Pages

Sunday, July 29, 2018

PICTURESQUE TOWNS OF AUSTRIA PART 3: Dürnstein (AND THE GIVEAWAY!)



Durnstein, a charming medieval village in Austria, is a popular tourist destination. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Durnstein #Austria #DanubeRiverCruise



River Cruise Day 7: Dürnstein, Austria

We learned this morning as we cruised through the Wachau Valley that Dürnstein is the apricot (marille) capital of the world. Onboard the ship today, we have sampled liqueurs, jams, candies and the fruit itself. Let's just say this..........there is nothing in Dürnstein that doesn't have marille in it, or on it. It is rivaled only by the lemon in Sorrento. The marille is so special to Dürnstein that it actually has a protected appellation in Austria, like wines do in France.

The scenery along the Danube this morning was beautiful, but the approach to Dürnstein is magical. Sometimes the scenery in Europe makes me want to weep, it's so gorgeous. The blue tower of the Augustinian Monastery is striking, and it speaks to me from the shore  -- you're going to love it here, it says. 

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein


I think the church is made out of Wedgewood china. 

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein



Another vantage point reveals the ruins of Kuenringerburg Castle on the hilltop above the village. Legend has it that Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned here in the late 12th Century.

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein


We've got the option to hike up there, but we'll pass, danke schon very much. Mr. Goo Shoes and I share the same a travel M-O: We saw enough, it's nice, let's eat.

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein


Aside from the marille, Dürnstein is also know for its white wines. Our walk into town takes us past a vineyard. We are going to a wine tasting later this afternoon, which should be fun. 

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein


Dürnstein is a medieval fairtytale town with fewer than 1000 residents. We're here for only five minutes, and I can already see why over a million people come here each year. 

Durnstein, a charming medieval village in Austria, is a popular tourist destination. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Durnstein #Austria #DanubeRiverCruise

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein


The village is so compact, it doesn't take much time to walk the length of it.

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein

Durnstein, a charming medieval village in Austria, is a popular tourist destination. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Durnstein #Austria #DanubeRiverCruise


The final stop on our walking tour is the interior of the Augustinian Monastery. Mr. Goo Shoes and I look at each other -- and we are thinking the same thing. Let's bail and do some shopping. I can't wait to get my hands on some of those marille souvenirs. By the time we are done, the Dürnstein economy has seen a positive surge.

Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein

Durnstein, a charming medieval village in Austria, is a popular tourist destination. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Durnstein #Austria #DanubeRiverCruise


Do people really dress like this here?  I feel like I am on a movie set! It's all too perfect. I love this place.

Durnstein, a charming medieval village in Austria, is a popular tourist destination. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Durnstein #Austria #DanubeRiverCruise

Durnstein, a charming medieval village in Austria, is a popular tourist destination. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Durnstein #Austria #DanubeRiverCruise



I must have one of those apricot ice cream cones that I see everyone walking around with.


Durnstein, a charming medieval village in Austria, is a popular tourist destination. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Durnstein #Austria #DanubeRiverCruise


It's almost 4:30pm, so we need to find our way to Alte Klosterkeller, for a sampling of local wines. Head down the hill, we're told, and the wine cellar is on the left. It's a lot of fun, and after eight glasses of wine later (yes, there was a dump bucket), and lots of talk about acidity, body, legs, etc., our visit to Dürnstein is a wrap.


Durnstein : A fairy tale medieval town may be the most picturesque town in Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #Durnstein


As we walk along the Danube with our backs to the charming village of Dürnstein, I'm humming one last tune from The Sound of Music:

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night
I hate to go, and leave this pretty sight........ 

Days don't come more perfect than today. The night is capped off with an absolutely hilarious show performed by the crew of our ship. 

As great as today was, tomorrow is going to be amazing! We  will be in Vienna...........
and I am excited that I have plans to meet someone very special! 

To be continued.........  


I've got some souvenirs from Durnstein for one of my readers!
It's just a TINY little something,
but if you would like to enter my giveaway,
just leave a comment on this post about 
which of the three picturesque towns in Austria
(Engelhartszell, Salzburg or Durnstein)
you'd most like to visit, and why. 
I'll put the names in a hat and pull one out.......
 (please trust me on this one - I pinky swear it!)
I'll post the winner in my next river cruise post.
Good luck!!! 


This is a multi-part series about our Danube River cruise. 

Read 10 Things To Know About River Cruising here
 Read Our First Day In Prague here.
Read Day 2 In Prague here.
Read Day 3 In Prague here
Read A Day In Medieval Regensburg, Germany here.
Read Picturesque Towns Of Austria Part 1: Engelhartszell here.
Read Picturesque Towns Of Austria Part 2: Salzburg here.
Read Scenery of the Wachau Valley here.
Read Vienna: Exploring The Old Town here.
Read Bratislava: Slovakia's Charming Capital here.
Read Budapest: The Pearl of the Danube River here.


 

Pictureesque towns of Austria | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #austria #danuberivercruise #engelhartszell  #salzburg #durnstein


Linking With:
Best of the Weekend




12 comments:

  1. Any!! I can’t possibly say which one i would like to visit the most because they’re all fabulous and seemingly right out of a fairy tale! The last photo in this post really spoke to me. Don’t you just want to pack it all in and move there??

    I LOVE towns that are truly walkable, as Durnstein seems to be, so I guess if I HAVE to pick, it gets my vote. But now up next is Vienna! I can hardly wait! Can you imagine what it must be like during christmas??

    xxx


    (Not sure why my comment was deleted up there but I will try again).

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm fairly new to your blog...wow! Austria! My favorite town was Salzburg, with the fortress. I should read up on it; it looks amazing. All three towns were very lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh boy, I Do love this small little town and that church just pops with the blue among all the orange and red and I love towns that don't feel too touristy and are easy to walk through so you can be sure to see it all; so this is my first pick. Second would be Prague. The pictures all along the water are just stunning and I love all the colorful buildings. My last pick would be Salzburg. Even if they don't agree that they're famous for the Sound of Music I'd love to pretend I'm Maria driving through the streets singing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think I love this one the most...Durstein. The church really does look like it was made from Wedgewood china! How can anyone resist a wall of apricot goodies? It is just too quaint and European looking not to pick it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have seen Vienna on travel shows. The one thing that would draw me there is Christmas. From what I saw in the series of Vienna, Christmastime is amazing.

    That's would be my pick.

    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am salivating. The Danube River cruise in forever in my bucket list.

    Worth a Thousand Words

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a beautiful place...!Thanks for sharing the wonderful pics.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Such a delicious share, visually and my tongue is tingling for that ice cream. Lovely photos!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am loving following you on this river cruise especially since we were on the exact same one with the exact same tour company a few years ago. It is so much fun to relive the trip through your eyes. So many of your pictures are the same as ours. Durnstein still captures my heart and I can pretty much still replay that day in my mind. So eager to go with you to Bratislava, Vienna, and Budapest.
    Barb

    ReplyDelete
  10. Durnstein,please! For two reasons, a town so small that even could walk all through it and see everything and because it's the world capital of apricots. I would sample everything marille, but first an ice cream cone. I wouldn't mind seeing the church of Wedgewood too!

    But like Doreen above, every other city will probably shrink beside Vienna. And I would not want to miss Prague either.

    ReplyDelete

PRIVACY POLICY: I will never share your email information with others. I use your email to respond to your comments on my blog, or to interact socially with you.