Parish Church (parish) St. Veit church interiors in Krems, Austria

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Krems an der Donau

Krems, as it's known to its friends, is the gateway to the Wachau and one of the prettiest towns sitting astride the Danube. A region-driven food scene; an intact historical centre; top-quality Grüner Veltliner and riesling whites from local vineyards; and high-calibre museums attract the summer crowds, but the rest of the year things quieten down a notch. Aimless wandering is the way to go, dipping into churches and museums, strolling the banks of the Danube and sampling wines.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Landesgalerie NÖ

    Landesgalerie NÖ

    Krems an der Donau

    From one side it looks like a squashed cube, from the other as though it's about to topple over – welcome to the latest addition to Krems' Kunstmeile: a…

  • Forum Frohner

    Forum Frohner

    Krems an der Donau

    Part of Krems' Kunsthalle network, this contemporary white cube is named after the artist Adolf Frohner and is housed in the former Minorite monastery. It…

  • Stift Göttweig

    Stift Göttweig

    Krems an der Donau

    Founded in 1083, the abbey was devastated by fire in the early 18th century and so sports an impressive baroque interior. It's still a working monastery…

  • Pfarrkirche St Veit

    Pfarrkirche St Veit

    Krems an der Donau

    Known as the ‘Cathedral of the Wachau’, the large baroque parish church boasts colourful frescos by Martin Johann Schmidt, an 18th-century local artist…

  • Karikaturmuseum

    Karikaturmuseum

    Krems an der Donau

    Austria’s sole caricature museum occupies a suitably tongue-in-cheek chunk of purpose-built architecture, its spiky facade tearing the blue Austrian sky…

  • Piaristenkirche

    Piaristenkirche

    Krems an der Donau

    Reached by a covered stairway (Piaristenstiege) from Pfarrplatz, Krems' most impressive church has a wonderful webbed Gothic ceiling and huge, austerely…

  • Museum Krems

    Museum Krems

    Krems an der Donau

    Housed in a former Dominican monastery, the town’s museum has collections of religious and modern art, including works by Kremser Schmidt, who painted the…

  • Kunsthalle Krems

    Kunsthalle Krems

    Krems an der Donau

    One of the main attractions on Krems' Kunstmeile, the Kunsthalle has a program of changing exhibitions. These might be mid-19th-century landscapes or hard…

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