Statia

We really want to see the Danube Valley on our trip to Austria and we only have one day to do so. We don't typically try to fit in so much within a day, but it's important for us to us to see the Mauthausen Concentration Camp the following day enroute to Salzburg, so we are limited on time on this particular day after our time spent in Vienna.

In reading my guidebook, this one day itinerary for the Danube Valley seems like it "might" be feasible, but I'm not sure since the book has limited info. So, if anyone can give me more insight on this route, it would be greatly appreciated.

-Early train from Vienna to Melk / hotel check-in.
-Tour the Melk Abbey.
-Boat cruise from Melk to Spitz.
-Cycle from Spitz to Krems.
-Krems back to Melk via train or boat with bicycle.

This is a suggested route in my guidebook, but I don't know if we can tour the abbey AND do the boat/cycle tour. If we can, how do we return the bikes to Spitz?

I've done searches on the forum, as well as looked at a few websites, but haven't found much more info.

Thanks in advance for any insight you wonderful Fodorites can give me.

rkkwan

I don't know the exact answer, but a couple of things that may help you:

1. You can bring bicycles onto the cruise for free.
2. Trains don't go from Spitz/Krems to Melk without long and complicated connections, as they run on opposite side of the Danube.

One possibility is to rent can rent the bike in Melk instead, bring it onto the boat to Spitz. Ride to Krems. Take bike onto boat and back to Melk.

However, if you take the 1st boat out of Melk at 11, you don't have enough time to tour the abbey. If you take the 2nd sailing, then you only have 65 minutes to get from Spitz to Krems, i.e. as fast as the boat goes downstream, which is also not good.

Perhaps you only ride from Spitz to Durnstein. You then have 100 minutes to cover the the shorter distance.

So, to recap, get to Melk early, check in at hotel and visit the abbey. Go down to town and rent bike, take 13:50 ferry, arrives in Spitz at 14:40. Ride to Durnstein. Take bike onto ferry back at 16:20. Arrives Melk 18:40, return bike.

degas

Statia, that area is very pretty and can be done in a day.

Its been a while, but I think we did something very similiar to what rkkwan laid out so well for you. We ended up doing a little shorter bike ride to mesh with a tight ferry schedule. It was still a great thing to do.

Statia

Thank you so much rkkwan, and Degas too (you gigolo you). You've been most helpful!

rkkwan...aren't you presently in Houston? Reason I'm asking is that's my hometown.

Thanks again. I'll look into your replies.

rkkwan

Statia - Yes, I live in Houston right now.

And just to say that I haven't been to the Wachau myself. The information I have is by researching a trip for my parents last fall, and editing their video after they return. The Melk Abbey is a must see. And I don't think you'll miss too much in terms of scenary between Durnstein and Krems. The valley widens down there and is less dramatic than between Melk and Krems. The town of Krems is pretty interesting, but you won't have time to visit it anyhow, biking or not.

rkkwan

I mean the valley is wider between Durnstein and Krems than it is between Melk and Durnstein.

Statia

Thanks for the additional info, rkkwan.

Statia

One more question. About how far is the bike ride from Spitz to Durnstein? Does anyone know approximate mileage and how much time it takes? Would there be time to stop anywhere along the way or will we just be rushed?

Thanks.

BarbaraF

This probably doesn't answer your last question, but last summer, we stayed in Durnstein, took bicycles from our hotel and biked to Melk, toured the Abbey, ate lunch and took the boat (with the bicycles, as many people did) back to Durnstein. It was an ambitious bicycle ride, but there is a bike path the entire route, lovely and very enjoyable. The last stretch, coming into Melk, was an extreme uphill climb, but fine if you are in decent shape. We didn't have advance tickets for the boat, and didn't need them. We actually couldn't have ridden back on the bikes, even if we were up to the exercise, as a strong storm came up.

