Discover Weissenkirchen in the Wachau Austria
One of the most popular spots in Austria’s beautiful Wachau Valley and the largest wine community in this famous Austrian wine region
Weissenkirchen and its vineyards, on the River Danube in the Wachau - Source: Winekeller
The Wachau Austria - world-famous Austrian wine region
The Wachau wine region is made up of an 18 mile stretch of the Danube valley in Lower Austria, between the beautiful, historic towns of Krems and Melk. This stretch of the glorious River Danube, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers the most amazing scenery, history, culture and tradition - as well as some of the best Austrian wine!
Wachau Grüner Veltliner wines are admired across the world and the Riesling wines produced here rank amongst some of the best there are.
The River Danube is the second longest river in Europe and the most important waterway in Austria - the part flowing through Lower Austria is 260 kilometres long. The Wachau Valley is the most famous section of the Danube in Lower Austria and is one of the best places to visit in Austria if you appreciate stunning river scenery surrounded by steep, terraced vineyards and apricot orchards, exploring charming, picturesque villages and visiting ancient castle ruins and baroque monasteries. We absolutely love exploring this Austrian wine region and also love Wachau wine!
The Wachau Valley and River Danube from high above Weissenkirchen - Source: Winekeller
Exploring the beautiful villages of the Wachau Valley
At the heart of the Wachau Valley along this amazing stretch of the River Danube, between the towns of Melk and Krems, are some beautiful wine villages that you just have to explore! Each one offers something different to see and experience and of course each one is home to some incredible Wachau wineries, just waiting for you to go and visit!
Going from east to west there is the village of Mautern an der Donau, right next to the Wachau/Kremstal border town of Krems, then you travel through the famous wine villages of Unterloiben and Oberloiben (the Loibens), home to some top global wine icons and on to historic Dürnstein with its famous blue Stiftskirche cloister tower and ancient castle ruins. The village of Rossatz sits across the Danube from Dürnstein then in a few minutes you arrive at the beautiful village of Weissenkirchen, the largest wine-growing community in the Wachau. Continue along the majestic Danube and you then arrive in beautiful Spitz and the Spitz Valley, or ‘Spitzer Graben’, a Danube tributary, home to some superb, higher altitude vineyards.
This article puts a spotlight on Weissenkirchen, one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Wachau
For more information about exploring the Wachau wine region, refer to these articles:
Read on to learn all about Weissenkirchen.
Visit Weissenkirchen
Weissenkirchen (or Weißenkirchen), on the River Danube, is a beautiful wine town in the heart of the Wachau Valley. It is often referred to as the ‘heart of the Wachau’ due to its central location on this famous 18 miles stretch of the River Danube in Lower Austria, but it is the Wachau’s largest wine community, also comprising the small, wine-growing villages of Joching, Wösendorf and St. Michael.
Beautiful Weissenkirchen - Source: Winekeller
There are lots of wine tasting options in Weissenkirchen (see later) but it also provides a great base for exploring the Wachau, thanks to its central location. The local train and Danube river boats also stop here and there is a ferry across the river at this point, taking foot passengers, bicycles, motorcycles, and cars.
Weissenkirchen is named after its most distinctive landmark, the huge, white stone, fortified, 14th century Gothic church, which dominates the town and was originally built as a defence against the Turks.
Forming part of the church's impressive fortifications is the Teisenhoferhof, one of the most beautiful Renaissance farms in the Wachau. The Teisenhoferhof was built in 1335 as a Gothic building to form a defensive end to the market square.
Next to the church is the oldest elementary school in Austria, dating back to 1385, but is still in operation.
We encourage you to visit this beautiful Wachau landmark - see here for details on visiting the church and other local tours.
Weissenkirchen wine and vineyards
Weissenkirchen is reputed to be the birthplace and home of Wachau Riesling. The best and most famous Riesling sites include Achleiten, Klaus and Steinriegl, but the oldest vineyard, which reportedly dates back to the 13th century, is called Ritzling.
Both Wachau Riesling and Wachau Grüner Veltliner dominate here, as in the rest of the Wachau wine region.
In the district of Joching, the well-known vineyards are Kollmitz and Pichlpoint, in Wösendorf - a former stone age settlement - Kollmütz and Hochrain and in St. Michael - the original parish of the Wachau - the top vineyard is called Harzenleiten.
The Wachau vineyards around Weissenkirchen - Source: Winekeller
Weissenkirchen wineries
As mentioned earlier, there are lots of options for wine tasting in Weissenkirchen and the 3 neighbouring wine villages - see here for a comprehensive list of wineries.
We can personally and highly recommend the following wineries:
Weingut Rudi Pichler (Wösendorf):
Rudi Pichler is one of the top, most established wine producers in the Wachau Valley and is well known and well regarded for producing white wines full of character - including Rudi Pichler Grüner Veltliner and Rudi Pichler Riesling as well as some Pinot Blanc and Roter Veltliner.
Visit to taste the superb wines, but also to admire the modern winery, which was officially opened in 2004.
Rudi Pichler wines are available widely internationally - see here for details.
