Rhine Valley 3-Day Itinerary: On and Off the Beaten Path


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Last Updated on February 4, 2023 by Audrey Scott

Through sunny days and fog, famous towns and little known ‘burgs, wine cellars and village vintner festivals, this was our time on the segment of the Rhine River known as the Romantic Rhine in Germany.

Half-timbered homes sit as the foot of cobbled streets. Vineyard paths wind into the hills. And foggy moments as castles disappear and re-emerge on hilltops hint at history.

If you have a fear of missing out on the must-see bits of the region, but long for a taste of the lesser-seen local experience, then this article and guide to the Upper Middle Rhine is for you.

Rhine River Road Trip Itinerary
The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, no shortage of castles and medieval towns.

Here is all the information we would have wanted to know before our road trip to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, the 67-km UNESCO World Heritage segment of the Rhine River from the towns of Bingen and Rüdesheim north to the city of Koblenz at the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers.

Rhine River Valley Road Trip
Rhine Valley road trip, enjoying some late summer sun.

Rhine Valley Itinerary and Places to Visit

We traveled on the Rhine River from south to north, beginning in the town of Bingen and ending in Koblenz. Our recommendation is to spend at least three full days in the area. Ideally, give yourself more time so you can visit the area at a relaxed pace, leaving times for walks and hikes, a bicycle ride, and a few unexpected stops.

We visited the area in just over two days and found our pace a bit rushed so we would suggest at least three days to visit the following places.

Bingen am Rhein

We confess that we timed our visit to coincide with the Bingen 11-day wine festival, the longest such festival in the region. What makes this wine festival especially fun is the feel of locals enjoying their own wine and community.

On the evening we spent in Bingen, absolutely everyone was in the streets enjoying the local product — even the mayor, who wanted his photo taken with us.

Rhine River, Bingen Wine Festival
People gather under Klopp Castle during the Bingen Wine Festival.

Many of the local wineries set up stalls on the various squares across town. We recommend that you ask to taste a few wines before selecting the one you wish to commit to by buying a full glass.

This region is mostly known for whites – Riesling, Silvaner, Weissburgunder, and Grauburgunder. Show your curiosity and flash a few smiles. This will likely yield generous samples and a lesson on the different grapes in the area, the characteristics of this wine region, and the varietal in which the vineyard you are chatting with specializes.

Rhine River Itinerary, Bingen Wine Festival
Fireworks over the Nahe River, Bingen Wine Festival.

Book a hotel in Bingen am Rhein

Rüdesheim

Just across the river from Bingen, the town of Rüdesheim is the traditional favorite with Rhine River cruise passengers. It's easy to understand why. Rüdesheim’s collection of half-timbered homes and narrow alleyways stuffed with shops make it feel like you’ve stepped into the set of a Grimm Brothers fairytale. Hopefully one with a friendly ending.

Rhine River Itinerary, Rudesheim Old Town
Drosselgasse, the most popular old town street in Rüdesheim.

Rüdesheim is also a wine town — more specifically of the Rheingau wine region — and is famous for its Rieslings and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). There are vineyards spread throughout and surrounding the town.

We suggest that you try one of the terroir Rieslings, called as such for the distinct influence of the local soil and terrain noticeable in some of the wines. Taste a couple of terroir style Rieslings side by side and you'll begin to understand how the expression of a single grape can be influenced by the various minerals present in a specific patch of soil.

Rhine River Vineyard
Every castle needs a vineyard. Boosenburg Castle, Rüdesheim.

Rüdesheim gets busy with visitors, especially with river cruise passengers in the daytime. However, it begins to clear out a bit in the late afternoon and early evening. Consider spending the night here so that you can enjoy the feel of the town without the crowds.

Things to do in Rüdesheim:

Cable Car to Niederwald Monument: Highly recommended. A lot of fun to soar above the vineyards and gaze across the hills to the Rhine River below. At the top, take a walk over to the Niederwald Monument for even more views over the city and river valley. Cost: €7 roundtrip.

Rhine River Itinerary, Rudesheim Cable Car
Dan enjoys the ride above the Rüdesheim vineyards.

Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet: Although we had our doubts — a museum full of mechanical music devices sounds a little yawn-inducing — our host’s excitement about the place motivated us to visit. The history of mechanical musical instruments — including contraptions like full air-powered symphonies in giant organ-sized boxes complete with single-stringed mechanical rotating violins — is almost unbelievable, particularly in light of how much we take for granted about the production of sound and music in today's technology landscape. Cost: €6.50 (includes tour)

Boat Ride from Rüdesheim to see Rhine River Castles (1.5 hours): Traveling the Rhine River by boat is one of the best ways to see the Rhine Valley and its dramatic castles perched high on cliffs. This 1.5 boat ride will take you past Rheinstein and Reichenstein Castles (Trechtingshausen), the fabled Mouse Tower of Binger Loch, and the ruins of Ehrenfels Castle. This is also a beautiful way to take in the Rhine Valley small towns and terraced vineyards all around.

Book a hotel in Rüdesheim

Lorch

Lorch, a sleepy working wine town, proved our unlikely favorite spot along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. It wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing town we visited and we were only there overnight, but there was something about the feel and personal nature of the place that we really enjoyed.

Maybe it was our morning run through the misty vineyards above the river and town that made the whole area feel mysterious, as if the clouds were hiding secrets.

Rhine River Itinerary, Lorch Vineyards
The sleepy town of Lorch in the early morning mist.

Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Lorch wasn’t very touristed and featured a slow, relaxed pace. The personal touch and attention also helped, including at a family-run hotel in a converted schoolhouse (the owner went to school there as a child) where we stayed the night.

Top that off with a last-minute decision to drop in on the Perabo winery restaurant for a some appetizers and local terroir wines. A great way to spend an evening.

Rhine River Restaurants
Small plates well paired with a Riesling at Perabo Winery Restaurant, Lorch. Fine and fitting.

Kaub am Rhein

The morning drive from Lorch to Kaub is one to take slowly, pulling the car over at every overlook to catch views of castles on hilltops across the river. Kaub itself is a small medieval town that looks over Pfalzgrafenstein, a colorful 14th century castle on an islet set in the middle of the river.

We skipped going inside the castle in favor of a quick walk through town to pick up a coffee and morning snack — all before hopping the car ferry to Bacharach. Try to get here in the morning before 11AM, as we saw bus tours arriving around that time.

Rhine River Recommendations, Kaub
The wee town of Kaub, complete with vineyards and a castle on the hill.

Bacharach

Bacharach is another absurdly cute town on the west bank of the Rhine. Among the more sight-loaded towns in the region, Bacharach also features a 1000 year-old castle (Burg Stahleck) perched high on the hill.

Rhine River Itinerary, Castle and Bacharach
Burg Stahleck overlooks the town of Bacharach.

Our recommendation: find the walking path behind the church and head up through the woods to get to the castle (now a youth hostel) for a view of the town and river. If you have more time, get lost in the vineyard paths leading to and from the castle. Otherwise, head back down into town to explore the church and wander around the medieval streets and alleys.

Stop by Eis Cafe Italia (Oberstrasse 48) for some Riesling ice cream. Yes, Riesling ice cream! We had our doubts, but it was surprisingly tasty and refreshing and featured hints of fragrant fermentation.

Rhine River Itinerary, Bacharach
The back streets of Bacharach, just one block from busy Oberstrasse.

Book a hotel in Bacharach

Lorelei (Loreley) Overlook in Urbar

We confess that we don't get the almost cult-like need to visit Lorelei. It's a pretty rock and segment of the river, and we know about the legend of the mermaid and Heinrich Heine's poem. Despite this, we don't quite understand all the hype.

Perhaps you can blame our literature teachers from high school. That said, we did enjoy — and recommend — the detour from Oberwesel to Urbar for the Lorelei overlook as the road and journey offers beautiful views of the river valley along the way.

Note: If you wish to see a photo of Loreley, it's here.

Rhine River, Loreley Overlook
Rhine River and Oberwesel in the blazing sun – from the Loreley Overlook road.

Oberwesel, Boppard and Braubach

We stopped briefly in — or drove through — the towns of Oberwesel, Boppard and Braubach on our way to Koblenz. If we stayed another day along the Rhine Valley, we would likely have spent it in one of these towns. There's a lesson here: everything in the region takes longer to cover. It's also easy to get stuck. So it was that we ran out of time walking village streets in the early parts of our days there.

