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.

Krems has three parts: Krems to the east, Stein (formerly a separate town) to the west, and the connecting suburb of Und. Hence the local witticism: Krems und Stein sind drei Städte (Krems and Stein are three towns).