Hiking in the Danube region | Eurohike Walking Holidays

Diverse hiking trails, picturesque landscapes, and the best in culinary delights come together to create a truly unforgettable hiking vacation in the Danube region.

World Heritage Trail Wachau, Krems – Melk

8 Days

24 ratings

World Heritage Trail Wachau with Charm

5 Days

15 ratings

All Hiking Tours along the Danube

Impressive landscapes and unique cultural treasures

All hiking holidays in the Danube region

Questions and answers about your hiking holiday along the Danube

At what time of the year is a hiking holiday in the Danube region particularly recommended?

Our hiking tours on the Danube and on the World Heritage Trail Wachau can be booked from April to October.

A particularly beautiful experience in this region is a hiking holiday in spring or April, when you can enjoy the apricot blossom in the Wachau in full bloom.

Read more about ~~the beginning of spring in the Wachau~~ on our HikingBlog.

Where can you hike in the Danube region?

The fantastic hiking regions along the Danube and in the surrounding areas such as the Wachau offer perfect conditions for multi-day hiking holidays and the best hiking paths.

Which hiking tours can be experienced in the Danube region?

We offer these individual hiking tours and options for a short hiking holidays along the Danube and in the Wachau region:

Walking: World Heritage Trail Wachau, 8 days | World Heritage Trail Wachau, 5 days
Walking with Charm: World Heritage Trail Wachau with Charm, 8 days | World Heritage Trail Wachau with Charm, 5 days

Is hiking with a dog possible in the Danube region?

All of our hiking holidays in the Danube region and in the Wachau are ideally suited for a hiking holiday with a dog. From the dog-friendly hotels to the paw-friendly hiking paths, our individual hiking holidays ensure an all-round successful holiday experience for two and four-legged friends.

Find out more information, dog-friendly hiking holidays and helpful tips for hiking with a dog.

Are there any UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites in the Danube region?

There are two UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Danube region and in the Wachau:

The borders of the Roman Empire – Danube Limes (the western area)
The cultural landscape of the Wachau between Melk and Krems

What special highlights do you come across when hiking in the Danube region?

The regions along the Danube and in the picturesque Wachau not only offer a wonderful landscape with the typical wine terraces and the beautiful nature, but also the best conditions for hiking and enjoying.

And enjoyment is guaranteed not to be neglected here on an individual hiking holiday. Whether delicious apricot dumplings with Wachau apricots, an excellent glass of wine from the Wachau or a tasty 'Brettljause' – enjoyment is at the top of the list when hiking on the Danube and in the Wachau. More inspiration about the topic ‚hiking and wine‘.

There are also cultural highlights worth seeing away from the hiking paths, such as Melk Abbey, a Benedictine abbey on the banks of the Danube. Either way, a hiking holiday in the Danube region will inspire you!

The most beautiful tours along the Danube

Danube Trail

On the Danube Trail, you’ll hike through shady forests and across lush green hills from the cathedral city of Passau all the way to Linz. Along the way, you’ll discover sights like Engelszell Abbey—the only Trappist monastery in Austria—as well as numerous ruins and medieval buildings. After some steeper climbs, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Schlögener Loop and the Danube Valley.

View across the Danube to the Castle Museum in Linz

World Heritage Trail Wachau

The hiking tour through the Wachau offers a unique blend of wine, culture, and nature. As you stroll through the region’s iconic vineyards, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to indulge in local culinary delights while taking in the breathtaking views of the Danube Valley. Endless apricot orchards, rolling wine terraces, and the soothing sounds of the Danube accompany you at every step of the trail. And what’s a tour in the Wachau without a scenic cruise along the Danube? Included in your journey, a relaxing boat ride will carry you back to your starting point once you reach your destination. On the 5-day tour, you’ll hike the World Heritage Trail Wachau from Krems to Spitz—an ideal short getaway for you and your loved ones. Plus, your four-legged companion is more than welcome—these hiking tours are wonderfully suited for hiking with dogs.

Wachau World Heritage Trail with Charm

With the Hiking with Charm option, you’ll stay in especially charming hotels and accommodations that provide an extra touch of comfort and style. This hiking tour takes you through the enchanting towns of Spitz, Dürnstein, Weißenkirchen, and Melk, offering a rich blend of regional culinary delights, breathtaking viewpoints overlooking the Danube, historic castles and monasteries, and plenty of welcoming wine taverns for a cozy break.

Your evenings will be spent in carefully selected hotels known for their elegant ambiance and charm. After each day’s hike, relax by the pool or in the wellness area and savor exquisite local cuisine—making your hiking vacation truly unforgettable.

World Heritage Trail Wachau, Krems – Melk

8 Days

24 ratings

World Heritage Trail Wachau with Charm

5 Days

15 ratings

Travel stories about your hiking tours along the Danube

April 23, 2024

Team Members on Tour

Travel story: In the vineyards above the Danube

In the last two years, I have explored beautiful Italy on two walking holidays: plesaure walking in Piedmont and on the east coast of Sardinia. After these walking holidays in Italy, this year's holiday is in my home territory, along the beautiful Wachau World Heritage Trail. With my sister, I drive along the “Romantic Road” on the northern bank of the Danube to Krems, the starting point of our walking holiday "World Heritage Trail Wachau, Krems - Spitz". Now, there will be three walking days along the Danube and right through the vineyards to Spitz. Alternatively, this tour is also offered as a longer variant over eight days, up to Melk. We are really looking forward to the next few days and raise a toast at our first dinner in Krems’ old town with homemade Austrian apricot iced tea. (Fun fact: in Austria, we call apricots “Marillen”, but in Germany, they are known as “Aprikose”!)

