Danube Trip Tours Take You Back Through Time
October 4th, 2009 by Jason MyersA Danube trip is a dream destination for many travelers. This is one of the places you can visit to reconnect with a number of historical places that you have read about. You can travel through the Danube region by bus, private auto or boat. The choice of transportation is up to you.
If you have signed up for one of the popular guided tours you can relax, because most of these services have a door to door service and will send a driver to the hotel where you are staying. Once they have picked up you driver will take you to your next stop.
Many people choose to stay at one of the hotels in Vienna and this is a central hub where many Danube trip tours begin. From Vienna it is easy and exciting to travel out to the Wachau and Danube Valleys.
One of your first stops may be Krems, which is listed as one of Austria's oldest cities.The Stein Gate can still be seen. This is all that is now left of the medieval aged walls that once surrounded this Austrian town. This part of your Danube trip will allow you to see the Wine Museum and Krems' unique monastery.
From Krems you might just travel to Durnstein which is the place where King Richard the Lionheart was once held as a captive during the 12th century. There are some castle ruins that remain although the castle itself was essentially destroyed in the 17th century.
You can visit the Benedictine Monastery and Abbey when your Danube trip includes a visit to the city of Melk. This structure is considered to be one of the most majestic of all Austrian Baroque constructions. A recent renovation has restored much of the original beauty to the Abbey and it has even been named the "Pearl of Austrian Baroque". You can only tour the left wing of the Abbey because the right wing still operates as both an Abbey and as a school
The interior of the Baroque style worship area is decorated with gilt and you will certainly want to get at least a glimpse of the magnificent ceiling. Tour guides will point out many of the most interesting details and will be glad to answer your questions. Have your camera charged because there are many great photo ops here.
You can also tour the Castle Schallaburg, or the Town Hall that dates back to the 16th century. Many tourists also want to sample a bit of Austrian food during this their Danube trip. There are some small, locally owned eateries where you may stop for some authentic Austrian cuisine.