Welterbesteig Wachau - Wachau World Heritage Trail in Winter 03: Weißenkirchen-Spitz
Hiking tour Starting from Weißenkirchen
From Weißenkirchen to Spitz, the route winds through the impressive heart of the Wachau’s stone-terraced wine country. The historic wine-growing villages of Weißenkirchen and Spitz offer numerous opportunities to stop for a break and enjoy some wine. A special natural attraction along this stage is the Michaelerberg Natural Monument, with its diverse flora and distinctive landscape.
From Weißenkirchen to Spitz, the route winds through the impressive heart of the Wachau’s stone-terraced wine country. The historic wine-growing villages of Weißenkirchen and Spitz offer numerous opportunities to stop for a break and enjoy some wine. A special natural attraction along this stage is the Michaelerberg Natural Monument, with its diverse flora and distinctive landscape.
The winter stage from Weißenkirchen to Spitz winds through one of the Wachau’s most impressive wine-growing landscapes, running high above the Danube through the region’s largest contiguous vineyard area. Renowned vineyards such as Kollmitz, Kollmütz, and Hochrain characterize this section and repeatedly offer sweeping views of the Danube Valley and the terraced vineyards. Above St. Michael, the trail crosses the Michaelerberg, a varied landscape of dry grasslands, forests, and rocky outcrops, whose unique formations and vantage points contribute to the scenic charm of this stage.
Passing through the historic Red Gate, you finally reach the traditional wine-growing village of Spitz.
As you hike along the Welterbesteig Wachau - Wachau World Heritage Trail, you’ll come to understand, step by step, why the Wachau has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage region. As you pass through carefully curated World Heritage sites, the defining highlights of the World Heritage Site become apparent—the interplay of the historic cultural landscape, traditional viticulture, extraordinary natural areas, and the Danube as a defining element.
Thanks to good rail connections, a relaxed and sustainable journey to the Wachau is easily possible. Even in winter, a dense network of public transportation in the region ensures that all stages can be comfortably reached by bus. This makes it very easy to combine different stages.
The Welterbesteig Wachau - Wachau World Heritage Trail has also been awarded the Austrian Hiking Seal of Quality. This certification stands for high-quality standards in route guidance, signage, safety, and infrastructure, and confirms the Welterbesteig Wachau - Wachau World Heritage Trail as a reliable and high-quality hiking experience in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There are no places to stop for refreshments or springs along the trail.
Wachau Mountain Rescue Emergency Number: 140
Wear the right footwear (waterproof, good support, sturdy tread)
Layered clothing is recommended
Stay warm from the inside (consider bringing tea in a thermos)
Bring a hiking map and a cell phone
Bring enough drinking water with you
Don’t forget sunscreen, even in winter
Don’t leave your trash behind on the trail
Respect the sensitive habitats of plants and wildlife
From the market square in Weißenkirchen, the Burgstiege on Bachstraße leads left uphill to the Burgviertel, one of the oldest settlements in the Wachau region, featuring Gothic wine-pressing courtyards and several wine taverns (Rosenberger Family Wine Tavern Stamp Station). At the end of the Burgviertel, the trail descends into the Lichtgartl and reaches the vineyards. Cross Seiberstraße to reach the Ritzling vineyard. Turn right here and pass the Postaller vineyard on your way up to the famous Kollmitz vineyard. From here, you can descend to Wösendorf and Joching. The main route continues to the right along the high-altitude trail into the beech forest. After a few minutes, you’ll leave the vineyards behind and enter a beech forest. After the forest loop, the trail leads past the Geißberg back into the vineyards and onto a scenic high-altitude trail through the well-known vineyards of Hochrain, Höll, and Kollmütz. At the end of the vineyard landscape, the trail enters the forest toward the Michaelerberg viewpoint and natural monument, where there is an option to descend to St. Michael (approx. 20-minute descent). The Michaelerberg was once an old mountain pasture and is among the most biodiverse meadows along the Danube. Bizarre rock and stone formations, dry grasslands, and forest steppe enhance the beauty of the Michaelerberg. After a short rest with a breathtaking view, the St. Michael High Trail leads through an untouched oak and hornbeam forest down into the Miesling Valley. Once you reach the stream, turn right; soon you’ll cross the Mieslingbach and head uphill to the legendary Rotes Tor, the remaining section of Spitz’s former defensive wall. The trail leads through the gate into the Spitz wine-growing region and down a historic connecting path straight to Spitz. Passing famous vineyards such as Rotes Tor, Singerriedel, and Axpoint, you’ll reach the stage’s destination—the picturesque church square in Spitz—after 10 minutes.
Easily accessible by train and bus
These locations can be reached seven days a week via bus No. 715. It is possible to return to the starting point of the hike.
On the north bank of the Wachau, bus line 715 runs between Krems, Spitz, and Melk (or Melk, Spitz, and Krems) and connects to the train in Krems and Melk. www.vor.at
Leider können wir Ihnen zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt keine Wetterdaten für den Ort anzeigen.
