Melk
Austria · Lower Austria · 228 m
Description
Melk is a small town on the Danube and the western gateway to the UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley. Dominating the town is Melk Abbey, one of Europe's finest Baroque monasteries, perched high above the river on a rocky outcrop. The monumental complex is renowned for its magnificent abbey church, historic library with around 100,000 volumes, and Marble Hall, which opens onto a terrace overlooking the Danube and the surrounding countryside. Below the abbey, the compact Old Town invites visitors to stroll past pastel-colored townhouses, narrow streets, cafés, and small shops. As a major departure and arrival point for cruises through the Wachau, Melk combines outstanding cultural heritage with one of the most scenic stretches of the Danube.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 day
Travel season
Best time to visit: May – June or September
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Melk Abbey
- Abbey Church
- Abbey Library
- Marble Hall
- Abbey Terrace
- Melk Old Town
- Town Hall Square
- House of Bread Museum
- Melk Town Park
- Danube Promenade
- Danube Cruises
- Wachau Valley(Day trip)
- Aggstein Castle Ruins(Day trip)
- Schallaburg Castle(Day trip)
- Artstetten Castle(Day trip)
- Dürnstein(Day trip)
- Spitz(Day trip)
- Jauerling(Day trip)
- Wachau Apricot Blossom (March - April)
Getting there
- Train stations:
- Melk, Emmersdorf an der Donau, Grimsing
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry