Hiking to Durnstein Castle Ruins & a Visit back in time
After breakfast, we set off on our chosen shore excursion, a hike to Durnstein Castle Ruins, where Richard the Lionheart was famously imprisoned. This excursion was chosen intentionally in an effort to burn off the calories of the excellent meals we were having on board our ship. The icon adjacent to the excursion description indicated strenuous activity, long distances, many steps and rough terrain…. pretty accurate! Other shore excursions on offer were a Durnstein walking tour & Monastery; the Schloss Gobelburg Winery & Tasting; or the Wachau Valley by Bike Excursion – 25 miles from Krems to Melk. Each one appealed to me.
We all made sure to don our “Crystal Clear Listening Devices”, which allowed us to hear our guide, even while some distance away from them. So different from the days when you’d have to crowd around your guide trying to hear what they were saying.
The city of Dürnstein and the ruins of Dürnstein Castle are connected by a wall. The castle was built between 1140-1145 by the family Kuenring and in 1645 it was demolished in a blast carried out by the Swedes under General Torstenson. The ruins of Dürnstein Castle became famous through the legend of Richard the Lionheart. Leopold V held the English King prisoner in the castle from 1192 – 1193. The ruins are located on one of the 14 legs of the Wachau World Heritage Trail.
It took about 30 minutes to hike up from the centre of town (with plenty of photo opportunities), and as you can see from the images, the Danube river views are amazing, enhanced by the natural beauty of the ancient vineyards, quaint villages and rolling hills. See my photos to see what I mean.
After our descent, we were rewarded with an unexpected treat – a very generous lunch served outside in the sunshine, where we could enjoy wine from the Wachau and get to know our fellow passengers. We had time to enjoy the old town with its medieval charm and quaint buildings before heading back to our ship. Krems is a true gem, that punches well above its weight in terms of sight-seeing and attractions. It also has a history of fine wine production.
Back on the ship, we were able to relax as we cruised gently through the most scenic stretch of the Wachau Valley – next stop Melk!
Our next excursion later in the day, was to the Artstetten Castle for a visit with a member of the Hohenberg Family - in our case, Alix de la Poëze d'Harambure-Fraye. The Schloss Artstetten was the country home of the Arch-Duke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne. As the Castle’s web site says “Here we preserve the memory of the heir apparent Franz Ferdinand and his wife the Duchess Sophie von Hohenberg, who fell victims to a murderous attack in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. They both entered history as the first victims of World War I.” It was fascinating to walk around the Museum and pay a visit to the family Crypt. Then it was back to the ship for a glass of champagne and to get ready for dinner.