Discover Melk: Abbey, town and Danube

Melk combines impressive Baroque architecture with a historic old town, a varied abbey park and trails for all kinds of exploration. Then there is the Wachau: this UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape stretches along the Danube Valley between Melk and Krems, bringing together the free-flowing Danube, vineyard terraces, forests and historic settlements. When searching for a holiday apartment, you can first consider whether abbey culture, local history or nature experiences should be the main focus of your stay.

Abbey and gardens: Baroque rooms and leafy paths

Melk Abbey is one of the most impressive unified Baroque buildings north of the Alps. The abbey church is considered a highlight of the Baroque monastery complex. The abbey library is a particular attraction on the tour, which also takes visitors to the two state rooms. The Imperial Rooms now house the museum. If you would like to look beyond the abbey grounds, an observation terrace on the second floor offers views from the Alpine foothills to the Waldviertel. Check the abbey’s latest visitor information before your visit.

The abbey park offers its own distinctive setting: its design brings together Baroque influences and features of the English landscape garden. A walk takes you, among other places, to the Baroque pavilion, the Jardin oriental, the Benediktusweg and the Walahfrid-Strabo-Garten. This makes it possible to complement a visit to the architecture with a stroll through gardens of contrasting styles.

Old town, remembrance and Melk culture

The historic old town is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Haus am Stein is the oldest house in Melk to have survived in its original form. The history of the parish church goes back to a chapel built around 1400, which was expanded into a church in the 15th century. In the town park, the view shifts from the historic town centre to greenery: the park, covering just over one hectare, opened in May 1886.

The Melk Concentration Camp Memorial offers a different way to engage with history. The former crematorium building was declared a public memorial in 1962 and has housed the memorial site ever since. It contains an exhibition providing an overview of contemporary history. Two annual events add to the cultural calendar: the International Baroque Days take place at Melk Abbey at Pentecost, while the summer festival takes place at the Wachauarena in summer. You can check the specific event dates before travelling.

Fresh coffee is roasted daily at Café zum Fürsten. Visitors can learn about the roasting process and sample freshly roasted coffee. Along the Grüne Kunstmeile, existing art is gradually being complemented by works from living artists; this does not imply that any particular installation is currently on display.

Walks, the Danube and the surrounding landscape

Hiking trails around Melk pass through flat terrain and hilly countryside, forests and areas along the Danube. One specific way to discover historic sites in town is the 1.5-kilometre circular route “Der Rote Faden” (“The Red Thread”). Along the route, audio tracks can be accessed on a smartphone via QR codes on steles and information boards. The circular route and the wider network of hiking trails offer different ways to explore Melk on foot.

Regular boat services operate on the Danube; most run between Krems and Melk in the Wachau. If a boat trip is part of your plans, check the timetable for your travel date. To appreciate the region, it is useful to distinguish between Melk as a specific destination and the Wachau as a wider cultural landscape of river, vineyard terraces, forest and historic settlements.

Getting here and choosing the right holiday apartment

Melk is located directly on the Western Railway line and can be reached by train. From the station, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to walk through the town centre to the abbey. The abbey is also an accessible destination for cyclists on the Danube Cycle Path: it is only a few minutes away from the route. This makes it easy to include train and cycling routes in your day’s plans.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can tailor your stay to the experiences that matter most to you: the abbey’s rooms and views, the old town’s historic traces, a walk in the park, or paths and boat connections along the Danube. Consider which of these interests you would like to prioritise, and factor the property’s exact location into your search.

Discover more destinations: Schönbühel An Der Donau, Sankt Oswald, Persenbeug, Weiten, Pöggstall, Ruprechtshofen, Ybbs An Der Donau, Pöchlarn, Texing, Zelking, Nächst Altenmarkt, Yspertal, Sankt Leonhard am Forst, Loosdorf, Melk, Marbach An Der Donau, Emmersdorf An Der Donau, Artstetten, Hofamt Priel, Kilb, Maria Taferl, Dorfstetten, Laimbach Am Ostrong, Blindenmarkt, Kottingburgstall, Mank, Kemmelbach, Bergland, Dunkelsteinerwald, Leiben, Hessendorf, Aggsbach Dorf and Braunegg.

For the regional travel overview: Lower Austria.