Lower Austria

A River Famous for Wine

The jewel of the region is the Wachau, a sinuous stretch of the Danube valley where terraced vineyards climb steep banks above the water. Crisp Grüner Veltliner and elegant Riesling fill the cellars of villages like Dürnstein and Spitz, while apricot orchards blush pink each spring. A boat trip past ruined castles and riverside abbeys is one of Austria's quiet pleasures.

Abbeys, Castles and Baroque Splendour

Few places wear their history so grandly. The golden abbey of Melk crowns a rocky bluff above the Danube, Göttweig watches over the vines near Krems, and Klosterneuburg guards the approach to Vienna. Scattered between them sit medieval ruins, moated palaces and the elegant spa town of Baden, where emperors once came to take the waters.

Woods, Vines and Easy Escapes

For city dwellers, Lower Austria is the great outdoors next door. The Vienna Woods offer shady trails and heuriger wine taverns, the Schneeberg rises high enough for cog railways and winter snow, and the Thermenregion tempts visitors with warm springs. With St. Pölten as its lively young capital, the province balances quiet countryside with plenty to do.