Overview
When it comes to walking in Austria, the Wachau Wine Region is hard to beat. It’s packed with secluded wine-producing villages with pastel-coloured houses scattered among rolling hills clad with vineyards, wild forests and apricot orchards. This beautifully meandering stretch of the Danube is a hidden gem, full of imposing fortresses, monasteries and abbeys. You will discover an enchanting river valley landscape, lush vineyards and countless cultural sites. The wines of the Wachau Valley will delight and surprise you.
- Idyllic vineyards
- Discover the Danube high up along ridges of mountains
- Culinary highlights
- Wachau wine-producing villages
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Krems
Today you arrive in Krems on your own. Krems is easily reachable from Vienna by train.
*For 2027 departures, there is a change on some sections of the itinerary, and the starting and end locations will be Melk.
- Accommodation: Hotel Unter den Linden or similar in Krems
- Upgraded accommodation: Steigenberger Hotel & Spa or similar in Krems
Day 2: Krems – Dürnstein | 12km
You start the day walking up through the vineyards to a tower with a view over the Danube, Krems and the magnificent monastery of Göttweig. Then you cross the hills to the cosy Fessl hut and reach the Dürnstein ruins on a scenic trail before reaching the Danube banks.
- Accommodation: Hotel Sänger Blondel or similar in Dürnstein
- Upgraded accommodation: Gartenhotel Pfeffel or similar in Dürnstein
- Walking for the day: 4.5h, 12km, ↑530m ↓550m
Day 3: Dürnstein – Weißenkirchen | 16km
Today you take the ferry from Dürnstein to Rossatz, continuing your walk through the largest apricot growing area of Austria, on old tracks up to Seekopf with stunning views to the Alps. Optional walk along the Danube through orchard fields.
- Accommodation: Kirchenwirt Hotel Restaurant Wachau or similar in Weißenkirchen
- Upgraded accommodation: Renaissancehotel Raffelsberger Hof or similar in Weißenkirchen
- Walking for the day: 5h, 16km, ↑480m ↓480m
Day 4: Rest day in Weißenkirchen | 4km
Today you can relax, enjoying the region’s historic sites, such as the mighty Gothic parish church of Weißenkirchen, surrounded by lush vineyards and green forests. You can also explore the wine-growing villages: Joching, Wösendorf and St. Michael forming together with Weißenkirchen, the biggest wine grower community of the Wachau region. You can also visit museums, take in beautiful walking trails or take a boat tour on the Danube. Enjoy a glass of Wachauer wine in one of the local taverns.
- Accommodation: Kirchenwirt Hotel Restaurant Wachau or similar in Weißenkirchen
- Upgraded accommodation: Renaissancehotel Raffelsberger Hof or similar in Weißenkirchen
- Walking for the day: 2h, 4km, ↑100m ↓100m
Day 5: Weißenkirchen – Spitz | 11km
Follow the wine trail out of Weißenkirchen, passing small cellar alleys and ascending towards the unique wine landscape above the Danube. Hike through the heart of the Wachau region, on reaching the “Red Gate” descend to the renowned wine village by the Danube.
- Accommodation: Gasthof Goldenes Schiff or similar in Spitz
- Upgraded accommodation: Traditions-Gasthof Prankl or similar in Spitz
- Walking for the day: 3.5h, 11km, ↑340m ↓300m
Day 6: Spitz – Melk | 15km
Today you cross the Danube by ferry to Maria Langeg, from where you follow the St. Jacob’s trail to the Aggsbach ruins. Visit the fortress with scenic views across the Danube valley and stop for a snack. Walk down to Aggsbach, where you take the bus to Melk.
- Accommodation: Hotel Restaurant zur Post or similar in Melk
- Walking for the day: 4.5-5.5h, 15km,↑640m ↓640m
Day 7: Melk – Krems
You can visit the impressive monastery with its beautiful grounds before you board the Danube boat taking you on a picturesque trip back to Krems.
- Accommodation: Hotel Unter den Linden or similar in Krems
- Upgraded accommodation: Steigenberger Hotel & Spa or similar in Krems
Day 8: Departure
Departure or extension upon request.
What to expect
Accommodation
Mostly 3-star country hotels and some 4-star hotels. All places have been carefully hand-picked by us and their quality is regularly monitored. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour. Please note that, in Austria, it is common practice for hotels and other accommodations to join twin beds together to make a double, with separate linen for each person. If you prefer to opt for twin beds, we will happily request this at time of booking, however they can’t always be guaranteed.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Unter den Linden (Krems)
- Hotel Sänger Blondel (Dürnstein)
- Kirchenwirt Hotel Restaurant Wachau (Weißenkirchen)
- Gasthof Goldenes Schiff (Spitz)
- Hotel Restaurant zur Post (Melk)
Note that hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel from the ones pictured above is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view the optional upgraded hotels
- Steigenberger Hotel & Spa (Krems)
- Gartenhotel Pfeffel (Dürnstein)
- Renaissancehotel Raffelsberger Hof (Weißenkirchen)
- Traditions-Gasthof Prankl (Spitz)
Note that hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel from the ones pictured above is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included each day. There is also an option to book a half-board supplement (see the booking/availability menu above for exact pricing) adding a three-course meal each evening.
Difficulty and terrain
During the week you will walk mainly on well-maintained trails and some paved vineyard paths. Depending on the route, you can make the stages more leisurely or more challenging. The peaks in the Wachau region are not high, but steep in places so you will have to be careful in some sections. The walk offers a perfect blend of nature, culture and culinary delights. Daily walking times are not more than 5 hours (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from mid-March until mid-October.
The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season. For more information on travelling in Austria, please visit our blog Best time to go to Austria.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival/departure airport for this holiday is Vienna Airport.
By train or bus
- There are regular train lines from Vienna to Krems. A boat return transfer to the starting point is included in the price.
- Our recommended arrival/departure airport for this holiday is Vienna Airport.
- Parking options: Parking spaces at the hotel in Krems for approx. EUR 20-40 per week. A reservation is not necessary. Public parking at EUR 6 per day.
- Airport transfers by public transport (train) are recommended for this trip, as they are much cheaper and faster compared to car transfers.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 overnight stays in 3 and 4-star hotels, breakfast included
- Luggage transfers on all walking days (maximum of 20kg per bag)
- 1 wine tasting
- Boat cruise from Melk back to Krems on Day 7 (only possible from mid-April, bus ride as an alternative)
- Detailed route notes (one copy per room)
- Welcome briefing by our local representative
- GPS-data to use via our smartphone app
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- 3 x ferry crossings Danube and bus fare from Aggsdorf to Melk (approx. EUR 10 pp)
- Tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly mentioned in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights in Krems
- Accommodation upgrade