Koblenz

Koblenz served as the final stop of our Rhine Valley road trip. It's the largest of the towns along this stretch of the Rhine River. As such, we kept our expectations in check, especially after all the fairy tale half-timbered homes and castles from the day's earlier stops. However, Koblenz surprised us.

Rhine River Itinerary, Koblenz Old Town
Late summer dining in Koblenz's old town.

Koblenz was originally a Roman town, dating to over 2,000 years ago and making it one Germany's oldest cities. Like Aachen and Cologne, it was under French rule for a spell at the end of the 18th century, and prides itself on still having a bit of French blood coursing through its cultural veins. Much of the city was destroyed during World War II. However, some sections survived while others were rebuilt with an eye to the traditional style, all of which made for pleasant atmospheric walks, especially in the old town.

We ended our visit to Koblenz by walking out to the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) where the Rhine and Mosel Rivers meet. The sun set as we took the cable car up to Ehrenbreitstein, the 19th century fortress across the river.

This aerial view of the Rhine River at dusk seemed a rather fitting close to our journey.

Rhine River Itinerary, Koblenz Deutches Eck
Deutsches Eck, the intersection of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers.

Book a hotel in Koblenz

Avoiding the Crowds Along the Rhine Valley

We’d be lying if we told you this segment of the Rhine River is undiscovered and untouristed. We visited in early September, coming off the high season when river cruises and bus tours are still active.

What we found, however, is that if you wish to get away from the crowds it is not especially difficult. All it takes is moving a block or two in either direction from the beaten tourist thoroughfare and you'll have the streets, castles, and vineyards much to yourself. It's literally that easy.

We also suggest getting an early start to visit some of the more popular towns in the morning before the river cruises and buses arrive (in our experience, around 11AM). You'll have the opportunity to see how the town wakes up — locals stocking up on bread at the bakery, picking up groceries, greeting shopkeepers as they make their way to work. We also tried to begin each of our days with a morning run or walk along the wine paths. Pleasant and mind-clearing.

Hiking and Biking in the Rhine Valley

Although our time was short and we couldn't do this ourselves, we recommend incorporating hiking and bicycling into your trip. There are hundreds of kilometers of hiking and bicycle paths that take you through all of the towns we mention above, as well as through vineyards and other castles tucked higher in the hills and away from the banks of the Rhine.

It's easy to pick up booklets from hotels and local tourist information offices that recommended day hikes and bicycle rides. And with the various options for train and boat transport (see below) you can easily return to your hotel at the end of the day.

The RheinSteig Weg includes 320km of paths along the east bank of the Rhine River. We ran along a very small portion of this through the vineyards outside of Lorch (called the Wein Wander Weg) and it was just beautiful. The paths on this side of the river seem a little less busy than those on the opposite side.

On the west bank of the river you have the RheinBurgen Weg, featuring 200km of hiking and biking paths. You can find some of the recommended day trips listed here.

Note: If you aren't especially picky about your ride, don't worry about bringing your own bicycle with you. Many, if not all, of the tourist offices along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley offer bicycle rental. They also offer the option of electronic-assist bicycles if you are worried about not being able to conquer some of the steep hills in the vineyards. In addition, we noticed many hotels and shops offering Rhine Valley bicycle rentals for €10-€12 per day.

Rhine Valley Transportation Options

The jury is still out for me on whether I would rent a car again to visit this area. While I enjoyed the flexibility of having a car, I was impressed by the public transport and boat options available that allow one to move around without the stress of driving and parking. It's worth noting that I (Audrey) am not a big fan of driving. If you especially enjoy driving, by all means rent a car.

Renting a Car in the Rhine Valley

Pros: Having your own rental car provides the most flexibility to visit little towns and villages along the river. You can take car ferries from select towns to get to the other side of the river, as there are no bridges between Bingen and Koblenz. These ferries are quite reasonable at around €5 for two people and a vehicle.

Rhine River Car Ferry
Rhine River car ferry. Who needs a bridge?

