My place, Krems an der Donau

Krems an der Donau is a town in Austria with a population of approximately 24,000 people, located in the federal state of Lower Austria. It is located 70 kilometers (43 miles) west of Vienna and is Lower Austria's fifth largest city. Even though it is a small town, for me it was the first town I ever discovered in Austria ,since I live here, and it makes me feel free and that everything is possible. Therefore, these are my reasons why I choose to talk about it today.

On my first outing, after five days of quarantine, I was fascinated by the rivers here, since in Greece, where I am from, they are not that common. There is the Danube and also Krems river. When I want some piece of mind or to relax I get there as soon as possible. They are in close proximity to my home which makes the situation even better. Also, they are great places to hang out with friends and enjoy a nice day.

There are also museums and other stuff you can visit as a tourist here but this article is not about it... it is rather about how this place changed my mindset. However, if you want to learn more about what to visit if you are ever in Krems, I would be more than happy to help you.

One of the best days since I came here was when after a party, at 5 o'clock in the morning, a friend of mine suggested to go see the sunrise at the top of a small cliff. A group of 6 people, we browsed though the whole quiet city and climbed up the hill. We sat there and watched a not so fascinating sunrise but this day I felt inner peace and fulfillment. Looking down and seeing the city coming to life as the hours passed made me think about so many things at once but even then it was peaceful, relaxing and meditating. That cliff, no matter the time of the day, gives you a nice view of Krems and you can sit there on the bench and think of everything.

Another day that was one my favorites was a short trip to Dürnstein. It took us fifteen minutes to get there by car from Krems. The Wachau region along the Danube has a variety of gorgeous villages, but Dürnstein is one of my favorites. The appeal of this small town on the Danube's banks comes from a combination of original ancient structures and its riverside location, it looks like it was plucked from a medieval novel. The castle on the cliffs above has given the little town its name. It is only remains but the way there and the view from it is beyond beautiful. Passing through the forest in order to get there and seeing the blue of the Danube makes you feel calm, free and secure all at once.

There is a quote "To travel is to live" and here I can say I can live freely. I have made Krems my place and I couldn't be happier.