The Wachau Valley River Cruise
Abbeys, castle ruins and vineyards on the Danube’s gentlest stretch.
Get Free River Cruise QuotesIf the Rhine Gorge is all castles, the Wachau valley river cruise is all vineyards, abbeys and villages — the Danube at its most gentle and most beautiful.
Melk to Krems
The Wachau is the stretch of the Danube in Lower Austria between Melk and Krems. At its upstream end, the baroque Benedictine abbey of Melk stands on a rock above the town, its yellow towers visible long before the ship arrives. Most river cruises stop here for a visit to the abbey and its library. Downstream, the valley narrows between wooded hills and terraced vineyards, and the villages come one after another: Schönbühel with its castle on a rock, the ruin of Aggstein high on the right bank, Willendorf, where the famous Venus figurine was found, then Spitz, Weißenkirchen and Dürnstein.
Melk Abbey
The baroque abbey that marks the start of the valley; a usual cruise stop.
Schönbühel
A castle perched on a rock right at the water’s edge, just below Melk.
Dürnstein
The castle ruin where, by tradition, Richard the Lionheart was held captive.
Dürnstein, Wine and Apricots
Dürnstein is the picture-postcard village of the Wachau: the blue-and-white tower of its abbey church at the river’s edge, and above it the ruins of the castle where, according to tradition, King Richard I of England was held after the Third Crusade. Many ships moor here or nearby for an evening walk. The slopes around are lined with vineyards known for Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, and in spring the valley is white with apricot blossom — the Wachau apricot is a regional specialty.
The valley ends at Krems, a historic wine town with its own old gate and lanes. From there the Danube widens and flows on toward Vienna.
Seeing the Wachau by Day Boat
Like the Rhine Gorge, the Wachau has scheduled passenger boats in season. DDSG Blue Danube and Brandner both sail the valley between Melk and Krems, so you can ride it in a few hours and step off at Spitz or Dürnstein. Combined with a train from Vienna, it makes an easy day trip before or after a Danube river cruise. Timetables change each season; the Danube Lower Austria tourist board has current information on the valley, cycling paths and wine taverns.
Best for blossom
Spring, when the apricot orchards flower.
Best for wine
Late summer and autumn, around harvest, when the vineyards turn gold.
Best for quiet
Early morning on a cruise ship, before the day boats start.
Best for walking
Take the included tour in Melk or Dürnstein, then wander the lanes.
Wachau Valley Questions
Where is the Wachau valley?
In Lower Austria, on the Danube between Melk and Krems, upstream from Vienna. UNESCO lists it as the Wachau Cultural Landscape World Heritage site.
Can I do a Wachau valley cruise from Vienna?
Yes. Scheduled boats sail the Wachau between Melk and Krems in season, and Vienna is linked to both towns by train. DDSG Blue Danube also runs some full-day trips from Vienna to Dürnstein on set dates.
Is the Wachau better upstream or downstream?
Downstream, from Melk toward Krems, is faster with the current; upstream gives you longer to look. River cruise ships sail it in both directions depending on the itinerary.
Cruise the Wachau
Most Danube river cruises between Passau and Budapest sail the Wachau. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will find one that stops at Melk and Dürnstein and send free quotes.
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