Austria 2015/ Durnstein and the Wachau Valley

Thursday, 9/17  We left Vienna and drove north to beautiful Durnstein on the banks of the Danube River in the Wachau Valley. We stopped here one day on a riverboat cruise in 2009 and have always wanted to return. We booked a room at the Hotel Richard Lowenherz which is inside the city gates and the pedestrian area.  You can only drive into the pedestrian area of you live in Durnstein or are staying at one of the few hotels that offer parking.  It was a little nerve-wracking to drive through a very narrow street that is barely wide enough for one vehicle and a couple of people walking along the street. We managed to make it to the hotel without taking out any pedestrians or our side mirrors. The hotel was absolutely wonderful, a former convent and originally a church in 1340. The convent garden is still lovely and some of the old church walls are still standing.  We had a spacious room overlooking the Danube River.

After settling into our room, we went out to see if we still knew our way around;) That's funny because Durnstein is tiny, so there's little chance of not finding your way.  Our favorite bakery is still there, not surprising I suppose since they have been in operation since 1780! They bake everything on the premises, fresh every day. I know they supply many of the local hotels and restaurants with baked goods because I saw their proprietors in the bakery. They make a wonderful roll called a Wachauer Laberl-delicious! Mike is a pretzel fan and Schmidl's pretzels definitely meet with his approval.  They make a variety of pastries and desserts too.  Needless to say, they saw us every day - sometimes a couple of times a day! Ok, maybe 3-4 times a day;)

There is a legend that Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned for ransom for 2 years in Durnstein's Kuenringer Castle on his way back from the Crusades. We hiked up to the castle ruins high above the town. The view from up there is fabulous. You can see the Danube, the pretty blue church tower, the vineyards, all the boats coming and going. This area is known for its vineyards and white wines also. I did have a glass with dinner one night and it was very nice, a variety called Gruner Veltliner.