißenkirchen. Here there is a lovely church, a museum on the Wachau region…and of course, plenty more wine tasting options. It’s also a great spot for dinner before starting the pedal on to Spitz to finish day 1.

More pretty countryside views


From Spitz, we got up early and cycled 30 minutes to the famous Aggstein Castle. This ruined castle sits right on the banks of the Danube, and enables you to step back in to Medieval times by exploring the remaining walls, rooms and passages. It’s also well worth exploring some of the hiking trails around the castle, as the views they provide across the ruins and the Danube are spectacular.

Aggstein Castle from the viewpoint

We then chose to head back to Spitz, and take a Danube cruise down to Melk. The cruise takes around 1-1.5hours and provides lovely views of quaint towns along the river. There are also multiple castles right on the river front, including Schloss Schönbühel, which was built in the 12th century. Unfortunately it is privately owned so visitors are not allowed, with only the Monastery on site being accessible.

Disembarking the river cruise to the final stop of the day – Melk Abbey is a Benedictine abbey sitting high above the town of Melk. The abbey dates all the way back to 1089, though today’s version was built in the 1700s. Luckily it has managed to escape dissolution, the Napoleonic Wars and the World Wars, to remain a special and beautiful place.

Inside the abbey (left), the abbey gardens (top right) and view down to Melk from the abbey (bottom right)

Once finished at the Abbey, relax on the cruise back to Spitz and enjoy a nice dinner and well earned rest, after a busy and active 2 days exploring the very special Wachau Valley.


Thank you for reading and I hope you found this post interesting and helpful if you’re planning on visiting Austria one day. Stay safe and happy travelling!

16 responses to “2 days in the Wachau Valley, Austria”

  1. Looks like a beautiful spot and very relxing place to unwind

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    1. It really is 🙂 Thanks for commenting and have a great day!

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  2. Wow! Amazing pictures as usual 🙂

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    1. Ahhh, thanks Lyssy 🙂 Loving your Christmas decorations so far. And HAPPY THANKSGIVING (I think it’s today!)

      Liked by 1 person

  3. The Wachau Valley is such an underrated part of Austria; I’ve noticed not too many people have heard of this place. But it really is a beautiful valley along the Danube: I’ve been to Melk and Dürnstein, and I also climbed the fort ruins to the top of the latter. Gorgeous, sweeping views of the Danube and valley from above– no regrets!

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    1. Ah, I’ve never come across anyone else who has been there – you’re right it’s such a beautiful and underrated area. Thanks for commenting, and Happy Thanksgiving 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Great post. In the back of my mind I’ve always wondered about a trip exploring rural Austria. Your article does much to fuel this desire. I’ve only ever been to Vienna and Graz. Keep up the good work!

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    1. Thank so much Leighton. Yes it’s a beautiful country, and I’m glad if this post showcases that even just a little bit 🙂 Have a great day!

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  5. Looks beautiful and a great trip. I love the picture of Melk from the Abbey.

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    1. Thank you so much, it’s a lovely area of Austria. Glad you like the picture, and have a great evening 🙂

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    1. Thank you, its such a lovely part of Austria 🙂

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  6. Anonymous

    HI. Thanks for sharing. Im going alone in April touching down Vienna airport 10am Friday. I love hiking and cycling after reading few post i found yours interesting. Do you mind to share me where should i stay? Friday night directly from airport somewhere in Wachau after that next day stay krem? I need to reach Amstetten sunday before 6pm as i have important meeting on Monday.

    thank you

    Regards
    Cayden

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You could stay in Vienna for your first night as there are lots of accommodation options and it’s a beautiful city. You can then just get the train straight to Krems in the morning and hike/cycle along the Danube from there on Saturday and Sunday. If you want to get straight out in to the Wachau Valley, then there are some great options between the airport and Krems. If you want a town you could go for Tulln, or if you want to pick a picturesque little town right on the river you could try Durnstein as it’s beautiful.

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Hi! My name is Hannah, I’m a travel blogger from the UK who fits travel around a full time (and full on) job. In this blog I share my adventures around the world and hopefully help you to find some inspiration for destinations, things to do or places to stay. Thanks for stopping by – stay safe and happy travelling.

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