Krems sits at the eastern gate of the Wachau, the stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems that has been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. The river here runs between steep terraced slopes, where vines and apricot orchards cling to stone walls built by hand over centuries, and medieval villages cluster at the water's edge. Krems itself, with the adjoining old town of Stein, is the biggest place on the stretch, a town of about fifteen thousand with a pretty centre of painted gabled houses, arched gateways and cobbled lanes, and a long tradition of wine and apricot schnapps.
The Wachau is famous for its white wines, especially Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, and for the Wachauer Marille, the apricot, which blossoms in April and is harvested in July. Every cellar and tavern sells apricot jam, dumplings, liqueur and brandy. Across the Danube stands Göttweig Abbey, a vast Benedictine monastery on a hill, whose baroque staircase and terraces look over the whole valley. Upstream is Dürnstein, with its blue and white abbey tower, where Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner in the castle above the village in the twelfth century after quarrelling with the Duke of Austria on his way home from the Crusades.
For riders, the road along the north bank of the river and the one along the south bank offer gentle, scenic riding rather than anything technical. The tarmac is smooth, the bends are wide, and the views of vineyards, castle ruins and the river are the point. In summer and autumn weekends the road is busy with cyclists, tourist coaches and other riders, so ride slowly and patiently, and consider a weekday. A small ferry crosses the river at Spitz, a handy way to switch banks. In April, the apricot blossom is a reason to come early in spring.
Krems has several fuel stations and supermarkets, so it is easy to prepare for a day on the road. Stop at a Heuriger, a wine tavern marked by a branch over the door, for a plate of cold meats, cheese and a glass of local wine, but only if you are not riding on.