Krems

Wachau’s wine capital

Krems an der Donau sits at the eastern end of the Wachau, where the valley opens into the flat Danube plain east of Vienna. It is the Wachau’s largest town, a working city rather than a picture-postcard village, and the place where the valley’s wine industry has its commercial centre.

For visitors, Krems offers three things: an excellent medieval old town (Altstadt) with a 15th-century Steiner Tor gate, a strong wine culture including the Winzer Krems cooperative (one of Austria’s largest wine producers), and a position as the eastern terminus for the Danube boat from Melk — making it the natural end-point for the classic Wachau day-trip circuit.

Getting there

By train: Wien Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof (not Hauptbahnhof) to Krems Bahnhof, approximately 1 hour, hourly. The station is 15 minutes’ walk from the old town.

As part of the Wachau circuit: Most visitors arrive in Krems by boat from Melk — the downstream journey takes 1h45 through the most scenic part of the Wachau. See Melk for the circuit logistics.

The Vienna day tour to Wachau Valley includes Krems as part of a broader valley circuit, covering the highlights without requiring self-organisation of trains and boats.

The old town

The Altstadt of Krems is compact and walkable in 45 minutes. The main street (Landstrasse) is lined with baroque facades from the 17th–18th centuries. The Steiner Tor (the medieval gate, 1480) is the most-photographed landmark. The Dominikanerkirche — a 13th-century Dominican church repurposed as the Krems municipal art gallery — has contemporary exhibitions in a well-preserved gothic hall.

Stein an der Donau — technically a separate village but merged administratively with Krems — is 1 km west along the Danube shore and has a quieter, more residential character. The walk along the waterfront between Krems and Stein takes 20 minutes and passes the best of the riverfront architecture.

Wine in Krems

Krems is the commercial heart of Wachau and Kremstal wine production. The Winzer Krems cooperative winery (established 1938) offers tastings and a large wine shop — the entry point for visitors without a specific producer in mind. The Lenz Moser and Nikolaihof (the oldest winery in Austria, Roman roots) wineries are a short drive or taxi from the town centre.

The Wachau Valley day tour with wine tasting pairs the valley’s historic sites with organised winery visits — the practical choice if wine is the primary motivation for the trip.

Where to eat and drink

Zum Wachauer on Untere Landstrasse: traditional Wachau cooking (Marillenkuchen — apricot cake — is the regional speciality), good wine list from local producers.

Restaurant Jell in Stein: the most respected kitchen in the area, using Wachau produce and pairing with local wines.

The Gozzoburg — a 13th-century merchant’s palace — has a wine bar in its courtyard that is one of the area’s nicest settings for an afternoon glass of Grüner Veltliner.