AustriaThe Wachau is a stretch of the Danube Valley between Melk and Krems, a landscape of high visual quality. It preserves in an intact and visible form many traces - in terms of architecture, (monasteries, castles, ruins), urban design, (towns and villages), and agricultural use, principally for the cultivation of vines - of its evolution since prehistoric times.
No booking needed
Google Places data checked May 7, 2026.
Confidence: high.
The Wachau is an Austrian valley formed by the Danube River. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria, located between the towns of Melk and Krems that attracts epicureans for its high-quality wines. It is 36 kilometres (22 mi) in length and has been settled since prehistoric times. Among the tourist attractions is Dürnstein Castle, where King Richard I of England was held captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria. The architectural elegance of its monasteries, castles and ruins combined with the urban architecture of its towns and villages, and the cultivation of vines as an important agricultural produce are the dominant features of the valley.
Read more on Wikipedia →Summary excerpted from the Wikipedia article Wachau, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be clipped or paraphrased to fit this page.