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World Heritage Trail Wachau with Charm, 8 days
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View of the Danube from the vineyards

World Heritage Trail Wachau with Charm

Wine and culture on the blue Danube

8 Days / 7 Nights
Walking
162  kg
CO₂-Emissions get compensated
View of the Danube from the vineyards

Spitz, Dürnstein, Weißenkirchen, Melk - the delightful places in the Wachau offer culture, hospitality, cuisine and much more. You could also say that they are bursting with beauty and are perfect destinations in Austria for the daily stages on the 8-day hiking tour along the Wachau World Heritage Trail. Join us on this relaxing yet eventful active trip.

View of Krems
Signposts along the World Heritage Trail
Views during the hike
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Verena Winkler
Verena Winkler
+43 6219 60877 171
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The city of Krems, the Göttweig Monastery, Dürnstein and its ruins - even the first stage is full of highlights. The next day you will first enjoy a ferry ride before the hike passes Austria's largest apricot-growing area. Enjoy with all your senses and try to memorise the wonderful scents of the orchards.

There has to be a break and therefore day 4 is a rest day. It is perfect for taking a stop at one of the wine taverns around Weißenkirchen. Spitz and Melk are not only world famous, but also other destinations on our tour. On the way you hike the ruin Aggstein, which towers imposingly over the Danube and offers impressive views of the region. On the return journey by ship, feel the refreshing breeze in your hair before the journey ends in Krems.

  • Idyllic vineyard hikes: The famous Wachau stone terraces may have been built around the 13th century and still shape the landscape today. Let the romance of this unique place between the vines sink in.
  • Discover the Danube on ridges: The special geography of the narrow valley offers great hiking opportunities, although the elevations are never higher than 1,000 metres. From the Seekopf and Buschandlwand you have unique panoramas over the Danube or the Alps.
  • Culinary highlights: Let's be honest - good food is simply part of a holiday! The first-class wines go well with light fish dishes as well as a hearty ‘Jause’ (snack) (including Wachauer Laberl!). For dessert you should enjoy the famous apricot, whether as a dumpling or liqueur.
  • Dreamy wine villages: The Wachau is one of the most popular regions in Austria, to which the unique climate certainly contributes. When different climatic influences come together, the quality of the grapes and thus the wines is decisively improved. The Wachau wines are fruity, fresh and elegant - a tasting is included on your tour with Eurohike.

The Wachau World Heritage Trail not only offers numerous scenic, cultural and culinary highlights, it is also one of the “Top Trails of Austria”. So here you can confidently say that the journey is the destination. Another plus point is that some of the routes can be designed by yourself, depending on your fitness and experience levels.

  • The Danube region is a special highlight among hiking enthusiasts in Austria - here you will find further tips, tours and interesting facts.

On our ‘Hiking Tours with Charm’ you can enjoy the full service of our individual active holidays while staying in very special accommodation with that extra something in the best location. That means you can look forward to luxury furnishings and decor in the local style, as well as cuisine at the highest level. Many of our hotels with charm also offer large pools and a wellness area where you can relax after a lovely day of hiking.

View of Krems
Signposts along the World Heritage Trail
Views during the hike

Itinerary at a glance

The Wachau World Heritage Trail connects the region's history with the here and now. Fragrant vines grow on ancient wine terraces, beautiful views are complemented by lovely villages and historic ruins.
Day
01
Arrival in Krems

Walk up into the vineyards to the tower with view on blue Danube, the city Krems and impressing monastery Göttweig. Cross the hills to the cozy Fesslhütte and reach the Dürnstein ruins on a trail with great views before reaching the banks of the Danube.

Take the ferry from Dürnstein to Rossatz. Continue past the largest apricot growing area of Austria, on old tracks up to Seekopf with stunning views to the Alps. Optional take a walk along Danube through orchards to the ferry.

Surrounded by sunny vineyards and green forests the mighty gothic parish church of Weißenkirchen is a remarkable sight. Wine growing villages such as Joching, Wösendorf and St. Michael form together with Weißenkirchen the biggest wine grower community of the Wachau region. Visit museums, seize beautiful walking trails or take a boat tour on the Danube. Enjoy a glass of Wachauer wine in one of the wine taverns. Or do a short hike on the Achleiten circuit to stop by the winegrower!

Leave Weißenkirchen via the wine trail, past picturesque wine cellars to the climb up to Seiber. Walk through the forest at first quite steep to Buschandlwand where an observation platform allows stunning panorama views. An alternative route passes through vineyards to the famous wine grower community Spitz an der Donau.

Cross the Danube by ferry to Maria Langegg. Here you follow St. Jacob’s trail to ruin Aggsbach. Visit the fortress with scenic views across the Danube valley and stop for a snack. Down you walk to Aggsbach where you catch the coach to Melk.

Visit the impressive monastery with beautiful grounds before you board the Danube boat. During the cruise to Krems you pass the highlights of the week, see all the vineyards as well as Spitz and Durnstein.

Day
08
Departure or extension

Itinerary at a glance

The Wachau World Heritage Trail connects the region's history with the here and now. Fragrant vines grow on ancient wine terraces, beautiful views are complemented by lovely villages and historic ruins.
Day
01
Arrival in Krems

Walk up into the vineyards to the tower with view on blue Danube, the city Krems and impressing monastery Göttweig. Cross the hills to the cozy Fesslhütte and reach the Dürnstein ruins on a trail with great views before reaching the banks of the Danube.

