At an abandoned railway station on the edge of the picturesque town of Dürnstein, I was surprised to find a small shop. Especially with its unique selection of sweet treats with added saffron. "We’ve been growing saffron successfully for a few years now," the shopkeeper told me. "We’re continuing a tradition from the 18th century, when sought-after spice plants were also grown along the Danube. In 2007, we planted the first 30,000 bulbs. Today, there are at least ten times as many, and from the flowers, we harvest the pistils, dry them, and use them as a spice. Since all the work is done by hand, saffron is expensive, but we sell every last bit! Either on its own or added to different products."
More than a hundred thousand flowers need to be gathered to gain a kilogram of the precious spice. They only dry the red pistils from the female flowers, which give many dishes that rich flavour and yellow colour. The saffron treats were a great way to kick off exploring the nearby town. What stands out most about its charming appearance is the blue-painted church tower, visible from afar, in the area of the former monastery. It’s the tower that makes so many couples want to pledge eternal loyalty in the nearby church. It’s surrounded by old stone houses, with souvenir shops and cafés lined up all around.
Dürnstein is one of the most picturesque places in the Wachau Valley. This beautiful stretch of the Danube is about forty kilometres west of Vienna, between the towns of Melk and Krems. The region is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its exceptional cultural landscape. The mild climate, along with saffron, is ideal for growing grapes and other fruit, especially apricots, known locally as marillen. They make brandy, juices, and delicious jams from them, or add the fruit to all sorts of dishes. Apricot dumplings are definitely a must-try!
The terraced vineyards and orchards are best admired from the river. This is quite easy, as small boats run through the valley from April to October. Cycling enthusiasts can rent bikes at over forty points, all managed by the company Next Bike. There’s a cycling path that follows the Danube, stretching all the way from Germany to Romania. In Austria, cyclists can find accommodation along the way. For those who need a break, they can also arrange transport for bikes and luggage by van or bus. There’s a road alongside the Danube on both sides, but there aren’t many bridges. Instead, small ferries cross the river in some places. Some still work like they used to, with no motors, just attached to a steel cable across the river. The river current takes care of the transport, much like it does in some places on the Mura River in Slovenia.
I found Melk to be a great place to stay for a few days. There’s a cosy HI hostel on the edge of town, which is also geared up for cyclists. The town has an old town centre, with a Benedictine monastery sitting on a hilltop, founded way back in 1089. Together with St. Peter’s Church, the monastery has been a spiritual and cultural centre for Lower Austria for a thousand years. Some rulers of the Babenberg family and the Irish saint Coloman are buried in the church. There are exhibitions in the monastery rooms, and the library is especially fascinating with its beautifully painted ceiling frescoes. It holds about 100,000 works, including valuable records from the Middle Ages. The books aren’t just for show, as the library is also open for studying. Part of the monastery is actually home to a well-known secondary school. With only around forty monks left, most of the work is done by other people, making the monastery one of the town's key employers. Throughout its long history, the monastery has also served as a fortress when needed. A restored defensive tower at the entrance is a reminder of those times. Today, it’s used for exhibitions and selling souvenirs, with a viewing terrace at the top.
One of the nicest stops with the boat trip was Spitz, with castle ruins on the left bank of the Danube. Hoping for a great view, I set off on a short climb. Dozens of old wine cellars stood as a reminder of an industry that has been bringing in profit since Roman times. No wonder the hill is called the Hill of a Thousand Buckets, as it’s said to produce a thousand wine buckets a year. You can see how important the vineyards are through the farmhouses in the village. One of them is a museum dedicated to the development of transportation on the Danube. Spitz also has a sandy beach, a riverside promenade and lots of marked trails.
The city of Krems was my last stop. Walking through the well-preserved city walls with the picturesque medieval Steiner Tor gate, I came to the main pedestrian shopping street. Renaissance and Baroque facades, and behind them various cafés, surprised me at every turn. I couldn’t help but visit the Hagmann pastry shop for its attractive window display, which has been making excellent chocolate pralines since 1836. Besides chocolate with different types of wine creams, cakes and ice cream were also delicious. You’ll see lots of young people around because there’s a university close by.
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