Along a 22-mile section of the Danube River between Krems and Melk lies the picturesque Wachau Valley. One of the most beautiful regions in Austria, it features rolling hills, vineyards, charming villages, and castles. Our AmaWaterways cruise briefly stopped in Weissenkirchen to drop off passengers going on tours. Like the other stops, AmaWaterways offered several tour options. We think tasting local foods is the best way to discover a new destination. So, we selected the Dürnstein Walking Tour, Wine, and Apricots Tasting.

Dürnstein village in the Wachau Valley

We began the tour with a 10-minute bus ride to Dürnstein. Dürnstein is known as the “Pearl of the Wachau.” It can be crowded as many people want to see visit Dürnstein and it only has one narrow main street. However, once the tours have moved on to their next stop it was a small, sleepy, and quaint village. The two main highlights of the village are the blue tower of the monastic church and the ruins of the castle fortress perched on the hill above the village. King Richard I of England was held captive in the castle by Leopold V, the Babdenberg Duke in 1192. Visiting the castle requires a steep 30-minute hike.

Wine

The Wachau Valley is a very popular grape-growing region and Dürnstein is one of the Wachau wine centers. The Wachau Valley produces some of the most revered white wines in Austria, including world-class Rieslings and Grüner Veltliner. We had a tasting of 3 delicious wines at Wiengut-Bohmer.

Apricots

The Wachau Valley is also well known for its production of apricots. The Wachau apricot received EU protection in 1996. Apricots originated in China but made their way to the Danube region around the mid-1st century. In the 19th century, an infestation by grape phylloxera threatened wine production as the main source of income to the region. So, the Klosterneuburg apricot developed as another source of income. Apricots are turned into everything from brandy to jam to ice cream.

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