Wachau World Heritage Trail 14: Mautern-Krems

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3,91 km
Duration: :hour h
Ascent: 26 m elevation gain
Descent: 30 m elevation gain

Roman ruins, the splendor of the Renaissance and Baroque, Gothic monasteries and churches, top culinary delights, and picturesque old towns await us on the route from Mautern to Krems. We walk through impressive city gates and over scenic squares to the Gozzoburg and the Hoher Markt, the historic heart of Krems.

Starting point of the tour: Mautern, Town Hall Square
Tour destination: Krems, Hoher Markt

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3,91 km
Duration: :hour h
Ascent: 26 m elevation gain
Descent: 30 m elevation gain

Fitness level required:
1/6
Overall experience:
5/6
Scenery:
5/6

Lowest point194 m
Highest point218 m

Stage tour
Nice views
With refreshment stops
Accessibility by train and bus

Downloads

Description

Wachau World Heritage Trail: Mautern to Krems

The stage from Mautern to Krems is a short walk with a strong cultural-historical focus, linking two traditional Danube towns. The route leads through the medieval town of Stein and into the picturesque old town of Krems. Over around four kilometres, art, churches and historic architecture accompany this section of the Welterbesteig Wachau.

Passing impressive city gates and historic squares, the trail reaches the Gothic Gozzoburg on Hoher Markt in Krems—considered the most important Gothic town castle north of the Alps. Along the Kunstmeile Krems, a wealth of cultural attractions awaits, including Kunsthalle Krems, the caricature museum and the Lower Austrian State Gallery.

Walking the Wachau World Heritage Trail reveals, step by step, why the Wachau is a UNESCO World Heritage region. Finely curated World Heritage Spots make the defining World Heritage Highlights visible—the interplay of cultural landscape, traditional viticulture, exceptional natural habitats and the Danube as a shaping force.

Thanks to excellent rail connections, a relaxed and sustainable journey to the Wachau is straightforward. Within the region, a dense public transport network makes all stages easy to reach by bus, train, ferry and boat, allowing stages to be combined with great flexibility.

The Wachau World Heritage Trail also holds the Austrian Hiking Quality Seal. This certification represents high standards in route design, waymarking, safety and infrastructure, confirming the trail as a reliable, high-quality walking experience at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Equipment Sturdy hiking shoes, rain protection, sufficient drinks and provisions as well as the Wachau hiking map and a Heurigen calendar. You can find a list of equipment at www.welterbesteig.at under the section Service/Tips.
Route description At the town hall in Mautern, we pass under the white archway and walk along the wall of the Roman fort Favianis towards the Danube. On the right, past the Roman hall, we pass Mautern Castle, turn left at the roundabout and cross the impressive Danube bridge. On the northern bank of the river, our path leads right through the Linzer Gate into the medieval town of Stein. We follow Steiner Landstraße, keep left at the first intersection, and then shortly afterward turn left into Hintere Fahrstraße (stamp station at the winery and Heurigen Fam. Stagård, Hintere Fahrstraße 3). Here we can take a nice break at one of the Heurigen. The street leads up to Frauenberg, where we turn right towards Frauenberg Church. From here our view stretches over the picturesque Stein to Mautern and Göttweig Abbey.We pass through the church and descend again via the Frauenberg stairs to Steiner Landstraße. Our path continues left past the Minorite monastery, where the art mile begins. We leave Stein through the Kremser Gate and enter the world of the arts. The Kunsthalle, the caricature museum, and the Lower Austrian literature house lie on our path until we reach Stein prison. We follow Schillerstraße past the monastery to Kremser City Park. Here we keep left and walk through the Steiner Gate into the old town. At the other end of the pedestrian zone, we reach the daily market, turn left, and walk up to the parish church at Parish Square. Turning right uphill through Margarethenstraße, we soon reach our stage destination at Hoher Markt.
Parking At the Roman hall in Mautern or in the parking garages of the Kremser city center. Please note the paid short-term parking system with zones in the city centers of Krems and Stein. More information can be found on the website of the city of Krems http://www.krems.gv.at/
Getting there A1 to St. Pölten junction, continue on S33 to Mautern or Krems
Public transport The places are accessible by public transport seven days a week. Returning to the starting point of the hike is possible.Mautern and Krems are connected by bus line 720 Krems-Rossatz-Melk or Melk-Rossatz-Krems. On the northern bank of the Wachau, buses of line 715 Krems-Spitz-Melk or Melk-Spitz-Krems run. Information at www.vor.atBike rental stations by Nextbike are located in Mautern and Krems, www.nextbike.at
Editor’s tip The old towns of Krems and Stein are unique ensembles of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. The Wachau World Heritage Trail gives you a line through the old towns, but feel free to wander through the alleys and winding quarters – every corner, every staircase is worth a detour.

Recommended period

Current weather in Mautern an der Donau

5° to 8°

Today, 11.02.2026

Light rain

Wind speed1,8 km/h

3° to 8°

Tomorrow, 12.02.2026

Light rain

Wind speed1,1 km/h

For dining and overnight stays, we recommend Best of Wachau establishments: www.bestof-Wachau.at. Best of Wachau establishments are located in Mautern and Krems.

The opening hours of the numerous Heurigen can be found in the online Heurigen calendar on www.welterbesteig.at

The stamp station is located at the winery and Heurigen Fam. Stagård, Hintere Fahrstraße 3 in Stein.

For easy and convenient planning of the routes, the Wachau-Nibelungengau-Kremstal app is recommended. Simply download for Android or iPhone.