The Wachau apricot orchards are the reason to visit the valley in late March or early April, before the main cycling season begins. The Wachauer Marille, a PDO-protected apricot variety, grows on the same stone-terraced slopes above the Danube as the wine vines, and the blossom period is two to three weeks of white and pink flowers against the Danube landscape, before the leaves have fully come in. The Marille has a flavor intensity that supermarket apricots do not reach, and you will find it everywhere in the valley: as jam, schnapps, dried fruit, and in Marillenknödel (traditional apricot dumplings with sweet breadcrumbs). The orchards are spread across the south-facing slopes between Spitz and Weissenkirchen on the south bank. The blossom timing varies by year; check regional tourism sites in early March. Cycling the Wachau Radweg during blossom season is one of the better low-effort, high-reward experiences in Lower Austria.
nature reserve in Wachau
Wachau apricot orchards
In late March and early April, the Wachau valley turns white and pale pink with apricot blossom before the vineyards have even started their season.
- Type
- nature reserve
- Destination
- Wachau
- Cost
- Free to visit
- Address
- 3601 Wachau
- Coordinates
- 48.3276, 15.4116