10 Best Sights in Vienna Woods, Lake Neusiedler, and the Danube River, Austria

Seemingly lifted from the pages of a German fairy tale, Burg Kreuzenstein bristles with storybook turrets and towers. Sitting atop a hillside three kilometers (two miles) beyond Korneuburg, "Castle Cross-stone" is, in fact, a 19th-century architectural fantasy built to conjure up "the last of the knights"—Emperor Maximilian I himself. Occupying the site of a previously destroyed fort, the enormous structure was built by Count Nepomuk Wilczek between 1879 and 1908. Using old elements and Gothic and Romanesque bits and pieces, the castle was carefully laid out according to the rules of yore, complete with a towering Burgtor, "kennel" corridor (where attackers would have been cornered), Gothic arcades, and tracery parapet walls. Discover the Burghof courtyard, with its half-timbered facade and Baltic loggia, a festival and banquet hall, a library, a stained-glass chapel, vassal kitchens, and the Narwalzahn, a room devoted to hunting trophies (if you've ever wanted to see a "unicorn horn," here's your chance). Guided tours are available on the hour.

A group of falconers keeps peregrine falcons and other birds of prey near the castle grounds, and there are regular shows April through October.

The quickest and most pleasant way to reach the castle is to take the suburban train (S-Bahn) to Leobendorf, followed by a 45-minute uphill walk. Only cash payment is accepted, and there is no ATM at the castle.

It may involve a steep, 30-minute climb up to 500 feet above the town, but the ruins of this famous castle—and its spectacular views up and down the Danube—make it well worth the effort. The name (in English at least) comes from the fact the castle once held Richard the Lionheart of England, who was captured by Leopold V on his way back home from the Crusades. It's said that Leopold had been insulted by Richard while they were in the Holy Land, so when the English nobleman was shipwrecked and had to head back home through Austria dressed (clearly not very convincingly) as a peasant, Leopold pounced. Richard was subsequently imprisoned in the tower of the castle for four months (1192--1193), before Leopold turned his prisoner over to the emperor, Henry VI. Henry held him for months longer until ransom was paid by Richard's mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine.

The former palace of the ruling princes reigns over the town. Built in the Baroque style between 1663 and 1672 on the foundations of a medieval castle and later modified, it is still owned by the Esterházy family, who lease it to the provincial government for use mostly as offices. The Esterházy family rooms are worth viewing, and the lavishly decorated Haydn Room, an impressive concert hall where the composer conducted his own works from 1761 until 1790, is still used for presentations of Haydn's works, with musicians often dressed in period garb. The hall is one of several rooms on a guided tour (in English on request if there are at least 10 people) that lasts about 30 minutes. The cellar has the largest wine museum in Austria with 700 objects including a massive wine barrel and historical grape press. A tour of the princess's apartment includes objects relating to three royal women. The park behind the palace is pleasant for a stroll or a picnic, and in late August it's a venue for the Burgenland wine week—Eisenstadt hosts the "Festival of 1,000 Wines"—when there's a two-hour wine tour and tasting at the palace.

A true Baroque gem, this castle is shining even more brilliantly since the completion of extensive restorations. The product of that master designer and architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, who in 1732 reconstructed the square castle into an elegant U-shape building, the Schloss opens up on the eastern side to a marvelous Baroque formal garden that gives way toward the river. The famed landscape painter Bernardo Bellotto, noted for his Canaletto-like vistas of scenic landmarks, captured the view before the reconstruction. His three paintings were used as a guide for restoring the gardens to their Baroque appearance.

The castle was once owned by Empress Maria Theresa, mother of Marie Antoinette. You can visit the suite the empress used during her royal visits, faithfully re-created down to the tiniest details, as well as the two-story chapel in which she prayed.

In 2016, the Schlosshof added some highly popular adventure paths to the interactive visitor experience. Children can play the roles of stable boys and maidens, performing various chores and encountering blacksmiths, falconers, or bakers along the path. You might stumble upon a large estate farm that is home to horses, goats, donkeys, and several other animals. The complex also includes a restaurant and pâtisserie, both with indoor and outdoor seating. Guided tours and audio tours of the castle and garden are available in English, but it's also possible to wander around the buildings and grounds on your own. The castle is about eight kilometers (five miles) south of Marchegg. Be sure to enjoy the panaromic view (you can even see across the border into Slovakia and it's capital Bratislava from here). If you come in winter, you can enjoy the charming Adventmarkt set up on the sprawling grounds.

Also in Rohrau, this palace is where Haydn's mother worked as a cook for Count Harrach. It also has one of the best private art collections in Austria, with an emphasis on 17th- and 18th-century Spanish and Italian painting; weekend tours are available Easter through October. The upper level has been renovated and turned into private apartments; there is now also a good restaurant on the grounds serving Austrian fare. Be mindful of the peacocks that wander the grounds, and sometimes beyond.

The massive four-story Linz Schloss (Linz Castle) was rebuilt as a palace by Friedrich III around 1477, literally on top of a castle that dated from 799. Today, its south wing is a modern, glass and steel building that contains one of the best provincial museums in the country. The Schlossmuseum's permanent exhibition traces the development of art, culture, science, and technology in Upper Austria from prehistory, through the Romans, to the Middle Ages, while temporary exhibitions do a deep-dive on particular aspects of local history. Look out for Beethoven's Hammerklavier among the historical musical instruments. Outside, check out the Friedrichstor (the Frederick Gate), with the A.E.I.O.U. monogram—some believe it stands for the Latin sentence meaning "All Earth pays tribute to Austria"—then stop for a drink or a bite in the Schloss Café, with its lovely shaded terrace affording lordly views of the Danube and the opposite bank.

Getting up to the castle requires a short uphill walk. Avoid the steep and unshaded steps off Römerstrasse and opt for the gentler walk up Hofgasse instead

.