Welterbesteig Wachau

The Welterbesteig Wachau is a 180-kilometer long-distance hiking trail through the UNESCO World Heritage Wachau valley, running through the hills and vineyard ridges above the Danube rather than along the riverside cycling route. Four stages, four to five days for the full route, connecting Melk at the western end to Krems at the eastern end through terrain that the cycling route does not reach. The trail passes through apricot orchards, forest ridges, wine-producing slopes, and abbey lands with views over the Danube bends that you cannot get from the road. Check welterbesteig.at for detailed stage information and accommodation suggestions. Melk and Krems are both on the Vienna rail network, making it practical to start from Vienna and return to Vienna from the other end of the trail. The best months are April (apricot blossom), May-June (full green), and September-October (harvest).