Rhine River Valley, germany
Attractions Guide

South of Koblenz is an extremely scenic section of the Rhine River, which is surrounded by lush green slanted hills and mountain, creating a region often referred to as the Rhine River Valley or Rhine Gorge. This area is dotted with many small medieval castles atop the hills, as well as many lovely towns and villages along the banks of the river. The Rhine River Valley begins at Koblenz and ends near the towns of Rüdesheim and Bingen, however the river continues much much further.

Transportation

The first major stop along the river after Koblenz is the lovely town of Braubach, which you can reach either by ferry or train from Koblenz. You can admire picturesque half-timbered medieval houses around the town’s Marktplatz (Market Square), especially along the adjacent Obermarktstrassse Street.

Marksburg Castle

The the top attraction in Braubach however is the imposing Marksburg Castle. This 13th century castle sits atop a hill high above town and is one of the most visible castles along the Rhine River Valley.

In order to reach the Marksburg Castle and take a tour, you’ll need to hike up a steep hill from town. From atop the castle’s hill you can enjoy some of the most incredible views overlooking the Rhine River Valley.

Much further along the Rhine River Valley are the towns of St. Goar (Sankt Goar) and St. Goarshausen (Sankt Goarshausen), which sit on opposites sides of the river from each other. Both towns can be reached from other towns along the Rhine via train or ferry, and a ferry also connects the two towns together.

Burg Rheinfels Castle

On the hilltop above St. Goar are the ruins of the Burg Rheinfels Castle, mostly consisting of the walls and shell leftover from the original 13th century structure. Despite its dilapidated state, the Rheinfels Castle is still quite impressive and offers fantastic views overlooking the Rhine River.

Interestingly, a portion of the castle was restored and now serves as a luxury hotel. The castle also hosts a small museum, a large cellar, and a system of underground tunnels that you can explore.

Burg Katz Castle

On the hilltop above St. Goarshausen is perhaps the most majestic castle along the Rhine River Valley, Burg Katz Castle. Interestingly, Katz Castle was originally built in the 14th century but later rebuilt after being destroyed by Napoleon.

Unfortunately Katz Castle is privately owned and not open to visitors, however the incredibly picturesque view looking up at the castle from the town below or from along the Rhine River should satisfy most would-be visitors.

Burg Maus Castle

Just north of Sankt Goarshausen is the impressive hilltop Burg Maus Castle, which is unfortunately also closed to the general public, and best admired when taking a boat ride along the Rhine River below.

Loreley Rock

The most famous and beautiful natural formation along the Rhine River is certainly Loreley Rock, a massive slate rock with sheer cliffs that towers over 430 feet (130 m) above the Rhine River. Loreley Rock is located just south of Sankt Goarshausen and is best admired from a boat along the river or from across the river.

If you have a vehicle or are willing to do a long hike, you can enjoy even better views overlooking Loreley Rock from the Loreley Observation Park in the hilltop town of Urbar, across the river from this stunning natural formation.

Just south along the Rhine River from St. Goar is the charming town of Oberwesel, which can be reached by either ferry or train. Oberwesel is home to several striking medieval churches, most notably the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) and the stunning St. Martin’s Church with its stone tower.

Be sure to also admire Oberewesel's photogenic half-timbered buildings, including the Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) and the buildings around the town's Marktplatz (Market Square).

Oberwesel's Medieval Walls

Much of Central Oberewesel is encircled by well-preserved 13th century walls, which are lined with 16 large fortified medieval towers. Among the most impressive of these towers that you might consider seeing are Kuhhirtenturm, Ochsenturm, Haagsturm, and Steingassenturm. A large portion of Oberwesel’s Medieval Walls are also topped with a walkway for tourists to explore along.

Schönburg Castle

On the hilltop above Oberwesel is one of the most beautiful castles along the Rhine River Valley, the 12th century Schönburg Castle, which is said to be the most romantic castle along the Rhine Valley. Schönburg Castle hosts the Burghotel (castle hotel), a lovely 4 star hotel, as well as a restaurant and wine cellars.

Just beyond Oberwesel (on the opposite side of the river) is the town of Kaub, which is home to two castles. Kaub can be reached both by train or ferry. On the hilltop above Kaub is the quaint 13th century Burg Gutenfels Castle, which unfortunately is privately owned, but still quite photogenic when viewed from below.

Burg Pfalzgrafenstein Castle

The castle in Kaub that can be visited is the Burg Pfalzgrafenstein Castle, which sits on a tiny island in the middle of the Rhine River connected to Kaub via ferry. This small but well-fortified castle was built in order to collect tolls from ships passing by it along the Rhine River.

In medieval times before the Rhine River was altered, ships would have to pass between a small channel in the river between Kaub’s Pfalzgrafenstein Castle and Gutenfels Castle. Passing ships would be forced to stop when passing through and need to pay the toll in order to avoid having to navigate the extremely dangerous waters on the other side of the channel.

The town of Bacharach is perhaps the most popular stop along the Rhine River Vally and is connected to Koblenz, Bingen, Mainz, and beyond via train. Bacharach is filled with elegant and colorful medieval buildings and many half-timbered homes, making it very photogenic.

Burg Stahleck Castle

On a hilltop overlooking Bacharach is the Burg Stahleck Castle, a beautiful 12th century castle which now operates as a hostel. From town near the train station you can take a scenic hike up the hillside to reach Stahleck Castle, passing several impressive medieval towers, including Hutturm, Sonneturm, Halbrundturm, and more.

Medieval Towers & Ruins

Along the other hill above Bacharach to the north of the castle are several more amazing medieval structures, including the remains of part of an old chapel called Ruine Wernerkapelle and the Steeger Tor Tower. Nearby is the medieval Postenturm Tower, from which you can admire the iconic view overlooking Bacharach.

