Discover Melk: Abbey, city history and the Wachau

A stay in Melk can focus on the history of the abbey, historic sites in the city, or seasonal cultural and leisure activities. If you are looking for a hotel in Melk, planning your own trip can help you choose what to focus on: a 1.5-kilometre history trail, museum exhibits, events or paths through the countryside offer different ways to spend your time here.

Abbey and historic sites in the city

The Benedictine Abbey of Melk was founded in 1089. The abbey museum is housed in the former Imperial Apartments and presents the history and present-day life of the abbey. A visit to the museum therefore looks not only at its founding, but also at life at the abbey today.

For a walk through the city’s history, the 1.5-kilometre “Red Thread” trail is a good option. It leads through Melk’s history and past historic sights. You can explore it with an audio guide available to borrow from the Wachau Info Center, or listen to audio tracks via QR codes on your own smartphone. If you would like to borrow the guide, check in advance what options are currently available. In total, Melk’s historic heritage can be explored along four themed trails.

Sterngasse is the oldest street in Melk. The courtyards of houses whose cores are often medieval offer views of the abbey. The parish church features a Late Gothic Mount of Olives relief, considered a Calvary, which is thought to have been created by a master of the Danube School around 1520. The Late Gothic Nibelungen House also reflects the city’s former layout: it flanked the former Sand Gate, which provided access to the landing stage and the ferry crossing over the Danube.

Culture and seasonal activities

The Melk City Museum currently features the prehistory and early history of Melk; visits are by appointment, arranged by phone. Every year, the Melk Summer Festival presents theatre and humorous musical revues at the Wachauarena. If you are planning to attend a performance, check the dates for your travel period. The Tischlerei Melk cultural workshop in the city centre hosts cabaret and small-scale performing arts.

At “Wein & Wachau,” selected wines from the Wachau wine-growing region are tasted in a stone-vaulted cellar. The growing areas, soils and grape varieties are also explained. If you are planning a visit, check the arrangements for booking a time in advance. In June and July, Wachaubad Melk offers swimming courses and training for children and adults, aqua aerobics and tower diving. If you are making specific plans, check the programme dates for your travel period.

Trails, cycling and the Danube

For a short city walk focused on history, the 1.5-kilometre Red Thread is a clearly defined option. Those who want to explore different landscapes will find hiking trails of varying lengths around Melk, through the plains, hills and forests, and along the Danube. For cycling, the Danube Cycle Path around Melk is well established; well-marked, easy-to-ride routes branch off from it into the southern valleys and the more challenging landscape of the Waldviertel. The options therefore vary in distance, landscape and difficulty.

The Wachau Cultural Landscape stretches along a section of the Danube Valley between Melk and Krems. Danube cruises offer views of the UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Boats operate regularly between Krems and Melk; if you are planning a trip, check the timetable for your travel date.

Discover more destinations: Nächst Altenmarkt, Kilb, Mank, Hofamt Priel, Persenbeug, Aggsbach Dorf, Hessendorf, Ruprechtshofen

Back to the main travel overview: Melk.