The Wachau is a UNESCO World Heritage Danube valley in Lower Austria, running 36 kilometers from Melk to Krems through limestone gorges terraced with Grüner Veltliner and Riesling vineyards. Stift Melk, the Baroque Benedictine abbey rebuilt in 1702-1736 and visible from the river for kilometers, anchors the western end. Duernstein, where Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner in 1192, is the historic heart. Krems is the eastern gateway with good rail connections to Vienna (90 minutes by Westbahn). The Danube boat from Melk to Krems runs May to October (about 3 hours downstream). Cycling the valley on the Danube Radweg takes one day. Wine harvest in September-October and apricot blossom in April are the peak seasonal draws beyond standard summer tourism.
region
Wachau
The Wachau is the 36-kilometer stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems where the river cuts through a limestone massif, creating one of the steepest and most dramatic sections of the river's entire 2,860-kilometer course.