Spitz is a market town on the north bank of the Danube, where the river narrows between vineyard slopes and wooded heights in Austria’s Wachau. It is more than a scenic pause between Krems and Melk: winegrowing, river transport and a dense record of local history still shape the everyday landscape. Statistics Austria counted 1,524 residents in the whole Marktgemeinde Spitz on 31 October 2025; that figure covers the municipality, not only the compact market centre.

A written record, then a fortified market

The municipal archive traces the area through two early records that should not be confused. A charter dated 830 confirms an earlier grant referring to Wahowa and Akkussabah, while the place-name ad Spizzun is first recorded in 865. The municipality also documents vineyards here from the ninth century. These sources establish an early settlement and wine-growing landscape; they do not establish a Roman foundation.

Spitz’s later history is written into its buildings and ridges. Hinterhaus castle is mentioned in a 1243 feudal record, and two fortified houses are documented in 1285/86. In 1347 the settlement is first described as a market with its own rights and coat of arms. The castle ruins now stand on a rocky spur above the town. The steep northern approach is part of the visit, and sturdy shoes matter. The fortress was taken and damaged in the region’s conflicts, destroyed in 1620 and not rebuilt. In the centre, Schloss Spitz grew from the lower stronghold and later became a Renaissance residence; the former Erlahof, once a monastic wine estate, now houses the shipping museum.

Terraces, wine and the Danube’s working past

Vineyards are not simply a backdrop here. The slopes around the Tausendeimerberg and into the Spitzer Graben are part of the Wachau wine-growing area, with steep, stone-built terraces and a long record of Riesling and Grüner Veltliner production. Local wineries, tasting rooms and Heurige give visitors ways to encounter that economy directly, though openings depend on the season. Orchards and Wachau apricots also belong to the wider regional food culture.

The Schifffahrtsmuseum Spitz, founded in 1970 in the Erlahof, tells a different story of the river. Its collection focuses on rowing and raft shipping on the upper Danube: visitors can see a boat organ dated 1697, working tools, ship parts, detailed vessel models and equipment from horse-towed river convoys. This is a useful counterpoint to viewing the Danube only from a terrace or cruise boat.

Other stops include the parish church, the old town hall, Schloss Spitz, the Red Gate and the Teufelsmauer. The latter is tied to a local tale that the devil tried to build a wall to flood the Wachau; the story belongs to folklore, not documented history. The municipality’s list helps visitors choose among sites rather than attempting them all at once.

Getting there and making a day of it

From Vienna, a practical public-transport route is rail to Krems followed by Wachau bus 715 to Spitz; the same bus continues along the Danube toward Melk. The Wachaubahn is an excursion service whose operating days and connections vary, so check the current VOR and railway timetables. The roll ferry crosses to Arnsdorf in roughly five to seven minutes, depending on water level, and carries pedestrians, bicycles and cars. It may pause for high water, fog or storms; its hours change by season.

For a first visit, combine the market centre and shipping museum with either the steep walk to Hinterhaus or a vineyard path. Local accommodation, food businesses, wine taverns and a seasonal swimming pool make an overnight stay possible, but opening days should be checked directly. A little planning lets Spitz read as a working river and wine town, not only as a viewpoint over the Danube.

Useful visitor information