Krems, Austria

Situated at the confluence of the Danube and Krems rivers 43 miles west of Vienna, Krems marks the beginning of the Wachau Valley (if traveling upstream) and showcases a true crisscross of old and new. The Steiner Tor, or Stoney Gate, combines architectural styles, with its original 15th-century construction later refashioned into a fanciful Baroque style. Putting the old and new literally side by side is a preserved length of the old city walls, which is snugged up against a newer chrome-and-glass section – similar in height and purpose, and entirely different in appearance and feel. Putting the new within the old are the designer shops housed in the regal 18th-century buildings of the Altstadt. In the upper Old Town, you’ll find one of the oldest parish churches in Lower Austria. Old traditions also stand the test of time: In cozy heurigen, or wine bars, wine is consumed with a relaxed conviviality. Storybook beautiful in its steep-roofed architecture and Danube setting, Krems is perhaps neither old nor new, but timeless.