Drive Through the Rhine River Valley

See A Bunch of Castles

Central Germany is often overlooked for more mainstream destinations such as Munich and Berlin, however, the Middle Rhine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, should not be missed. In my opinion, the best way to see this part of the country is by car, though it can also be seen by train. This scenic drive is picture perfect and will leave any castle lover jumping for joy, so have your camera ready. I suggest buying a selfie stick, so that you don’t have to try to find an English speaker (non-existent) in these small towns to take your picture. Covering castles, wineries, and sleepy villages, this trip is bound to please even the most jaded and bitter traveler. I would highly recommend setting aside at least three days for this trip. Though the towns are small and close together, you will want time to walk around, eat and explore.

Day 1:

Bingen am Rhein

Klopp Castle

Bingen was the starting point for the Via Ausonia, a Roman military road that linked the town with Trier. The town also forms the southern limit of the UNESCO Rhine Gorge World Heritage Site. The main landmark here is Klopp Castle which has free entry, as well as free parking. The view from the top of the tower is worth the stairs, I promise.
Population: 24,398 in 2008
Drive Time to Nest Destination: 20 Minutes

Bacharach

Stahleck Castle

The next small village that you will enter is Bacharach. The main attraction here is Stahleck Castle, which has been converted into a hostel. Have dreams of living in a castle for dirt cheap, well this is your chance. It may be a bit difficult to get to if you are toting a lot of luggage as you have to hike up a pretty steep hill. Another landmark in Bacharach is Wernerkapelle. This is a pilgrimage chapel that took 140 years to build. Even though only ruins still stand, it is considered by many to be one of the most eye-catching structures on the Rhine. It stands on a small plateau just above St Peter’s Church.

Day 2:

Oberwesel

Oberwesel is noted as one of the best preserved cities in Germany. It still retains most of the fortification wall and towers from the olden days. For those who are looking for a bit of a challenge, there is also a nice hike up to Schloss Schoenburg, a castle that has since been converted into a hotel, restaurant and museum.
Population: 2,951 in 2008
Drive Time to Next Destination: 11 minutes

Sankt Goar

Sankt Goar’s main attraction is Rheinfels Castle which is now in ruins. There is a museum and restaurant among the ruins with panoramic views of the valley. Rheinfels Castle was once the biggest castle on the Rhine, but was destroyed by the French in 1797. Bastards. They do not offer English tours, so it will be like a choose your own adventure book! Or, for the less adventurous folks, you can download Rick Steve’s Audio Tour App. If you plan to take a river cruise, I would suggest Sankt Goar as your jumping off point. You can take a ferry across to Sankt Goarshausen across the river and hike the Loreley. The Loreley is a rock that rises about 120 meters above the river and marks the narrowest point in the Rhine.
Population: 2,830 in 2008
Drive Time to Next Destination: 15 Minutes

Boppard

The only reason that I chose to include this tiny, sleepy town is because of the Sesselbahn. This is a open air chairlift that will have you soaring above the wineries, river and town of Boppard. The tickets are pretty cheap too, last time I checked about 6 Euros. There is a restaurant at the top with outstanding views. The half timbered buildings in the town are also very beautiful and it will take no time at all to stroll along the main road and see all the sites.
Population: 15,921
Drive Time to Next Destination: 18 minutes

Day 3:

Koblenz

Koblenz is one of the largest towns that you will visit in your tour through the Rhine Valley and it sits on the intersection between the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The main attraction here is Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. You can access the fortress by cable car or by car. Parking is about 1 Euro. Entrance to the fortress is 3 Euros, which is an exceptional value considering it will take a few hours of time to walk through it. While here, you can also take the gondola across the Rhine. If you are feeling up for another castle expedition (because you are a princess, duh) you can take a bus from the main train station to Schloss Stolzenfels. This is a 19th century castle built by the Prussian king over the ruins of a medieval castle. It is one of the best preserved castles along the Rhine.

Drive Time to Next Destination: 13 Minutes

Andernach

Castle Namedy

Population: 29,585 in 2008
Drive Time to Next Destination: 22 Minutes

Remagen

The town is filled with World War history, including the Ludendorff Bridge which was built in WWI to transport troops across the river. It was supposed to be destroyed by German defenders before WWII, but that operation failed. Eisenhower was able to capture the bridge during WWII and transported six divisions across before its collapse on March 17th, 1945 which killed 16 US Army engineers. If you are thinking, I don’t give a shit about history, you can visit the Wildpark Rolandseck instead. This is a wildlife reserve in which the animals are close enough to touch. This is not a zoo. I repeat. This is not a zoo, it is a wildlife park, and the exhibits are spread out, so plan on walking a bit.
Population: 16,064 in 2008
Drive Time to Next Destination: 33 Minutes

Day 4:

Bonn

Most of you have probably at least HEARD of Bonn before…I hope. This is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven. His house has since been converted into a museum and is open to the public. Maybe if you visit, some of his genius might rub off on you? Doubtful, but anything is possible. This is often considered the last stop in the Middle Rhine, thus concluding your tour of the Rhine Valley. My personal opinion is that you should continue on to Cologne because you will be sick of romantic vineyard views and honestly, the non-English speaking population. By this point, I just wanted McDonalds. They have McDonalds in Cologne.
Population: 327,913
Drive Time to Final Destination: 34 Minutes

Cologne

Cologne has over 2000 years of history, dating back to the Romans in the first century AD. You will find that their architecture is a good mix between Roman, Gothic and Modern. It was occupied by the Franks in the 400’s and became one of the most important trade routes in the Middle Ages. There are more attractions here than I care to mention, but stroll the streets and you will be pleasantly surprised by Germany’s 4th largest city. If I can offer one suggestion, it is to visit the Chocolate Museum, because calories don’t count on vacation.
Population: 1.017 million

Lastly, please remember to be a traveler and not a tourist. These tiny towns look like they have been lost in time for a reason and we want to keep them that way. If you don’t know the difference, this quote by Andrew Zimmern sums its up.

“Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.”