Bezirk Krems an der Donau is a historic town located in the UNESCO Wachau Valley. It has two historic centers because it was created from the merger of two neighboring centers. It delights with beautifully restored buildings from different centuries, attracts with wine cellars and a wonderful atmosphere.
The city consists of two medieval centers, Krems and Stein, so now there are two historic markets surrounded by historic buildings. Over the centuries, both cities have grown richer mainly due to the tolls levied on merchant ships sailing on the Danube. This is reflected in the buildings consisting of pretty tenement houses with decorated facades. Situated among the hills covered with vineyards, the city gives you the opportunity to feel the atmosphere of the former Danube resort.
Visiting Krems an der Donau allows you to learn about the rich history of the city. Among the greatest attractions of the former Krems are the Gothic church of St. Vitus Cathedral, often called the Wachau Cathedral, the former Dominican monastery, which now houses a museum and wine school, the Piarist Church of Our Lady from the 15th century, and the Steiner Tor gate, which is the city's symbol. On the square and in its vicinity you can see numerous town houses and palaces, such as the Gozzo Palace and the Renaissance Großes Sgraffitohaus decorated with sgraffito decorations. In turn, in the former Stein, the most important monuments are the Romanesque church of minorites, which today is used for museum purposes, 16th-century salt stores, old city gates and Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance houses.
Thanks to its location in the wine region, Krems an der Donau offers tourists many opportunities to taste the local wines. There are wine bars and traditional restaurants in old tenement houses and their cellars. The city also has some interesting museums, including the Krems Art Museum and the Cartoon Museum.