Cons: Parking in some towns can be a bit tricky. It can also get expensive (10€/half day, for example in Rüdesheim). If you'd like to travel part of the Rhine River by boat (recommended, see below), then you’ll have to find a way to backtrack to pick up your car. Additionally, if you want to sample wines along the way, driving may impact your tasting and consumption options.

Rental car details: We rented a car from Cologne railway station and dropped it off at the Frankfurt railway station. If there's not much difference in the cost, I suggest dropping the car off in Koblenz and taking the train to Frankfurt. Driving in central Frankfurt is stressful, particularly with construction, one-way streets and a hidden drop-off rental car lot at the Frankfurt central train station.

Note: If you are not a German resident, be certain to indicate this when you are booking your rental car. In searches I performed with various rental car companies, I found it much less expensive to rent a car if you are a resident of the United States than if you are a resident of Germany.

Boats Along the Upper Rhine River

There is definitely no shortage of boats going along or criss-crossing the Rhine River, and we recommend taking at least one trip as boats and ferries offer a different visual perspective on the towns and landscape along the Romantic Rhine.

We hopped on one of the KD Boats from Rüdesheim to Lorch (and then took the train to return to Rüdesheim to pick up our car). There are hop-on/hop-off boats that run up and down the Rhine River several times a day, so just check the timetables. You can buy point-to-point tickets, too.

For a budget option, hop car ferries to cross the river. It's a short ride and trips are reasonably priced at just a couple of euros.

If you are really short on time you can also take this one-day boat ride along the Rhine River from Frankfurt that includes almost 5 hours in the Rhine Valley between Rüdesheim am Rhein and Sankt Goarshausen. You can even opt for wine tasting along the way.

Regional Trains in the Rhine Valley

There are regional trains that run up and down both sides of the river. Trains run more frequently on the east bank of the river (Rüdesheim-Lorch-Koblenz). We also know from experience that trains can be faster than a car if you time it well. You can buy a Rheinland-Pfalz ticket that provides unlimited rides in a 24-hour period. Alternatively, point-to-point tickets are quite reasonably priced (e.g., around €2.90 from Lorch to Rüdesheim, one-way).

Taking the train works well with hiking and biking as you can complete a trail and take the train back to wherever you are staying. Just be sure to check the schedule before you go so you aren't spending unnecessary time waiting for a train at the end of the day.


We realize that we only scratched the surface of what there is to see, do, drink and eat along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley in our short time there. However, we hope this guide assists you in your planning and your approach to spending time in the area. 67 kilometers may not sound like much, but there's a lot to unpack and experience in the area.


Disclosure: Our trip around the Rhineland of Germany was supported by the German National Tourism Board (GNTB). As always, the experiences and thoughts expressed here are our own.

About Audrey Scott
Audrey Scott is a writer, storyteller, speaker and tourism development consultant. She aims to help turn people's fears into curiosity and connection. She harbors an obsession for artichokes and can bake a devastating pan of brownies. You can keep up with her adventures on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. And you can learn more about her on the About Page and on LinkedIn.

23 thoughts on “Rhine Valley 3-Day Itinerary: On and Off the Beaten Path”

  1. This is my favourite part of Europe. My extended family has multiple vineyards in the village of Reil, just south of Koblenz on the Mosel. I love the fairy tail castles and the backdrop of bright green vineyards. It never gets old!

    Reply
    • Cam, I remember you guys telling us about your German roots when we saw you in Vancouver a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to check out the Mosel river on this journey, but we’ve heard that it is also beautiful and has some incredible wines. Our guide in Koblenz was also telling us some good treks in that region…maybe next summer 🙂

      Reply
  2. The photos took me back in time. I was lucky enough to visit Rüdesheim and Koblenz in 1991. I can still remember the colours. Thank you for the great post.

    Reply
    • Steve, glad this post and the photos brought back good memories! If you visited in 1991, that was before reunification. So much has changed in the country since then, but I bet the feel of these towns was quite similar.

      Reply
  3. I haven’t seen much of the German countryside on blogs recently, so I’m happy to see this! Looks like such a bucolic paradise!

