Wachau Valley

The Wachau is a beautiful thirty-six-kilometre stretch of the Danube valley between Melk and Krems, its steep slopes terraced with vineyards, its villages dotted with apricot orchards, and its heights crowned by the great baroque abbey of Melk. A UNESCO cultural landscape, it produces Austria's finest white wines and is a joy to explore by boat or bike.

History

Palaeolithic figurines found at Galgenberg and Willendorf, about 32,000 and 26,000 years old, show how early the valley was lived in. After the Celtic kingdom of Noricum became part of the Roman Empire in 15 BC the frontier ran along the Danube, with the fort of Favianis at today's Mautern and small watchtowers near Rossatz-Arnsdorf, until King Odoacer ordered the Latin-speaking population to leave in 488; the name is recorded as locus Wahowa in 853. The Babenbergs ruled here from 976, Richard the Lionheart was held in the castle above Dürnstein on his way back from the Holy Land, and from the 9th century Bavarian and Salzburg monasteries began building the vine terraces on which Grüner Veltliner and Riesling are still grown. The Wachau Cultural Landscape was inscribed on the World Heritage List in December 2000 (Wikipedia, Wachau).

Highlights

• The terraced vineyards - the steep slopes of Gruner Veltliner and Riesling.
• Melk Abbey - the great baroque abbey above the river at the valley's edge.
• Durnstein - the pretty village with its blue church and castle ruin where Richard the Lionheart was held.
• Apricots and wine - the orchards and the tasting rooms of the wine villages.

When to go

April for the apricot blossom, September and October for the wine harvest and golden vines; summer for cycling and boat trips. The Danube cycle path and river boats are lovely in the warm months.

Things to know

It is a region of scattered villages and wineries rather than a single sight, so a car, bike or boat helps. It is popular, so the boats and Durnstein get busy in season. Its pleasures are gentle, wine, scenery and villages, rather than dramatic.

Nearby

Melk and Krems anchor each end; Vienna is about an hour east.