Driving to Dürnstein: tolls, fuel & road trip guide

Dürnstein is a tiny walled wine town on the Danube and the postcard heart of the Wachau, the river valley between Melk and Krems that UNESCO listed in 2000 as a World Heritage cultural landscape. Its skyline is instantly recognisable: the blue-and-white Baroque tower of the former Augustinian abbey on the riverbank, and above it the ruined castle where the English king Richard the Lionheart was held captive in 1192–1193 on his way home from the Crusades.

On a road trip it is an easy and rewarding detour between Vienna and Salzburg: instead of staying on the motorway, follow the riverside road through the Wachau via Krems, Dürnstein, Spitz and Melk, lined with terraced vineyards of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling and orchards famous for Wachau apricots. Autumn is the valley's high season, when the vines turn gold after the harvest and the family-run Heurigen wine taverns open. The old town is car-free, so leave the car in the paid car parks at the edge of the village and explore on foot.

Top attractions

Dürnstein Castle ruins

The hilltop ruin where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192–1193, reached by a steep footpath from the old town; the reward is a sweeping view over the Danube bend and the vineyard terraces.

Dürnstein Abbey and its blue tower

The former Augustinian canons' abbey with its Baroque church and blue-and-white tower, the Wachau's best-known landmark; its terrace hangs right above the Danube.

Melk Abbey

The vast Baroque Benedictine abbey crowning a rock above the Danube at the western gateway of the Wachau, known for its ornate church and historic library; an easy stop on the way towards Salzburg.

Wachau vineyards and Heurigen

Stone-walled terraces of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling climb the valley slopes; in autumn, after the harvest, family wineries open their Heurigen taverns for young wine and simple local food.

Krems an der Donau

The historic town at the eastern end of the Wachau, a few kilometres downriver from Dürnstein, with the Steiner Tor gate, a lively old town and the Kunstmeile museums quarter; the natural first stop coming from Vienna.