Onion River Exploration Project

Gottweig Abbey

Day 3 (7/22/26) Wachau Valley, Krems, Austria

After sailing all night we woke up to a beautiful sunrise that bode well for the journey through the scenic Wachau Valley. It didn’t take long before we started seeing castles, churches, vineyards and the occasional nose. Ok, there is only one nose which welcomes you to the wine region and challenges you to enjoy the wine. Around every corner there is a new visual experience. I think that is why I have always loved rivers. Like a good book, they lead you on exposing new vistas the further you go. Unlike the Rhine many of these castles are ruins. Most of the cathedrals however are still in use. On another note the Venus of Willendorf, a small sculpture dating back to the late Paleolithic period, was found in this valley and is now in the Natural History Museum in Vienna. After a couple hours we eventually get to our stop for the day in Krems, Austria. Perched on the mountain overlooking the city and river you can see our first destination, the beautiful Gottweig Abbey. Founded in 1083, Gottweig Abbey is a Benedictine monastery and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fortunately it survived Hitler and World War 2. Hitler had it in mind to have it destroyed. Although we didn’t see any monks it is still a working monastery. Built in the baroque style it features ornate carvings and ceiling paintings that are breathtaking. During the tour we got a taste of apricot wine, one of the wines they are famous for. They also have a wide selection of grape wines which we got to taste at the end of the tour. Surrounded by 64 acres of vineyards the view is also breathtaking. After returning to the boat from the Abbey we walked into town and down to the market square where we purchased some of the local apricots. Although not as historically significant as some of the other sites it had its own charm and soon we were perusing the shops and meandering back to the ship. Although we didn’t go in we found an Aldi’s. Although the signage was the same the name was different. It was a pleasant way to end a long and wonderful day.