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Planning a Family Day Trip to Melk & Wachau Valley from Vienna

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We’ll be in Vienna for four full days (not including travel days) and are planning a day trip to Melk and the Wachau Valley. Our family of four includes two 15-year-olds, and we’re thinking of taking a train around 8 AM to start the day.

I’m trying to figure out whether there’s enough to do in the area to make it a full-day trip, or if it makes more sense to head back to Vienna in the afternoon. For those who’ve been — would you recommend staying into the evening, or is half a day enough?

Appreciate any insights, especially from those who’ve done the trip with teens!

Posted by
9193 posts

I would opt for a full day trip, and I would definitely stop in Durnstein, which is one of the most charming villages I've been in. I loved my time there and wish I could have spent more. It is well worth a visit and will give you a chance to taste some of the wonderful Grüner Veltliner wines.

Posted by
1457 posts

If you are traveling May to October I would recommend a bike ride along the Donau there. There are posts in this forum for bike rentals and tours. We based out of Durnstein in early May and had a great time. We biked nearby and took the bus to Melk on a rainy day. We have our own car and ebikes, so reletively easy. The bike ride from Durnstein over the bridge at Krems to the frerry by Weißenkirchen with a visit there at Café/Konditorei Elisabeth and back was great. Many Weingut here and in the evening Heurigen. And the Marillenmeile. Good Schnaps. A full day for sure.

Posted by
5050 posts

Rick talks about this in his guide, which obviously you already have ...

Posted by
2430 posts

For the kids it would be most exciting to climb on the very top of the ruins of the Dürnstein fortress. If the weather is good you will have a wonderful view of the river Danube and the Wachau valley.

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