WACHAU & LOWER AUSTRIA

The Wachau (Danube Valley) follows the Danube for 33 kilometres from Melk to Krems and reaches into the side-valleys of the Wachauer Gräben. The region is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, stuffed with stunning baroque architecture, atmospheric towns, vineyards and orchards. Austria’s second-oldest piece of art (a naked woman) originates from the Wachau: the "Venus of Willendorf" was found here near Spitz an der Donau at the tender age of 26,000 years. In the Wachau, immerse yourself in such gems as the town Dürnstein: this is the place where Richard the Lionhart, King of England was kept prisoner for years after a crusade.

Wachau: Baroque World Cultural Heritage

Another baroque thing in the area that will take your breath away for even longer is Melk Abbey. This Benedictine masterpiece and the surrounding town of Melk was the centre of intellectual life in Austria during the middle ages. Their collection of Medieval manuscripts is famous among scholars worldwide. The town of Weissenkirchen is a popular stop-over for the many cycling tourists who come to the Wachau to follow the Danube. And the ruined castle Burg Aggstein is among the most photo-graphed sites in the country.

More Things to See in Lower Austria

The city of Krems is a historical market town of the nice kind. Here you will find more vineyard, sites nearby the Wachau but not really within the valley are the Schallaburg Castle, Schloss Grafenegg and the ancient town of Pöchlarn. A certainly beautiful area is the Semmering / Rax / Schneeberg area (also a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage) and the Wienerwald or Vienna Woods area on the outskirts of the Alps. This is where Viennna’s nobility and aristocracy found a soothing spot for their summer vacations. Similar things can be said about the spa town of Baden. The young capital of St Pölten is also well worth a visit, as well as the monastery of the town Klosterneuburg. Today, it is still popular for hiking and the Wienerwald Forest is also called "Vienna’s green lung". Here you should note the Habsburg's holiday home in Laxenburg or the town of Mödling. The Marchfeld Area and Eastern Danube is known for both scenic landscape shaped by the river and cultural highlights due to the many castles of the region, and sort of includes the area down to Bruck and Rohrau.

Top Attractions of wachau & Lower Austria

- Stift Melk Abbey, Melk, in the Wachau Danube Valley
- Krems, Wachau vineyards & villages along the Danube
- Carnuntum Roman town, NP Donauauen & Marchfeld Area
- Wienerwald (Vienna Woods): Mödling, Baden, Heiligenkreuz
- Semmering Railway, Mount Schneeberg & Rax
- Baroque Abbeys: Altenburg, Göttweig, Herzogenburg
- National Park Thayatal, Retz & wine towns of the North
- Klosterneuburg: Abbey, Essl Art Museum, vineyards
- Waidhofen an der Ybbs & surroundings
- Pöchlarn & Schallaburg Castle