Spitz: Cultural History, Wine Landscape and Apricots
Accommodation in Spitz
Spitz brings together distinctive architectural history, wine country and apricot culture. These themes offer practical guidance when choosing a travel destination: the parish church and historic sites reflect the town’s history, while the wine hiking trail and Spitzer Graben showcase the landscape from different perspectives. Wachau apricots, which grow right in the town, and events celebrating the fruit are also part of the picture. If you’re looking for a hotel in Spitz, you can decide whether cultural history, vineyards or regional traditions should shape your stay.
Cultural history in Spitz
The parish church in Spitz has a striking architectural feature: its longitudinal axis is not straight. In Austria, this feature occurs in only seven churches. The parish church’s tower dates back to the early 14th century. This means the building offers two specific points of reference for its architectural history: the unusual alignment of the nave and the tower’s early date.
The Spitz Maritime Museum is housed in Erlahof Baroque Castle and focuses on the history of wooden ships and rafts on the Danube. Here, the focus is on the history of navigation, while the parish church is notable above all for its architecture and tower. Hinterhaus Castle ruins were first mentioned in 1243, adding another clearly dated point of reference to the area’s history.
The Red Gate also links local history with a view: it is the last of the seven fortification gates and offers a lovely view of Spitz. It is about a 20-minute walk from the town center. This approximate walking time offers a practical reference for planning; the view of Spitz provides a different focus from the town’s architectural history.
Wine country and trails
Terraced vineyards rise around Spitz. The Spitzer Weinwanderweg (Spitz Wine Hiking Trail) passes over stone terraces and through famous wine-growing areas. Along the way, there are views of Spitz, the Danube and the Wachau. The landscape and winegrowing define this trail: the stone terraces and vineyards describe its surroundings, while the views open up onto the wider region.
The Spitzer Graben offers a different way to orient yourself. It is a side valley of the Danube Valley, in the Wachau wine-growing region and World Heritage Site. Near Spitz, it runs north toward the Waldviertel, via Elsarn am Jauerling to MĂĽhldorf. While the wine hiking trail passes through stone terraces and vineyards, the Graben describes a regional route. These are two distinct aspects of the landscape, not the same route.
Apricots and regional events
Wachau apricots grow right in the town. The Marillenkirtag apricot festival has been held at Spitz’s Kirchenplatz for decades. Both the fruit itself and a longstanding festival tradition are part of the town’s local character. The 2026 listing also includes the experience “Wachauer Marille – From Blossom to Enjoyment,” featuring tastings of fine products. Check event dates before your trip.
Camera Obscura on the roll-on/roll-off ferry
On the Spitz–Arnsdorf roll-on/roll-off ferry, the Camera Obscura projects a moving image of the surrounding landscape onto an interior wall of the ferry. The landscape itself becomes the subject of the image. The Camera Obscura is shown during the ferry’s operating hours from April to October; however, the presentation depends on water levels and weather. Take these conditions into account when planning and check them before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Neuweidling, Krumau am Kamp, Kammern, Oberarnsdorf, Albrechtsberg an der Großen Krems, Straß im Straßertale, Wösendorf in der Wachau, Krems an der Donau.
Back to the regional travel overview: Krems-Land.
