Thursday, April 30, 2026

On Thursday, April 30, 2026, we woke up for a day that took us through Dürnstein, Melk, and Ybbs — one of the most scenic stretches of the Danube.

The Medieval Village of Dürnstein

We started in the old medieval village of Dürnstein, walking through narrow streets with vineyards spread across the hillsides and apricot trees along the way. In the distance, we could see the broken stone walls of Dürnstein Castle, crumbling dramatically above the village.

It was the kind of scene that makes you slow down: stone walls, old lanes, river air, hillside vineyards, and ruins sitting high above like history had decided to remain visible just for us.

Climbing to the Castle Ruins

This magnificent relic is famous as the place where King Richard the Lionheart was held captive after being captured by Duke Leopold V of Austria. According to the story we heard, he was held there for months in the middle of winter and was apparently very bored. After climbing up and seeing the space, we could understand why. It was not exactly the biggest castle in the world.

The climb gave us a real workout. There were plenty of stairs, and Kirsten’s ankle, which she had been carefully babying along, held up fairly well on the way up — though it was painful afterward. At the top, the views were worth it. The whole valley opened below us, with the Danube curving through the hills, vineyards lining the slopes, and the village tucked below like something from an old storybook.

There was also a brief “Where is Zak?” episode.

From Zakary’s perspective, he had run ahead because the group was moving extremely slowly, then later went up and down looking for everyone, taking a few photos for people along the way, before racing down the mountain in about five minutes.

From Normand and Kirsten’s perspective, they did not know where Zakary had gone, so they split up and took different routes down to try to find him. This is what parents call “calm problem solving,” though it may look suspiciously like panic hiking.

Eventually, everyone reconnected, and all was well. The castle had history, views, exercise, and just enough family panic to keep things interesting.

Sailing the Wachau Valley

After the hike, we returned to the ship and sailed through the Wachau Valley, a beautiful Danube region known for vineyards, riverside villages, castles, and fruit-growing areas. During lunch, we watched the valley pass by. Castles appeared along the shoreline, including the kind of medieval towers Zakary especially noticed — square turrets and old stone shapes that looked exactly like the castles you imagine from storybooks.

We had about three peaceful hours floating down one of the most scenic parts of the Danube River. After so many days of walking, climbing, touring, and solving minor family mysteries, it felt wonderful to simply sit, eat lunch, and watch castles and vineyards drift past. Sometimes the best excursion is the one where you do not have to move and Europe performs outside your window.

Apricots, Pastries, and Dinner in Ybbs

Later, we joined an excursion in the Melk/Ybbs area connected with local food traditions. First, we learned about bees and honey. We got to taste different kinds of honey and learned more about how bees work and how natural honey is produced. Kirsten especially wanted to buy some, partly because it tasted so much more real than the highly processed honey we often see at home.

Then we went to a baking place and learned how to make pastries. They showed us the process, and then we got to make some ourselves and bring them back to the ship. After castles, vineyards, bees, and honey, making pastries felt like a sweet and very Austrian ending to the afternoon.

The ship moved along and met us in Ybbs, where the bus dropped us off and we boarded again. That evening, we had dinner on board. Reviews of the dinner may have varied slightly depending on who was speaking, but the day itself was a clear success.

It was a beautiful Danube day: medieval streets, apricot trees, vineyard hills, castle ruins, Richard the Lionheart’s lonely winter prison, a family search for Zakary, scenic sailing through the Wachau Valley, honey tasting, pastry making, and a quiet evening ending in Ybbs.