We also visited the Mauthausen camp. We stopped there en route to the Czech Republic. It was VERY difficult to find the camp -- there are virtually no signs for it on the road or in the town. I cannot recall the word for the "camp" but either the Fodors or Frommers book tells you the sign to look for along the road -- its a particular word that didn't seem to bear any relation to the camp. In any event, the camp is outside the town of Mauthausen. It is something I will never forget. It was a good thing we visited the camp as we were leaving Austria and not at the beginning of our trip, because among the exhibits are maps and descriptions of where all the death and concentration camps were in Austria, and the number of deaths at each camp, and they are all over the place -- all over the picturesque little towns we had stayed, eaten or toured, and enjoyed ourselves along the way. Very hard to comprehend the devastation.

BarbaraF

I went back to read my trip report from last july -- our biking was a bit different than what you propose -- on the afternoon that we arrived in Durnstein, we biked to Krems and back. It was not a long trip at all, a nice afternoon ride, again, level bike paths all the way. Maybe only 3 hours, and that included stopping for a long lunch. The next day, we spent the entire day biking from Durnstein to Melk (Durnstein is located in between Krems and Melk). I think it was not longer than about a 20 mile ride from Krems to Melk, because I can't do much more than that, and after a lunch (and beer) in the town of Melk, we were ready for the Abbey tour. I can't recall where Spitz is in relation to the other three towns.

It was a wonderful ride, in and among the vineyards and small towns along the river, but we were happy to take the boat back!

rkkwan

The Wachau cruises stop at both Spitz and Durnstein on their trips between Melk and Krems. The geography is this: from upstream to downstream:

Melk - ~11 miles - Spitz - 7.5 miles - Durnstein - 4.5 miles - Krems. Total trip ~23 miles.

As I mentioned earlier, Melk is on the south side of the Donau, Spitz/Durnstein/Kresm on the north side. There are bridges at Melk and Krems, but not in between. I have no information about ferries that crosses the river.

Statia

Thanks so much for both of your help. It lookes like we should be able to cycle from Spitz to Durnstein, along with a few stops for photos, etc. within the two hour time frame.

Barbara, thanks also for the Mauthhuasen info. We definitely have that planned for the following day enroute to Salzburg by train.

BarbaraF

You're welcome Statia. It made me happy to go back and think about biking along the Danube. We had glorious weather and it was beautiful. Mauthausen was not such a pleasant memory, and I hadn't thought of it in almost a year. We didn't want to go there, rather we felt we had to, to honor the memory of those who perished. It was particularly chilling to see a picture of a man whose uncommon Polish name was the same as my mother-in-law's. It was also chilling to us that the town, with the dearth of signs or directions, appears really to be in denial.

Sue_xx_yy

The sign I believe Barbara is thinking of is "K-Z Lager" - follow it to the camp. Note that going to the camp is quite awkward if you are using public transportation; a car is much better.

Statia

Barbara, my husband and I don't have Mauthausen on our itinerary because we really relish the thought of seeing it, either. Instead, we feel that we should. After seeing so many documentaries of the era, we feel it's our duty. "We can never forget."

Statia

I forgot to say thanks to Sue, as well. We will be taking the train from Melk, and have what seems to be pretty good directions from there...unless anyone can tell me any different.

BarbaraF

It is indeed only one small sign along the road for "K-Z Lager" that directs you to the camp. What does "K-Z Lager" mean? We weren't able to figure it out, and only knew to follow it from the guide book.

molker

Reading the posts about the Danube and Wachau, I was surprised no one mentioned the village of Weissen kirchen ( between Spitz and Durnstein ) www.weissenkirchen.at This is beautiful, small wine village with much to see and do- as the website can describe ,in english much beter than I.

Also two ferries cross the Danube between Melk and Krems. One at Spitz , the other at Weissenkirchen. They take cars, bikes , hikers even cows some days.

Also, check with your hotel in Melk ( i assumed you stay there) Many hotels provide guests with bikes and could really help with information.

Statia

Thanks for the extra info, Molker!