Discover Melk: Abbey, city history and the Danube

Melk combines an important monastery, a rich urban history and the landscape of the Wachau. Melk Abbey, a Benedictine monastery, was founded in 1089. The abbey museum, housed in the former imperial apartments, presents the history and present-day life of the abbey. This makes Melk a cultural focal point that can be easily combined with walks, trips to the Danube and regional discoveries.

Urban history along paths and through old streets

Anyone wishing to get to know Melk not just as a collection of individual sights but as a historic town can choose the 1.5-kilometre circular route “The Red Thread”. It leads through the town’s history and to its historic sights. For exploring the town, you can either borrow an audio guide from the Wachau Info Center or use the audio tracks via QR code on your own smartphone. This makes the circular route an opportunity to take in the town’s history at your own pace.

Sterngasse also tells of Melk’s past: it is the oldest street in the town. The courtyards of the often medieval houses at their core offer views of Melk Abbey. At the parish church, the late Gothic Mount of Olives relief also commemorates the artistic history of the town. It is regarded as a Calvary and probably dates from around 1520, created by a master of the Danube School. The late Gothic Nibelungenhaus once flanked the former Sandtor, which provided access to the landing stage and the ferry across the Danube.

Wachau, the Danube and active excursions

The Wachau cultural landscape extends as a section of the Danube valley between Melk and Krems. Danube ships operate regularly between Krems and Melk, and cruises on the Danube offer views of the UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Anyone wishing to experience the region from the water can thus gain a different perspective on the Danube valley. When planning a holiday apartment in Melk, this change between town, river and cultural landscape can be an important consideration.

Cyclists will also encounter a variety of landscapes. The Danube Cycle Path is well developed around Melk. From it, well-marked and easily navigable routes lead into the southern valleys and into the more challenging landscape of the Waldviertel. In the area around Melk, hiking trails of varying lengths open up the plains, rolling countryside, forests and the Danube. Depending on your daily plans, you can therefore choose between cycling, hiking and a cultural visit without limiting Melk to just one type of trip.

Water, wine and evening entertainment

At Wachaubad Melk, swimming courses and training sessions for children and adults, water aerobics and diving from the boards are offered in June and July. For a trip during these months, this means that, alongside sightseeing, you can also plan a time-limited programme centred around the water. “Wein & Wachau” provides a regional highlight: selected wines from the Wachau wine-growing region are tasted in a stone-vaulted cellar; the growing areas, soils and grape varieties are also explained.

There are several different options for evening culture. The Melk Summer Festival presents theatre and humorous musical revues every year at the Wachauarena. The Tischlerei Melk cultural workshop in the town centre offers cabaret and small-scale performances. Melk’s historic heritage can also be explored along four themed trails. The Melk Town Museum currently presents Melk’s prehistoric and early history; appointments are arranged by telephone.

Which accommodation suits your travel plans?

When looking for a holiday apartment in Melk, it is worth deciding on the main focus of your trip first. Anyone wishing to combine the abbey, museum, Sterngasse and the themed trails will plan differently from someone placing the Danube Cycle Path, hiking trails or a cruise at the centre of their trip. For stays in June and July, the activities at Wachaubad may also play a role. What matters is not a general classification, but the specific location of the accommodation in relation to your personal daily plans.

For further orientation within this selection, you can also find Laimbach Am Ostrong, Persenbeug, Artstetten, Ybbs An Der Donau, Zelking, Pöchlarn, Dunkelsteinerwald and Hofamt Priel.

For the overarching travel overview: Melk.