4.7 stars for Dürnstein Castle…read more We came to Dürnstein Castle as part of our river cruise tour along the Danube. The hike up to the castle ruins only takes about 20-40 minutes depending on how athletic you are (or let's be real- how often you stop for scenic photos). I am not very athletic, but I found this hike to be quite leisurely. Honestly, the ruins of the castle are not the highlight of Dürnstein in my opinion. Rather, it is the breathtaking views of the surrounding scenic vineyards, Danube river and small towns from the higher altitude that make this castle hike so spectacular and worthwhile. The small town is also fun to explore, as it is a cute and quaint village worthy of photographing. They also sell little souvenirs/postcards and apricot products (such as apricot chocolate or apricot wine) since they are known for their apricots. I would highly recommend hiking up to the castle if you are physically able! And Dürnstein itself is such a peaceful and endearing small town!

Dürnstein Castle was a really fun excursion for us. It's located above the town of Dürnstein on…read morethe Danube river. I saw some river cruise boats docked close to here but we were actually bussed in from a dock that was further away. You really need to wear your walking shoes if you want to visit the castle because the only way to get to it is to hike. You start off by going up an uphill paved street past what looked like a residential area. After a while you'll transition a steeper uphill dirt road. Eventually you'll also have to traverse some somewhat sketchy stone steps. If you have mobility issues this might not be the excursion for you. It was more challenging than I expected to get to the castle but I enjoyed the views on the way. The ruined castle is where King Richard I of England was imprisoned, which was fascinating to hear about. The views from the castle ruins were quite stunning. You not only get wonderful views of the town below, but of the Danube as well. You'll want to make sure you bring coins with you on this trip because the only public restroom I could find in town required specific coins to get in with no method of making change. Don't even get me started on that.