Wachau Valley, Austria
During our four-night stay in Vienna, we devoted one day to exploring the Wachau Valley, the historic and pastoral region along the banks of the Danube only an hour west of the city. It gained UNESCO world heritage status in 2000 to preserve the region’s unique cultural landscape, which includes steeply terraced ancient vineyards separated by quaint historic villages.
Walter Juraschek, our guide from two days prior, picked us up from our hotel and led our day-long private tour. We began with a stop in the charming village of Dürnstein, followed by a visit to the grand Baroque Melk Abbey, then dined al fresco at a gasthof in the town of Spitz, and concluded with Grüner tasting at Trautsamwieser tasting terrace in the town of Weißenkirchen in der Wachau.
It was late September and the weather was perfect. The valley and vineyards were still green, with a hint of autumn creeping in. Below are some scenes from the day…
Last visited in September, 2019