Take the ferry from Dürnstein to Rossatz. Continue past the largest apricot growing area of Austria, on old tracks up to Seekopf with stunning views to the Alps. Optional take a walk along Danube through orchards to the ferry.

Surrounded by sunny vineyards and green forests the mighty gothic parish church of Weißenkirchen is a remarkable sight. Wine growing villages such as Joching, Wösendorf and St. Michael form together with Weißenkirchen the biggest wine grower community of the Wachau region. Visit museums, seize beautiful walking trails or take a boat tour on the Danube. Enjoy a glass of Wachauer wine in one of the wine taverns. Or do a short hike on the Achleiten circuit to stop by the winegrower!

The wine trail leads you out of Weißenkirchen, past small cellar alleys and up into the unique wine landscape high above the Danube. On the World Heritage Trail, you hike through the heart of the Wachau. At the landmark of Spitz, the “Red Gate”, you descend into the famous wine village beside the Danube.

Cross the Danube by ferry to Maria Langegg. Here you follow St. Jacob’s trail to ruin Aggsbach. Visit the fortress with scenic views across the Danube valley and stop for a snack. Down you walk to Aggsbach where you catch the coach to Melk.

Visit the impressive monastery with beautiful grounds before you board the Danube boat. During the cruise to Krems you pass the highlights of the week, see all the vineyards as well as Spitz and Durnstein.

Day
08
Departure or extension

Other variations of this tour

Views during a hike
World Heritage Trail Wachau with Charm
5 Days
15 ratings
View to Spitz
World Heritage Trail Wachau, Krems – Spitz
5 Days
20 ratings
grapevine
World Heritage Trail Wachau, Krems – Melk
8 Days
23 ratings
At the Rebentor
Wine accompaniment with dinner
View of Spitz
Peach tree by the path
above the rooftops
Wine bar on the roadside

Difficulty level

Walking

You walk mainly on good trails and some paved vineyard paths. Depending on the route, you can make the stages more comfortable or more challenging. The peaks in the Wachau region are not high, but steep in places. Surefootedness therefore is required in some places. This week offers a perfect blend of nature, culture and culinary delight.

Prices & Dates

Prices per person in EUR

Sustainably on the go

Offsetting your carbon footprint

162 kg
CO₂-Emissions get compensated
The total value of all emissions per travel and per person is carefully tracked using the CO2 calculator 'Carmacal,' which was specifically developed for tour operators. The individual components that make up this value are shown in the diagram. The overall impact is contributed to by accommodations, luggage transport, on-site catering, and activities, and it is fully offset through our climate protection projects.
Accommodation (70%)
Meals (20%)
Transport (9%)
Activities (1%)
100%

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Included

  • Accomodation in hotels with charm
  • Breakfast
  • Luggage transfer
  • Boat trip Melk – Krems*
  • Wine tasting (German, English)

 

  • Carefully elaborated route description
  • Detailed travel and tour documents 1x per room (German, English, French)
  • App for Navigation and GPS-data
  • Service hotline

* Boat cruise is only possible starting from mid-April, bus ride as an alternative.

Arrival / Parking / Departure

  • By train from Vienna to Krems and a few minutes walk to the starting hotel.
  • Parking: limited number of free hotel parking spaces, no pre-booking possible. Partly chargeable hotel parking spaces approx. EUR 40 per week. Sufficient public parking spaces near the hotels for approx. EUR 50 per week, no pre-booking.

Things to note

  • Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price
  • 2x ferry crossings Danube, bus fare from Aggsdorf to Melk (only 8-day tour), approx. EUR 6 per person
  • Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!

Join us in achieving greater sustainability by choosing our digital route book, rather than the printed version. As a small thank you we will give you a discount of €20 per room.

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Included

  • Accomodation in hotels with charm
  • Breakfast
  • Luggage transfer
  • Boat trip Melk – Krems*
  • Wine tasting (German, English)

 

  • Carefully elaborated route description
  • Detailed travel and tour documents 1x per room (German, English, French)
  • App for Navigation and GPS-data
  • Servicehotline

* Boat cruise is only possible starting from mid-April, bus ride as an alternative.

Arrival / Parking / Departure

  • Train journey from Vienna to Krems and a few minutes walk to the starting hotel.
  • Vienna airport.
  • Parking: Hotel parking garage, approx. EUR 6 to EUR 16 per week. Public parking spaces, approx. EUR 6 per day.

Things to note

  • Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price
  • 3x ferry crossings Danube, bus fare from Aggsdorf to Melk, approx. EUR 10 per person
  • Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!

Join us in achieving greater sustainability by choosing our digital route book, rather than the printed version. As a small thank you we will give you a discount of €20 per room.

Our hotels

Relax in our charming accommodations along your walking tour

From our hiking blog

Vineyard in the Wachau
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”!)
Hikers on the World Heritage Trail
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.
Hiker with a view of the Danube
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.
Verena Winkler

"We look forward to making your holiday dreams come true"

Verena Winkler
Travel Specialist
One call to vacation bliss
+43 6219 60877 171
Monday - Friday: 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM
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