Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This Gothic church was built in the 15th century and has a baroque altar and a garden ter-
race with good views of the Danube. Below the church is the charming
Teisenhoferhof
arca-
ded courtyard, with a covered gallery and lashings of flowers and dried corn.
The
Wachau Museum
(Weissenkirchen 32; adult/child €5/2.50; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct)
houses
works by artists of the Danube school. The
Raffelsberger Hof
(
22 01;
www.raffelsbergerhof.at
;
)
is a four-star hotel in a small
Freisingerplatz 54; s €88-112, d €122-142;
mid-Apr-Nov;
but beautifully renovated Renaissance castle.
Weissenkirchen has boat and train connections to Dürnstein but the easiest way to
reach the village is by bus (eight minutes, 18 daily).
Spitz & Around
02713 / POP 1700
Situated 17km west of Krems on the north bank of the Danube, Spitz is a pleasant town
that doesn't get as clogged with visitors as Dürnstein. It has a picturesque old town
centre, and offers some good hiking in the surrounding forests and vineyards. To reach
the old town, turn left after leaving the station then head right up Marktstrasse to
Kirchenplatz.
If the Gothic
parish church
(Marktstrasse)
in Spitz is one too many Danube churches, pick
up some maps from the tourist office and hike up to
Burgruine Hinterhaus
(Hinterhaus castle
ruin) on the bluff for fantastic views of the valley; other trails run through the forests of
the
Jauerling Naturpark
(Jauerling Nature Reserve) behind the castle ruin. Hikes offering
picturesque views also begin from
Rotes Tor
(Red Gate, 15 minutes walk from the church),
a remnant of the town's gates and the last one to be taken by the Swedes in the Thirty
Years' War in 1618-48 - it was reputedly red from the blood of battle. It's a nice spot for
a picnic with gob-smacking Wachau views all about.
Six kilometres west of Spitz,
Mühldorf
is home to the castle and hotel
Burg Oberranna
(
8221;
www.burg-oberranna.at
; s/d €88/148; )
. Surrounded by woods and overlooking the val-
ley, it is furnished with period pieces and has a refreshing old-world feel.
If you decide to stay in Spitz, the tourist office can help with accommodation, or you
can look for signs advertising private rooms.
Hotel Wachauer Hof
( 2303;
www.wachauerhof-
taurant with outside seating in summer.
