Rossatz: Hiking, Nature and Culture

Rossatz combines circular trails through apricot orchards, the Wachau landscape and historic buildings. When looking for a hotel for your stay, it is worth first considering what you plan to do during your visit: Would you like to hike on circular trails, explore natural areas, or combine visits to historic buildings with a meal at a local establishment? The trails and excursion destinations differ in their landscapes and starting points. Their features can help you tailor your stay to your own interests.

Hiking Trails Through Gardens and Vineyards

The Marillenmeile consists of circular hiking trails through apricot orchards, with information boards along the way. The Rossatz Panorama Trail is a high-altitude trail that passes vineyards, orchards and stone terraces. Another option is Stage 12 of the Welterbesteig Wachau: it starts at the church square in Rossatz, passes through the nature reserve on Toten Berg and continues to a sandy beach with a bicycle ferry. This gives you a choice of different landscapes and types of route: circular trails through apricot orchards, a high-altitude trail along vineyards, and a stage that starts at the church square.

If you are heading for the Panorama Trail, bus route 720 runs from Krems and Melk to the “Rossatzbach Bundesstraße” stop. From there, it is a four-minute walk to the start of the Panorama Trail. Check the route’s timetable when planning your journey.

Riparian Forest, Views and a Via Ferrata

Pritzenau near Rossatz is a riparian forest area between the Danube and the vineyards. Expansive meadows, old trees and quiet side channels shape the landscape. You can take walks through restored floodplain areas along the Danube’s former channels. Pritzenau also provides habitat and refuge for rare fish species such as nase, streber and Danube salmon.

Seekopf lies at an elevation of 671 metres and offers views both upstream and downstream along the Danube, eastwards as far as the Tullnerfeld and southwards towards the distant Alpine peaks of Ötscher and Dürrenstein. At Hirschwand, a miniature via ferrata lets you climb a rock ridge that rises about 15 metres. Seekopf and Hirschwand therefore appeal to different interests: expansive views from a lookout point or climbing a rock ridge via the via ferrata.

Castle and Church in Rossatz

Rossatz Castle is a former castle of Count Schönborn, featuring beautiful three-storey arcades. Since 1859, it has been owned by the people of Rossatz as an agricultural cooperative. The castle’s history can therefore be traced both through its former association and through its form of ownership, which continues to this day.

Rossatz Church also reflects several phases of construction and art. Its core structure shows early Gothic features dating to around 1320; the Late Gothic west tower was built in the 15th century. The choir contains paintings from the school of M. J. Schmidt, created around 1800. These elements from different periods give the church its own art-historical perspective, without assigning the core structure, tower and paintings to the same period.

Getting There and Local Dining

The Dürnstein–Rossatz car ferry connects the two towns from Easter until the end of October. If you plan to cross, check the timetable before setting out. This is separate from the bicycle ferry at the sandy beach reached by Stage 12 of the Welterbesteig Wachau. For a meal, wine taverns in Rossatz and Rührsdorf serve regional specialities and Wachau wines. You can organise your plans around your own priorities: trails and viewpoints, historic buildings, a seasonal ferry connection, or regional wines and specialities.

Discover more destinations: Dürnstein, Schwallenbach, Schönberg Am Kamp, Rastenfeld, Ötz, Mühldorf, Rohrendorf Bei Krems, Straß Im Straßertale

For the broader travel overview: Krems-Land.