Figlmuller Restaurant has been family owned and operated since it first opened in 1905. Although there is nice variety on the menu, the restaurant is best known for its schnitzel which is so large that it flops off the edge of the plate. This has long been my favorite restaurant in the world and I was very excited to stop by for an outstanding lunch. It did not disappoint!
Later, we shared a sacher torte for dessert from a Viennese pastry shop. Excellent!
Mozart House is a museum that chronicles Mozart's life. It is located in an apartment where Mozart and his family lived from 1784 to 1787. While living here, Mozart composed the opera "The Marriage of Figaro."
The palace was built, between 1714 and 1721, to be a summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy . There are two large buildings with formal gardens in between. Today, the upper building is an art museum with a large display of paintings by Gustav Klimt.
Durnstein is a charming little town built along a hillside above the Danube River. The narrow cobblestone streets wind their way through the town and lead to a hiking trail that takes you up to the ruins of Durnstein Castle at the top of the mountain. The town is surrounded by vineyards and the area is noted for its wine making.
There were many small shops in town and most had interesting guild signs hanging above their doors.
The bright blue clock tower of Durnstein Abbey is the first thing people notice when they arrive at the town. The abbey was first built in 1410 and later modified in the 18th century. The statues surrounding the entrance were very impressive.
As we hiked the trail to Durnstein Castle, we were pleasantly surprised by the abundance of wildflowers along the way. The hillside was in bloom and the colors were magnificent. We even saw a bunch of beetles along the way that were enjoying the woodland environment.
The castle has an interesting history because it was here that Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned following the Third Crusade. After a battle was won in the Crusades, the victor would hoist his flag and lay claim to the the loot that could be plundered from the fallen city. Apparently, after one such battle, Richard had the Austrian flag removed and thrown in a ditch with excrement. Leopold V, the Duke of Austria, was offended so he captured Richard, imprisoned him, and demanded a ransom.
Legend has it that Richard's faithful servant, Blondel, wandered from town to town looking for him. He did so by singing a song that only he and Richard knew. When he did so in Durnstein, Richard sang back and his whereabouts became known. The ransom was finally paid and Richard was set free.
Why does anyone spend the energy to climb to the top? For the view, of course. The view of the town and the river below was beautiful. Even though the clouds were ominous and threatened rain, we managed to hike back down to the town and then through the town to the boat before the rain began. It was an excellent adventure.
Melk is a sprawling town on the bank of the Danube River. Many small shops line the cobblestone streets. We noticed an interesting insect house on the edge of the main square. It was also clear that these people take their ice cream very seriously.
