Wachau Valley, Danube, and Melk Abbey Guided Tour

Nice scenic day trip from Vienna. Bus was comfortable and the guide was very professional. Very much enjoyed the day trip and back in town just in time for dinner!

interesting and beautiful of the river and visit to the old town. the tour guide was good in going through the history of this valley.

Attractions along the way: Meet at the Opera Fountain early in the morning and board a double-decker bus. Our first stop is Dürnstein, a town along the Wachau Valley. Stroll towards the monastery with its blue spire and experience the serene and charming riverside scenery. Afterward, we’ll head to the pier by bus and board a Danube River ferry to Melk Abbey. Enjoy the picturesque scenery along both banks of the river; it's truly breathtaking.

I chose Danube Valley + Hallstatt two tours, the price is more affordable, in fact, only include bus commute and boat, have to be a thousand dollars a tour, no other admission fees, but they can not go by car, will join

The tour guide looks like an old British gentleman, very elegant, knowledgeable and familiar with historical allusions. The first town is the town of Durenstein. Unfortunately, due to the traffic jam in Vienna, we can only visit for 20 minutes when we arrive. I rush to the Blue Spire Church to take a photo and then get back to the car, so I can't visit the town. Then set off to Spits Pier to take a boat trip on the Danube River, which takes about 90 minutes. The sun is quite hot, so you need to wear sunglasses or a hat, or sit in a lower cabin. We stayed in Melk for almost three hours, but it was not as beautiful as the town of Durenstein. Three hours felt a bit long. You might have to actually visit the monastery to avoid being bored, but there is an additional fee to enter the monastery. The square inside the monastery is free to visit.

Dürnstein is a town on the Danube River, and this town has pleasant scenery and beautiful architecture. Board the cruise ship from Spitz and cruise around the Wachau Valley. After the cruise, you will take a tour bus to Melk Abbey. The open valley along the way is very beautiful.

The travel time is allocated reasonably, without being too rushed or feeling like a waste of time. I like the flexibility of the itinerary to keep the meal on board or to the restaurant when you arrive at the destination. The multi-language explanation is attentive, but it can be based on the needs of passengers who form a group on the day. A small suggestion is that after arriving at Melk Abby, you can first explain that the garden is worth visiting.

The overall itinerary is not cost-effective. If you are not worried about traffic trouble, you may not choose it. At the beginning, we only had 30 minutes to walk to the ruins town, so we were pressed for time. After that, it would be boring to take a car to Spitz and take a boat for 90 minutes. After that, you basically have to walk alone to Melk. In addition, you have to pay an extra 14 euros to participate in the monastery tour. After participating, you basically have no time to go to other parts of the town. It will be more relaxing if you can come and visit by yourself. The tour guide will explain the whole process in the car and is very nice, but the itinerary is relatively ordinary and expensive.

After gathering, enjoy the Danube River views from the bus. The scenery is even better from the cruise. Finally, stroll through the charming town of Melk. It's a very unique town and well worth a visit.

Regarding the Hallstatt day tour, the tour guide was very kind and considerate of the travelers' feelings. They also provided different ways to explore Hallstatt, which we found very convenient. There was also enough time to walk around Hallstatt!