Last updated on April 21st, 2022 at 10:26 pm
A spring hike through the blossoms of the Wachau valley in Lower Austria almost makes you want to pick up a paintbrush yourself.
The Wachau valley is one of the most popular destinations in eastern Austria for a spring trip into the countryside. This section of the Danube valley is lined with steep vine terraces, gardens and charming villages and is particularly beautiful during the apricot blossom season in mid-April.
Many visitors also take advantage of the warmer days for cycling and hiking excursions. Numerous hiking trails start from the banks of the Danube and lead through the vineyards to spectacular views from the heights.
© Niederösterreich Werbung | Andreas Hofer
Painters in the 19th century were fascinated by the picturesque scenery. What intrigued them were the vivid impressions, the old houses and courtyards, the narrow alleys and the tranquil scenes of everyday life.
The artists pretty much had the area to themselves, because the upper classes of the time was on holiday elsewhere. The Wachau developed into an artists’ refuge and eventually also into a tourist destination.
The painters who dedicated themselves to the Wachau in their pictures were called “Wachaumaler” and were early tourism ambassadors. They popularised the region with their paintings.
Visitors still find works by the Wachau painters enchanting today. A selection of the pictures can be seen in the Wachau Museum in the Teisenhoferhof in Weißenkirchen. An exhibition at the Landesgalerie Niederösterreich in Krems running until March 2022 is also dedicated to the Wachau and the visual arts.
More information: www.donau.com
