Wachau Valley, Austria

The Wachau is an Austrian valley with a picturesque landscape formed by the Danube river. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria, located midway between the towns of Melk and Krems that also attracts "connoisseurs and epicureans". It is 40 kilometres (25 mi) in length and was already settled in prehistoric times. The Wachau was inscribed as "Wachau Cultural Landscape" in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in recognition of its architectural and agricultural history, in December 2000.

A well-known place and tourist attraction is Dürnstein, where King Richard the Lion-Heart of England was held captive by Duke Leopold V. The architectural elegance of its ancient monasteries, castles and ruins combined with the urban architecture of its towns and villages, and the cultivation of vines as an important agricultural produce are the dominant features of the valley.

The historical monuments in the Wachau valley are more than 5000. Some of them are: The Benedictine abbeys of Melk (Stift Melk a massive baroque Benedictine monastery) and Göttweig (a monastery of canons regular), at the beginning and end of the scenic Wachau section of the Danube Valley from where one gets a visual feast of the city of Melk; the Schallaburg castle, a Renaissance style castle 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Melk; the Steiner Tor in Krems or Krems an der Donau, the late-Gothic Piarist church; Dürnstein for its wine growing area and the Durnstein castle; and the Burgruine Aggstein.
Things to See & Do

* Wine-taverns
* Melk Abbey
* Schallaburg Castle
* Gottweig Abbey
* Burgruine Aggstein - castle ruins

General information

Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - Euro (EUR)
Language - German
Electricity - two vertical square pins and one perpendicular below British style
Time - GMT plus one hour
International Country Telephone Code - + 43

Port Location - The river ports in the Wachau Valley are located on the Danube river.

Travel Links - The Wachau Valley can be accessed by train, boat and bus. The nearest airport is located in Vienna.