Retracing Maria Antonia’s Bridal Journey – Day One Stop: Melk

It’s April 21st – the day Maria Antonia stepped into her royal carriage with 56 other carriages following. In lieu of a marathon this Spring, it’s also day #1 of my 26-day trek across Austria, Germany and France as a sort of camp follower of Maria Antonia, albeit 250+ years later.

Waved off by mother Theresa and all of Vienna, Maria is off for the first day of travel and lodging, away from home and family, likely for the first time.

Following a ride through the streets of Vienna, the Bridal Journey is off to Melk Abbey where an opera would be performed in Maria’s honor that evening.

At the main train station in Vienna (Wien Banhof), I boarded a very comfortable ÖBB train to Melk, making one transfer at Saint Poelten then arriving at the quiet, charming train station in Melk.

Melk Abbey was Maria’s overnight lodging, the first of 23 (by my count) on her bridal journey. Beautiful as it is, undoubtedly it did not compare with her own Hapsburg and Schönbrunn Palaces.

Melk Abbey was established by the Benedictines, monks that live in autonomous monasteries and dedicate their lives to prayer, study, and manual labor. The gift shop sells honey and wine made from the vineyards and hives on the Abbey property. No longer produced and packaged by monks as these products once were, while still grown at the Abbey, the products are outsourced to prepare for retail sale. Staff at the gift store told me there are still 20 monks living at the Abbey. With another 20 stops to go on this journey, I declined to purchase these delights.

My only garden photo before the rain became torrential.

As usual, I spent as much time in the gardens as in this very grand abbey, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Some well worth quiet time was spent enjoying the views of the Abbey overlooking the Danube River and the charming town of Melk. The town was settled in the 800’s. The Benedictine Abbey of Melk was founded in 1089. Current buildings date back to the early 1700’s.

And my first overnight lodging outside of Vienna? My hotel, Stadt Melk, sitting in the town square in the heart of Melk. It is 1,969 feet below Melk Abbey, perched on that cliff above it. I and my hiking poles can attest to that uphill distance.

I didn’t want to miss the interesting shops and restaurants that line the historic streets of Melk, so I forged on over cobblestone through dreary rain. One particular bistro lured me in with the scent of fresh breads. After that light meal, I was off to bed for an early morning train ride on day #2 of the bridal journey – off to Enns.