Category Archives: Durnstein

Durnstein, marille, Wachau Valley

After another day in Vienna, on to Durnstein…

Leave a comment

As the heat wave subsided, we spent our last day in Vienna taking advantage of the plesant weather and strolling along the quay. We also got to watch the crew polishing the ship. The people who work on river cruise ships have distinct tasks and distinct uniforms. The crew of sailors who are responsible for docking, getting the ship through the locks, and keeping it shipshape, wear blue shirts and shorts on Uniworld ships. The sailors on the ship rafted next to us wore a uniform of orange t shirts and shorts as they busily swabbed the deck.

I don’t remember what company it was from, maybe Croisi Europe, as it was slightly smaller than the Princess. A bridge across the Danube is in the background. No doubt those sailors are preparing the ship for the next group to board.

On our last day in Vienna, only one tour was offered. It was part of the Masterpiece Collection and therefor had an additional cost. This was a visit to the Schonbrunn Palace which would last most of the afternoon.

The Rambler is not a fan of touring palaces – if you’ve seen one or two, you’ve seen them all. The gardens are another story, but this tour promised to spend much time in the Schonbrunn itself. Thus we didn’t sign up for the palace trip. Though it may sound heretical, the Ramblers never did see the famous Schoenbrunn Palace on any of our cruises tho we had opportunities.

The front facade of the Schoenbrunn Palace; It has a mere 1441 rooms of varying sizes. The public rooms are VERY ornate as you might expect. The kings and emperors who built them were showing off their wealth and power. As you can see, much walking is involved. Schoenbrunn Palace was constructed over a period of 300 years, starting in the 17th century and currently is administered by the Republic of Austria.
The Gloriette, the very famous architectural folly of the Schoenbrunn gardens which, by the way, are also enormous. The center portion of the Gloriette has recently been made into a cafe. Not a bad idea, as most people would appreciate some refreshments after wandering around the huge but beautifully kept gardens.

Shortly after the tired tour group returned at 5 PM, our crew got the Princess ready to sail to Rossatz, Austria. We would arrive at our next stop in the middle of the night. Rossatz was not our objective that morning. Instead it was a port of convenience for our visit to Durnstein.

Durnstein, a small town of around 800 inhabitants is one of the most picturesque stops along the Danube. The Ramblers had seen it twice before but only as our ship sailed past. First from the Beatrice on a cold December day and from the Maria Teresa during the prime tourist season.

This fascinating glimpse of Durnstein, its landmark blue and white church and the ruins of the castle where Richard the Lion heart was held captive made nearly everyone on board wish we were stopping there. But it wouldn’t actually be until our third trip on the Danube that we stopped there. This photo was taken with a powerful telephoto lens from the opposite bank. The castle ruins look close but they are not.

Because it has much to offer visitors, Durnstein is a popular stop for all the cruise companies although not all Danube cruises stop there. Because it is so popular, docking space is at a premium, and ships often have to stop at a close-by port instead of docking at Durnstein. Even the Durnstein docks are across the Danube from the town and accessed by a small ferry. Thus the Princess stopped at Rossatz and we were bussed to Durnstein.

The dock at Rossatz, not close to anything.

Since the Rossatz dock was not close to the town, the senior Rambler was coaxed into coming along for the ride. Fortunately there were many places to sit down and wait for us more determined sight-seers when we got to Durnstein. The beautiful sunshine of the previous days had left us but there was no rain in the forecast. We were lucky to avoid rain on this trip as Austria is the 11th rainiest country in the world. By this time, the gentle walkers had sorted themselves out, and if not walking with the senior Rambler, I might pair up with Laura from Florida or Kathy and Jean from Australia. We had become good friends by the end of the voyage and we all usually much preferred the slow pace of the gentle walkers.

There were three options for touring Durnstein; a visit to an organic wine estate with tasting, a visit to a saffron grower or spending time on your own in Durnstein. Uniworld provided a shuttle bus back to the ship for everyone who had gone to Durnstein on the hour from 10:30 to 12:30, as even those who took a tour would have free time afterwards. Durnstein is in the Wachau Valley. famous for beautiful scenery, picturesque villages and wine, but also for its apricots or marille as they are called in Austria.

A typical apricot orchard in the Wachau valley. These small trees were heavy with ripening fruit. AND they are picked when they are ripe, as the apricots are processed into preserves, liquors and many other products right in the valley. I had bought some last time, and wanted to get more. They are not sold in the US, unfortunately.

It also has a well justified reputation as a good place to shop for gifts to bring back home. Thus while Laura and Jean went off on tours, Kathy and I wanted only to tour Durnstein and visit the shops. The senior Rambler tagged along with us for a while and then turned back to wait and people watch. But first we had to get to the village…

Along the way we got a glimpse of not one but two castle ruins. The closer one is where King Richard spent several months in captivity. The Danube is on the left.