September 25, 2018

Team Members on Tour

Helene en route along the World Heritage Trail Wachau

Vineyards, apricot orchards and cultural assets of all kinds characterise the World Heritage Region Wachau. Considering all of this it was an easy choice for a suitable hiking holiday. Our holiday along the World Heritage Trail Wachau started in the town of Krems and led us all the way to Spitz on the river Danube. As a crowning finale this hiking holiday contains a boat trip from Spitz back to Krems, taking you past the places of the Wachau, which you got to know and love during your hiking holiday.

October 18, 2017

Autumnal Hiking in the Wachau

It wasn’t merely the golden October colours, the pleasant walking temperatures or the newly harvested wine that lured me to come walking in the Autumnal Wachau. It was mainly the newly signposted route along the World Heritage Trail here! Some of the best signposted footpaths on both sides of the Danube were simply waiting to be explored. Every variant of the walk, every panoramic viewpoint, every summit and every view view tower was needing to be discovered, checked and hiked to. That meant that I wasn’t leisurely walking one stage at a time but was trekking from dawn til dusk and upstream as well as downstream. The sheer diversity in this region meant that I never got tired. Sometimes I was going along panoramic paths through vineyards via cosy forest tracks and other times up steep ascents where at the top great views were awaiting me… I could even climb some small peaks here.

Top Attractions along the Danube

Goettweig Abbey

UNESCO World Heritage Site and spiritual center

Passau

Charming old town

Schloegener Loop

Two interlocking peninsulas in the Upper Danube Valley

Marsbach Castle

Oldest noble residence in the Upper Muehlviertel

Melk Abbey

Masterpiece of High Baroque

View over the Inn to the old town of Passau

A cyclist enjoys the view of the Schlögener Schlinge

The town centre of Melk with a view of Melk Abbey

What our guests say

It was truly a pleasure to travel with Eurohike on this wonderful hiking holiday. All hotels and accommodation met or exceeded our expectation. The app worked really well and it was easy and clear how to follow the hiking route. This holiday was one of the best ones I have taken. 100% recommendations!

Bergdís Björk Sigurjonsdottir

The entire experience with Eurohike was good from beginning to end. I would recommend this company to anyone interested in hiking and biking in Europe. The photo booklet which we followed while hiking in the Wachau was an excellent method for making the route clear. The hotels were lovely, the scenery was beautiful and the Austrians friendly and welcoming.

Ingrid Vollnhofer

Useful Information for Your Hiking Vacation along the Danube and in the Wachau

Facts about the Wachau

Location: The Wachau is located in Lower Austria, between Melk and Krems along the Danube.
Area: 285 km² (110 sq mi)
Population: Approximately 30,000 residents
Largest City in the Wachau: Krems
Official Language: German
Highest Peak: Jauerling, at 960 meters (3,150 feet)
Best Season to Visit: Spring (April to June) and Fall (September to October)

The Climate in the Wachau

The climate in the Wachau is shaped by both Pannonian and Alpine influences. Thanks to its mild, sunny weather, the region offers ideal conditions for hiking. Spring, with its famous apricot blossoms, and the golden autumn during the grape harvest are especially perfect seasons for exploring the picturesque vineyards. Summers can get warm, but shaded forest trails and gentle breezes from the Danube provide refreshing relief.

View over the vineyards and flowers to Spitz in the Wachau, with the Danube and wooded hills in the background

Culture and Traditions

Since 2000, the Wachau has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and for good reason. This picturesque Danube Valley region is full of hidden gems, from its secluded vineyards to the ruins of Dürnstein Castle, where Richard the Lionheart was once held captive. Culinary delights and a passion for good food are treasured cultural hallmarks here. A visit to a cozy Buschenschank—also locally known as a “Heuriger” – is an essential part of the local experience. These welcoming taverns are where locals come together to chat and savor regional specialties alongside fine wines. All these qualities and more make the Wachau one of Lower Austria’s most charming regions to explore on foot.

Savoring the Delights of the Danube

Two culinary highlights you simply can’t miss on a hiking vacation along the Danube are wine and succulent fruit—rightly so, as they define the region between Melk and Krems. The Wachau is especially inviting in spring, summer, and fall, whether it’s the fragrant white apricot blossoms in spring, the cool shade beneath a vine-covered pergola at a Heuriger, or the vibrant grape harvest in autumn. Nowhere else do you come closer to these exceptional wines than in the Wachau. Many hiking trails wind directly through the vineyards, offering stunning views and tastes along the way. With the wine region at your feet and the Danube flowing nearby, your hiking vacation couldn’t be more perfect.

Apricot dumplings and a cold drink in the Wachau

Did you know ...

that the Danube stretches for 350 kilometers (about 217 miles) through Austria, making it the country’s longest river?
that during the apricot blossom season in March, the Wachau transforms into a breathtaking sea of pink and white flowers?
that numerous hydroelectric power plants along the Danube supply a significant portion of Austria’s electricity?
that the Wachau has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, recognized for its unique landscape, terraced vineyards, and historic landmarks?
that the Wachau is renowned for its Grüner Veltliner and Riesling wines, as well as its distinctive Wachau apricots?