Cruising down the Danube from Linz to Vienna, we stopped at the town of Melk to visit Melk Abbey. This 900 year old Baroque structure has been wonderfully restored and was one of the most ornate buildings we visited. It was originally a Roman border post but in 1089 became a Benedictine monastery. The multi-storied library includes more than 70,000 books and 2,000 manuscripts, mostly from the 9th-15th centuries. The oldest manuscript is over 1200 years old. The church is done in baroque style with lots of gold and frescoed ceilings. Currently 30 monks live in the monastery. Part of the abbey is a museum and part is a school. To view more photos of Melk and the Melk Abbey, visit the Melk Photo Gallery.

Melk is the start of the Wachau Valley area of the Danube. The Wachau region is noted for their wine production. Following our tour of the abbey, we went to a local restaurant for a wine tasting and were entertained by a local musician who played Austrian songs on an accordian.

We then got back on our ship and cruised through the Wachau Valley, past picturesque villages, castle ruins and terraced hillsides of vineyards. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperative as the fog and overcast conditions made it difficult to get decent photos.

To view more photos from our cruise through the Wachau Valley, visit the Wachau Valley Photo Gallery.

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