Unfortunately, the bus drop off spot was quite a ways from the little town. So the three of us strolled up the road towards our destination; it was a pleasant walk at first, a paved path along the Danube. On the way we got a good look at the ruined castle where Richard the Lion-heart was imprisoned for a time. King Richard angered an Austrian noble when he tossed his flag off the fortress walls whilst on the crusades. When he tried to make his way back to England without his retinue, Richard was captured and thrown into a dungeon. Tho he was later transferred to another castle, Richard was not released until a huge ransom was paid. The money was raised in England with much difficulty, by his mother Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is possible to hike up to the picturesque ruin, but we would have enough trouble getting to the main street of Durnstein.

Our uphill climb. You know it is steep when the Austrians provide benches for resting along the way. Most of the tourist from the river cruise boats are older, and while some are amazingly fit, others are not.

Unfortunately, as we neared the village our path took an upward turn and when we got to its end, we saw with dismay that we had a choice of two ways to get there, both were very steep and paved with my nemesis, cobblestones. After a serious discussion, Kathy and I decided the further path was a better option, while the senior Rambler told us he would find his way to the bus stop and meet us there. It took us a while because when we reached the top , we found there was yet another uphill stretch before we got to the top. Then, to our dismay we found we were in a courtyard, in back of the Abbey and church. However, we could see the main shopping street accessible across a lumpy cobblestone courtyard.

When Kathy and I reached the top, we ended in this courtyard. We didn’t know it but if we had entered the gate on the left, it would have taken us to the Abbey and Church. We could however, see the main street of Durnstein to the right, with its row of shops and that’s where we headed. The cobblestones were particularly lumpy.

What we didn’t realize was that if we had ventured into the Abbey building on the left, we would have been able to able to access the church as well. There really hadn ‘t been any signs either in German or English to point us in the right direction, so we never did get to see the church interior. Of course we would have many more chances to tour historic churches on the cruise but we both felt just a little disappointed that we had missed it. NOT as disappointed as we would have been though if we had missed our chance to visit the charming Durnstein shops which was our primary goal.

Here is what we missed. There is so much going on inside the church that the photo almost looks like a double exposure. Luckily the Rambler didn’t see this picture until much later or I would have been very sorry I missed it. .Although, the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption dates to the 14th century, it was transformed into a blue and white baroque landmark 300 years later. Unfortunately the Augustinian monastery was dissolve along with many others, by reforming Emperor Joseph II. However it survived and is not back in the hands of the Augustinians. The church interior had been deteriorating for 200 years until restoration began in the 1980s. Not only has it been beautifully restored, but a museum has been added to showcase its history and treasures.

We were not disappointed. The shops lived up to their billing and both Kathy and I were able to find just what we were looking for. In fact it was fun to spend some time on an activity that was not educational, historical or inspiring. Just plain shopping was what we enjoyed that morning. The Rambler headed to the stores that sold Marillen products and there were several to choose from. In the end, I bought several bottles of marille liquor, two different varieties. Of course when flying these days, one has to be careful not to purchase too much of anything considered a liquid, and then pack it in the right bag for the trip home. I have had some edibles confiscated by the customs police in the EU before and didn’t want to make the same mistake.

One of the many shops that sold a variety of apricot products, along with cold drinks and non-food products with an apricot theme. It is amazing that these shops have their doors open to the outside and yet you see very few, if any flying insects. I bought my marille souvenirs at another shop but this one was the most picturesque.

With our purchases secured, it was time to find our way back to the bus stop. Of course, we could hardly get lost as there was one way in and one way out. This time we would have to carefully pick our way downhill towards the Danube and then head left. This was not so easy for the Rambler, as she has been paranoid about falling since hitting her head on concrete at home. Going down the steep cobblestone path was not easy, but with Kathy’s encouragement, we finally reached the road.

Not fancy, but just what we needed, and great tasting EisKaffe!

When we reached the large parking lot, we spied both the senior Rambler and a little hut that sold beverages and snacks. Although food and drink are so plentiful and easily accessible on a river cruise, there are a few times when they are not. Fortunately, not only did we have time, but there was also a place close by where we could enjoy one of my favorite Austrian beverages, an EisKaffe. Kathy had never had one but who can resist coffee and ice cream? Thus we got to enjoy an a treat alongside the Danube, after a very enjoyable morning.

Kathy shows her approval of the EisKaffe!

Mission accomplished, we boarded the next bus for a brief ride back to the River Princess. Of course, when we got back, they were already serving lunch, but the EisKaffe did not spoil our appetites too much. I will admit the senior Rambler and I don’t eat too much for lunch even tho the food is fresh, varied and tasty. Overindulgence at lunch generally encourages an afternoon nap, yet that is when our ship often cruises past the most beautiful vistas.

The River Princess set sail at 1:45 PM for Engelhartszell, Austria; we would arrive at 9 AM the next day. This would be just a brief stop to drop off the the cruisers who had signed up for the Bavarian River Bicycle Ride. Several others departed in a van for a Masterpiece Collection Cooking Class. More about this next time.

A last look at Durnstein as we sailed past on our way to Englehartszell and Passau. The ferry across the river is on the left foreground.

The rest of us enjoyed a pleasant morning cruise on the Danube until we arrived at Passau around 1:00 PM