River Cruise Advisor City Guide: Durnstein, Austria

Durnstein Castle still sits on the cliff face high above Durnstein, Austria. Photo courtesy of Uniworld.

Located along the famous Danube in Lower Austria, Durnstein is well-known for its wineries and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Wachau region. The city’s name literally means “dry castle” in German, presumably after the stone castle situated high above the main town area.

The town was first mentioned in 1019 and gained notoriety in late 1192 when Richard the Lionheart was held captive in the castle by Duke Lepold V of Austria. It was officially made a town in 1476, and is well-known for the 1805 Battle of Durnstein that took place just outside the city. Read River Cruise Advisor’s City Guide of Durnstein, Austria.

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2 Responses

  1. Great small place on the Danube. It is too bad that some of the river boat companies don’t stop there at all, while when/if they do stop; it is for only a few hours. The climb to the old castle takes all of that time and you don’t have time to see the rest of the town.

  2. The main thing I love about a river cruise is that where ever you go, your bed goes with you. Also the fact that you don’t have to constantly pack and unpack, makes the trip so much easier. River cruising is an absolute wondrous experience.

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