Weingut Prager (Weissenkirchen):
Weingut Prager is one of the oldest and most respected wine estates in the Wachau wine region. In fact the first documented mention of the winery was in 1302, when the building belonged to the Michaelbeuern monastery,
60% of the 16 hectares of (top Weissenkirchen) vineyards are planted with Riesling and this is what Prager is most famed for. Many of the vines are up to 60 years old, giving the Prager wines an incomparable density and a particularly pronounced minerality.
Toni Bodenstein is the winemaker at Weingut Prager, son-in-law of Franz Prager and one of the most celebrated winemakers in Austria today.
Weingut Josef Jamek (Joching):
Weingut Josef Jamek farms 25 hectares of vines in the most renowned vineyard locations in the Wachau, including the famous steep slope ‘Ried Klaus’, which produces top, cult-staus Rieslings, the primary rock terraces of the Achleiten and Liebenberg vineyards, known for top-class Grüner Veltliners and the Hochrain and Zweikreuzgarten vineyards in Wösendorf.
The Jamek family has been growing wine for four generations - starting in 1912 when Anton Jamek purchased the first vineyard. It was his son however, Josef Jamek who made the greatest impact on wine production in the Wachau and the character of dry Wachau wines we all enjoy today. Josef purchased 1.5 hectares of the famous ‘Ried Klaus’ vineyard in 1955 and in 1959 produced a pure single vineyard Riesling, with no added sugar, a first for its time. He then went on to build the famous Wachau dry stone walls in the Klaus vineyard and add an irrigation system. Josef Jamek was a real wine pioneer and the Ried Klaus vineyard remains at the heart of Weingut Josef Jamek.
Weingut Schmelz (Joching):
Weingut Schmelz, a family winery, has been making wine in this part of Austria’s Wachau, for 150 years. Based very much on traditional values and a passion for their vines and for Nature, Weingut Schmelz is known for its award-winning wines - primarily Riesling and Grüner Veltliner.
You can enjoy a wine tasting at Weingut Schmelz in the wonderful glass tasting room, with a view over the prized vineyards.
Weingut Machherndl (Wösendorf):
Weingut Machherndl is a highly respected organic wine producer, with official organic certification first awarded for the 2018 vintage. They produce the traditional Wachau Grüner Veltliner and Riesling wines, but also less-typical varieties such as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Zweigelt and Syrah. Weingut Machherndl matches tradition with innovation and modernity. This can be witnessed in the contemporary, bright, spacious winery, where you can enjoy a wine tasting.
Where to stay in Weissenkirchen:
We can recommend the following excellent options for accommodation in Weissenkirchen:
The Renaissance Hotel - Raffelsberger Hof - a lovely, welcoming, boutique bed and breakfast hotel in the centre of Weissenkirchen. Expect lots of charm, with the building dating back to 1574, but lovingly renovated with all modern conveniences.
Hotel Weinquadrat - modern, stylish and very welcoming - 12 rooms.
For other accommodation suggestions in Weissenkirchen, see here
Where to eat in Weissenkirchen
The typical Weissenkirchen Heuriger
There are lots of options for enjoying lovel, local, traditional food, especially in the local wine taverns, or ‘Heuriger’. One excellent example of this is Heuriger Pomassl, whjere you can expect a typically warm Wachau welcome in a cozy wine tavern and enjoy the wines of Weingut Pommasl and traditional, home cooked food. Note that with all Austrian Heuriger, the restaurant is only open on certain weeks of the year - see the website for details.
See here for a comprehensive list of traditional Heurige in Weissenkirchen.
We can also personally recommend the following dining establishments in Weissenkirchen:
Weingut - Restaurant Josef Jamek - Located between Weissenkirchen and Joching this popular local winery and restaurant offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy traditional Wachau dining in a beautiful, relaxed setting. Dating back to 1912, this is a local institution and is highly recommended. Note that the Jamek Restaurant is mainly open just for lunch - check the website for details.
Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger - located in Wosendorf, a superb venue for an excellent lunch or dinner. A fine dining experience with a traditional twist and local ingredients. Great wine list and wine pairings. Note that the Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger closes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays - check the website for details.
See here for a full list of dining recommendations in Weissenkirchen.
What to do around Weissenkirchen :
In Weissenkirchen, enjoy strolling through the narrow streets and picturesque courtyards - and of course, take time to visit the famous Gothic Church in the centre of the village. However, also take time to take advantage of Weissenkirchen’s central location in the Wachau, on the beautiful River Danube, offering access to many walking, hiking and bike trails.
The Wachau World Heritage Trail is a 180km high-altitude hiking trail, made up of 14 sections, following the best in scenic trails through the Danube Valley and Wachau wine region. Two beautiful stages of this high-altitude trail start in Weissenkirchen: Weissenkirchen-Spitz and Weissenkirchen-Dürnstein.
There is plenty on offer here too for cyclists, as the Danube Cycle Path Passau-Vienna leads directly through Weissenkirchen.
The tracks run along both banks of the river Danube, either through the villages or the vineyards and orchards - you can cross the river via the ferry at Weissenkirchen.
For lovers of the water, there is even a natural beach on the banks of the River Danube at Weissenkirchen and you can also, of course, relax and enjoy the sights of the Wachau from a river boat cruise, with easy access from Weissenkirchen.
For more information, visit:
Conclusion
Weissenkirchen is a ‘must’ to visit when in the Wachau Valley and a great location to base yourself in - and in terms of wine, there is so much to explore and experience!
