4.7 stars for Dürnstein Castle…read more We came to Dürnstein Castle as part of our river cruise tour along the Danube. The hike up to the castle ruins only takes about 20-40 minutes depending on how athletic you are (or let's be real- how often you stop for scenic photos). I am not very athletic, but I found this hike to be quite leisurely. Honestly, the ruins of the castle are not the highlight of Dürnstein in my opinion. Rather, it is the breathtaking views of the surrounding scenic vineyards, Danube river and small towns from the higher altitude that make this castle hike so spectacular and worthwhile. The small town is also fun to explore, as it is a cute and quaint village worthy of photographing. They also sell little souvenirs/postcards and apricot products (such as apricot chocolate or apricot wine) since they are known for their apricots. I would highly recommend hiking up to the castle if you are physically able! And Dürnstein itself is such a peaceful and endearing small town!

Dürnstein Castle was a really fun excursion for us. It's located above the town of Dürnstein on…read morethe Danube river. I saw some river cruise boats docked close to here but we were actually bussed in from a dock that was further away. You really need to wear your walking shoes if you want to visit the castle because the only way to get to it is to hike. You start off by going up an uphill paved street past what looked like a residential area. After a while you'll transition a steeper uphill dirt road. Eventually you'll also have to traverse some somewhat sketchy stone steps. If you have mobility issues this might not be the excursion for you. It was more challenging than I expected to get to the castle but I enjoyed the views on the way. The ruined castle is where King Richard I of England was imprisoned, which was fascinating to hear about. The views from the castle ruins were quite stunning. You not only get wonderful views of the town below, but of the Danube as well. You'll want to make sure you bring coins with you on this trip because the only public restroom I could find in town required specific coins to get in with no method of making change. Don't even get me started on that.

This was the final stop of our Austria drive before we hit Vienna for our flight home. I made sure…read moreour travels included a stop at the abbey since it was a large UNESCO site, high above the Danube River and had some impressive rooms inside. The signage throughout the city of Melk was plenty and clearly directed us to the parking lot above the abbey. Remember to take your parking ticket for free validation at the ticket office. It was around a 10 minute walk from the parking lot to the main ticketing desk. Don't go to the garden ticket booth unless you have a ticket or only want to pay for the garden visit. Admission included access to the church (amazing detail), museum, library (open but under renovation), gardens (with a must see interior of the Pavilion main hall), bastion (panoramic views above Melk and Danube) and the Marble Room (beautiful ceiling paintings). We joined the English guided tour for 4 Euros per person (Skippable IMO) and ended in the library as the guides were not allowed into the final stop, the church. From the guided tour one of the most important highlight was the famous Melk Cross, with a splinter of the true cross, had been stolen twice and fought over (Vienna and Melk) but now was no longer on display due to its condition. Since this was an active abbey photos were not allowed once inside by policy. Sometime the docents would stop you but other times not (ie. adult chaperones overseeing a school field trip). Guided tour took almost one hour but by the time we wrapped up our visit a storm moved in. We missed taking photos from the city of Melk to show just how large this complex was. If you're visiting Vienna then take a side trip out here. It will be worth it.

Melk Abbey Visited…read morethe abbey on an all-day tour starting in Vienna, then heading to Hallstatt and Salzburg. We were only there for 45 minutes, so I just had time to run in and admire the beautiful church. That was more than enough to know I have to return to Austria to properly explore the abbey and the entire Wachau Valley. What a place!!!

Now the warmer season starts, lots of fun for the whole family!!!…read more The museum provides lots of international as well as Austrian history (even with "real artifacts" every first two Saturdays of the month (2-5pm). The castle courtyard with its ponds invites you for long walks or bike rides even almost to Vienna and the other direction to Wr. Neustadt alongside the water channel. The restaurant with its empire ambience makes you feel very special and experience an unforgetable time. Come, see and enjoy!!!