Half-Timbered Buildings

Other top sights in Bacharach include the lovely St. Peter’s Church, the medieval half-timbered Altes Haus (Old House), and the Posthof (Old Postal Station) with its arched walkway below a half-timbered tower. In addition to these buildings, there are countless other beautiful places in Bacharach, so plan to spend some time wandering around and exploring the town on foot.

Along the Rhine River just before the city of Bingen is the town of Trechtingshausen, which is located near three castles. Trechtingshausen can be reached by train, but not by ferry.

Burg Sooneck Castle

The Burg Sooneck Castle is located atop a hill between Trechtingshausen and the town to the north, Niederheimbach. The 13th century Burg Sooneck Castle is quite beautiful and highly photogenic, offering amazing views overlooking the Rhine River Valley below.

The shortest walk to the Sooneck Castle is from the train station in Niederheimbach, which is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) one way. From the train station in Trechtingshausen it’s about a 2.1 miles (3.4 km) walk one way to Sooneck Castle.

Burg Reichenstein Castle

On a small hilltop just above Trechtingshausen is Burg Reichenstein Castle, which is alternatively known as Falkenburg Castle. This large 13th century castle has been very well-restored and now houses a hotel, restaurant, museum, and medieval walls and towers that you can walk along and explore.

Burg Rheinstein Castle

To the south of Trechtingshausen is the fairytale-like Burg Rheinstein Castle, perched atop a rocky hilltop overlooking the Rhine River Valley. This imposing but beautiful castle is surrounded by forests and requires a hike up the hill to reach. To reach the Rheinstein Castle without a car, you’ll need to walk approximately 1.4 miles (2.2 km) each way from the train station in Trechtingshausen.

Rheinstein Castle was built in the 14th century, but today it serves as a museum with incredible historic rooms and architectural features that have been well-preserved. Additionally the Rheinstein Castle hosts a restaurant and offers sweeping views overlooking the Rhine River from high above.

Burg Klopp Castle

Near the end of the Rhine River Valley is the large city of Bingen, which is well connected to the region via public transportation with train multiple train stations and a ferry stop.

Bingen hosts the Burg Klopp Castle, which sits on a small hill offering beautiful views overlooking the city and the Rhine River. It’s free to explore the grounds of Klopp Castle, which also hosts a small museum and a restaurant.

Mouse Tower (Mauserturm)

Just off the coast of Bingen in the Rhine River is the Mouse Tower (or Mauserturm) which sits on a tiny island within the river. The Mouse Tower is small but interesting with quite a storied history. Historically, this tower acted as a medieval toll booth along the Rhine River, before later being used as a signal tower.

You can enjoy picturesque views of the Ehrenfels Castle below hillside vineyards, behind the Mouse Tower, from the riverbanks. It’s also possible to pre-book a special tour to visit the Mouse Tower, however most people view the tower from either a boat or along the river in Bingen.

Just across the river from Bingen is the last town along the Rhine River Valley, Rüdesheim am Rhein. This town can be reached both by train and ferry, and a ferry connects the town with Bingen. Old Town Rüdesheim is a popular tourist destination with many lovely medieval half-timbered buildings, especially along Die Drosselgasse Street. In this area you’ll find many restaurants and shops in a fairytale-like village setting.

Consider visiting Rüdesheim’s popular Siegried’s Mechanical Museum, which is housed within a beautiful half-timbered building and contains a collection of historic self-playing musical instruments.

Ehrenfels Castle

At the western edge of Rüdesheim are the ruins of the Burg Ehrenfels Castle, an imposing 12th century fortification that sits directly across the river from the Mouse Tower. This 12th century castle actually worked in conjunction with the Mouse Tower to collect tolls from passing ships along the Rhine River.

You can enjoy views overlooking Bingen from the road near the Ehrenfels Castle. Nearby you can hike up the hill to the medieval Rossel Tower for incredible views overlooking Bingen and the Nahe River.

Niederwalddenkmal

On a hilltop above Rüdesheim is the extremely popular Niederwalddenkmal Monument, which was built to commemorate the unification of Germany in the late 19th century. You can reach this hilltop monument by taking a scenic ride on a gondola chairlift up the hill from Rüdesheim, which passes above lovely hillside vineyards.

From the hilltop you can also enjoy amazing views overlooking the Rhine River below, especially from the small Niederwalddenkmal Temple. The chairlift station is called the Rüdesheimer Seilbahngesellschaft and is located next to the Old Town.

Mainz Cathedral

Further down the Rhine River from Bingen is the large city of Mainz, which is known for its massive Mainz Cathedral. This magnificent Romanesque-Gothic-Baroque style cathedral was originally built 1,000 years ago but was badly damaged in WWII. This led to its modern reconstruction resulting in the new-looking castle-like appearance of the Mainz Cathedral today. You can reach the Mainz Cathedral with a walk of about 30 minutes from the city’s main train station.

Marktplatz

The Mainz Cathedral towers above the Marktplatz market square of Mainz’s Altstadt (Old Town), which is lined with many elegant historic buildings. The Marktplatz market square of Mainz hosts many public markets and a popular Christmas Market.

Gutenberg Museum

Behind Marktplatz you can visit the Gutenberg Museum, one of the oldest printing museums in the world. The Gutenberg Museum of Mainz hosts two of the extremely rare Gutenberg Bibles, as well as replicas of the Gutenberg printing press and Gutenberg’s workshop. Additionally the museum hosts many important historic bookplates used to print books, along with many other items related to printing.