The Village of Weißenkirchen (Weißenkirchen in der Wachau)
The village of Weißenkirchen is located a 5-minute drive from Dürnstein, in the heart of the Wachau Valley. It is a small and charming village with ancient stone streets and a long-standing tradition of winemaking. The villagers mainly make a living from wine production, and the place is considered the largest wine center in the Wachau Valley. You can enter the small wineries and taste local wine straight from the producer. Recommended wineries in the village include Weingut Holzapfel and Gutshofrestaurant Prandtauerhof, but of course, in any other winery in the village, you can enjoy wine tasting and an authentic experience.
In the village, you can also walk among the vineyards and green trees and be impressed by the ancient and fortified Gothic church, which was built in the 14th century. A watchtower was built next to the church, which served as a place of defense against the Turkish invaders in the 17th century. The inner courtyard of the church (in German: Teisenhoferhof) was built in the Renaissance style in the 16th century and has been exceptionally well preserved. In this beautiful place, festivals, music events (the Riesling Festival takes place in August), and art exhibitions are held.
Additionally, the Wachau Museum (in German: Wachaumuseum) is located in the church courtyard. The museum is small and presents the history of the region. It is open from April to October from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
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The Village of Spitz
Another five-minute drive up the river will take you to another small and beautiful village called Spitz. The ancient village is situated among vineyards and green vegetation and offers wonderful views of the Danube River and the entire valley. In the southern part of the village are the ruins of a 1000-year-old castle. This castle is called Hinterhaus, and it was once used by the rulers of the Spitz region. Although it was destroyed, you can still see the structure of the castle and its walls that remain standing. Legends say that the ruined castle is haunted by the ghosts of its last inhabitants.
In the village, there is a museum dedicated to the world of shipping and the ancient ships that used to travel along the Danube. The museum (called Schifffahrtsmuseum in German) is open from April to the end of October, every day from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Admission costs €7 for an adult and €5 for a child.
Address: Auf der Wehr 21, 3620 Spitz
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If you want to continue exploring the valley beyond visiting the villages of Weißenkirchen and Spitz, you can see several other interesting places.
