To kick off this year’s Trail Studies, in which we investigate the hiking and cycling trails of the Wachau, we explored a section of the World Heritage Trail. We walked from Krems to Weißenkirchen in two stages, staying overnight in Dürnstein. The trail not only took us through the sunny wine terraces of the Wachau, but also meandered through many narrow, shady valleys in the hinterland. Lookout points offered views over the Danube valley. They were painted by Wachau painters in the 19th century and are still popular photographic motifs today. The perception of the varied vegetation, structures, materials, smells, microclimate and sounds, as well as the agricultural use of the trails, are a valuable source of inspiration for our further exploration of the trails of the Wachau cultural landscape.