Nestled in the town of Durnstein in the Wachau Region, a valley formed by the Danube river, this…read morechapel rises over the river and blends with the landscape in an amazing way, when you approach the town by boat you see the blue church tower and the hills rising beyond, it is simply amazing. The building of this monastery and chapel dates back to the late 1300s. Make sure to climb the tower for an amazing view of the Danube river and the wachau valley.

Gorgeous church in the town of Dürnstein. It was first built on a rock cliff high above the Danube…read morein 1410 and then modified and baroquized in the first half of the 18th century. It was at this time that the wonderfully decorated interior of the abbey church with its warm colors came into being along with the regional landmark, the blue and white tower. It seems like an architectural signal in the landscape with its striking colors and the fine materials that make its surface look like ceramic. It costs €3.50 to go in and have a look around. The abbey itself is quite stunning and you can go into the balcony and look down on this amazing church. You can also walk around the terrace with wide expansive views of the Danube. Worth a visit when in town. It's located down a set of stairs from the main pedestrian area.

Pretty little church in Melk you'll most likely pass by from the train station on you way to…read moreRathausplatz. It's not that large but it's worth a quick stop over on your way to the main square. Or, it's another one oft good for a photo opp and move on kind of places.

From the outside, it was just a simple, boring looking abbey, if you can even say that. Once you…read moreenter the gate/door, it's totally a different story, it's like walking in a different era, there's medieval, there's Baroque, there's Romanesque, there's Early Gothic cloisters. Where can you find all that under one sky or should ROOF! It's an easy drive e from Vienna to the woods. You can take the train, if you want. This is Austria's second oldest Cistercian monastery. It's not a waste of time, it's a perfect drive out of Vienna, for some relaxed drive through the wineries.

From the owner: The abbey Stift Heiligenkreuz in the Vienna Woods is known far beyond our local borders…read more Heiligenkreuz was founded in 1133 by Leopold III, a member of the Babenberg dynasty and a saint. It has been a living monastery ever since. Stift Heiligenkreuz is only 15 kilometres from the edge of Vienna and easily reachable via highway A21. Despite the proximity to cosmopolitan Vienna, the monastery lies in a peaceful and secluded valley in the Vienna Woods, surrounded by gently rolling hills and forests of beech and fir. The monks welcome visitors and guests, and the more than 100,000 tourists who visit the abbey every year! Here you can see all the major architectural styles and artistic movements of the last 900 years. You can visit the grave of the man who kidnapped Richard the Lionheart. And you can breathe in the incense-scented air in the light-drenched abbey church and marvel at the dancing skeletons in the Chapel of the Dead. But most of all, Heiligenkreuz is no dusty museum: it is a living and vibrant monastery. Monks live and work here, and we pray the Divine Office every day for the people of the 21st Century. That means that you can hear the monks singing Gregorian chant here, you can attend Mass, you can pray and you can make confession.

This review combines our recent experience at this church and the surrounding Mexikoplatz. Gayle…read moreand I walked all around both, and experienced a residential neighborhood vibe. We were unable to enter the church, but did find evidence of a mass schedule (at the side door) and a daycare operation. The main entrances were either a campground for homeless folks or were securely fenced off. Yet apparently, this church is home to the Vienna English Speaking Catholic Community. The St. Francis of Assisi Church is located along the Danube and sports a signature brick Basilica profile. We also used this landmark to to find our way back to our cruise ship. The surrounding Mexikoplatz (Mexico Square), formerly known as Erzherzog-Karl-Platz (Archduke-Karl-Square), commemorates the fact that Mexico was the only country outside the Soviet Union to protest against the Anschluss of Austria to Nazi Germany. The Church and Plaza are also located on the southwestern end of the Reichsbrücke (Empire Bridge). Gayle and I also noted that we were located in the Vienna's Second District, Leopoldstadt, which was also the name of a famous play of that name by Tom Stoppard. Not surprisingly, there was clearly a disconnect between the setting of this play and what we experienced in this District.

This church looks older than it really is. It was built to celebrate the anniversary of some…read moreruler's coronation, and was built to just look old. It's a nice lookin' church, situated right along the Danube, overlooking the banks. Behind this church is MexicoPlatz, which is named in honor of the fact that Mexico refused to go along with Germany's plans in WWII, and they dedicated this plaza after Mexico! It's honestly the least-Mexican "Mexican" plaza I've ever been in, but it's nice! They have a big stone plaque commemorating the plaza in Austrian and Spanish. There's a playground with outdoor ping pong tables, park benches, trash cans and places to hang out and throw a frisbee around! There's plenty of trees, and it's a nice spot to hang. It felt well lit and safe at night. The neighborhood isn't really Mexican. I couldn't find a taqueria anywhere around here, but there's plenty of Kabab places nearby. Overall, it's a nice place to come out and celebrate Mexican heritage. When going through, be sure to shout out a loud "Grito" to let everyone know- Viva Mexico!

St. Peter's was modeled after its namesake in the Vatican and was ornately decorated inside à la…read moreBaroque style. The church was open for visitors anytime outside any scheduled services. One good reason to visit Perskirche was to attend their free daily concerts scheduled at 3pm. Normally it would be an organ concert but this month they had visiting groups from around the world (a Florida group sang during our visit). The concert lasted around 45 minutes and the both the singers and acoustics were impressive. It doesn't matter where you sit to appreciate the performance. However, the pews were quite uncomfortable for the entire duration. The seatback ended about midway up my back and had an edge that dug into it making it hard to sit up straight. I'd recommend sitting in the overflow chairs that were placed in the aisles since they were of a modern design!

Peterskirche is exactly what you imagine a beautiful European church to be. The interior is filled…read morewith ornate sculptures, stunning artwork, grand columns, and incredible architectural details, with gold accents everywhere. Despite all the gilding, it never feels overwhelming or gaudy--just elegant and breathtaking. It's especially beautiful on a sunny day when the light streams through the windows and illuminates the entire church. From the outside, it doesn't look very large, which might make you think the interior will be small, but once you step inside, it's surprisingly spacious and impressive. Definitely add this to your must-see list when visiting Vienna!

Incredible ceiling. It's hard to believe that one is looking at a flat surface. A really marvellous…read moreexample of a Baroque Church. The Inlay work in the pews is also so intricate and I imagine most of the tourists never even glance at them, if they enter this humble church at all. From the outside, you wouldn't give this church a second glance. But it is one of the oldest, and it is associated with the original Vienna University next door. The modern altar looks very plain but is actually constructed of 11 chairs with a table on top to represent the last supper. The twelfth chair is cleverly placed off to one side. So simple, yet powerful. So glad I visited this hidden gem. No tickets required. They also have concerts here. Well worth a visit, and if you can attend a musical performance, even better.

I don't know how it was possible to have this beautiful church to myself one quiet Sunday. But I…read moredid indeed. The Jesuits have a "complicated" history in Vienna but this church is certainly a glorious reminder of their towering influence when the Holy Roman Empire still existed, and was ruled by Hapsburgs. Beautiful side altars, lots of gold and silver (very Jesuit) and no expense spared. It's a dream for Catholics but I have to think that even an unbeliever would marvel at the craftsmanship inside. AMDG, indeed.