    Reply
    • Elaine, glad you enjoyed getting a glimpse of the German countryside and life along the Rhine River! There is certainly a fairytale aspect to this area 🙂

      Reply
  4. wow really amazing photos and places! I only now north-rhine (Cologne to Bochum). But based on my last summer trip to Lake Constance I’ve realized that Germany has really charming villages. Beautiful

    Reply
    • Thanks, Lilly! Glad you enjoyed the photos and learning about a different part of the Rhine Valley. Definitely no shortage of cute towns and villages in Germany 🙂

      Reply
    • The Rhine certainly is picturesque, Rebecca. And this is only a small piece. Time on the river was nice, though we didn’t do a long cruise. We were fans of time on the ground in the hills and vineyards!

      Reply
  5. Wonderful article. Many years ago I did a similar trip but mainly in the Saar and Mosel regions.

    I picked up my rental car in Trier, after taking the train from Frankfurt airport. Four days later I returned the car to Frankfurt airport and guess what? It was much less expensive than picking it up at the airport. Love it.

    Reply
    • Thanks, Charles! We would like to return to this area to explore the Mosel region…and its wines. Thanks for the advice regarding your experience with the rental car. Often we assume that picking up and dropping off the car at the same place will be cheaper. It’s always a game to figure out what combination works best in terms of price and convenience.

      Reply
  6. Very informative article 🙂 And the photos you took are amazing! Germany, and many countries in Western Europe for that matter, are so wonderful, it’s a pity not to travel and enjoy the surroundings.

    The fees for renting a bike seem a bit steep though, or is this the typical price hotels ask for?

    Reply
    • From what we saw on signs at hotels and bike shops, it seems like the standard price is €10-€15/day for bike rental. Don’t think that’s too high a price, but you could also check at the tourist offices to see if they offer a cheaper price.

      Reply
  7. Planning a trip for the first week of September and had a question. I see so many talk about the river boats as a good hop on, hop off option but when I check KD’s website (they seem to be the only game in town) there are really only 3 or 4 per day in any direction (not to mention that they seem to only stop at a portion of the stops). Wondering if that is the case or if I am missing something. Also, what seems to be a good time budget for any given town? Looking to stop at least in Bacharach and St Goar but also to poke around here and there.

    Reply
    • Garrett, the main boat service going up and down the Rhine is KD. You are right in that there are usually around 4-5 boats running per day but they don’t stop everywhere. What we did was we took a combination of boats and trains (when there wasn’t a boat for a while). Also, some of the towns have ferry service across the river so you could cross with that (this service runs throughout the day) and then catch a train.

      Bacharach and St. Goar are relatively small towns, so I’d budget 2-3 hours in each if you’d like to do some walking around, grab a coffee or meal, and not feel rushed.

      Enjoy your trip!

      Reply
  8. Love this region!! Its so beautiful and I have been several times. I’d like to go back and see the Loreley again (it’s my name!)

    Reply
  9. My wife and I will be making a driving tour of the area this weekend. My concern is that the B9 (west bank of the Rhein) and the B42 (east bank) won’t allow for the dramatic and picturesque views I see in so many photos of the area. Are detours and pull-outs (or pull-ups, as it were) for these viewpoints well-marked? Any suggestions? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Ryan,
      There are lots of well-marked pull-off areas along the roads that go along the Rhine River for views and photographic points. We also often would park the car in a public parking lot in a village and just walk around for the best views. Another suggestion is to take a boat trip to get the viewpoints from the water, either a round-trip or where you can return to your parked car by train.
      Enjoy your journey to the Rhine Valley!

      Reply
  10. I am leading a group of 10 persons march 16 through 30 for a Germany tour. We have alotted 2 days for middle rhine and are using a third day to view the Roman ruins in trier.

    I cannot find evidence of any boats running at this time except the 4 or so crossing ferries. I dont mind using trains, but would do a short ride if one was available.

    We are centering in Bacharach. I also wondered if you went inside any of the castles. Would 2 castles per day be too much for 4 in 2 days? I have noted which ones are open on our dates. Did you have any favorites? I wondered which 4 might be the best considering I have 6 high school students.

    Reply
    • Valinda, sounds like you’ve got a great trip ahead for your group. I believe the car ferries should run most of the year since they also shuttle across local people/cars from one side of the river to the other. We only went inside the castle at Bacharach, which is a hostel, and it wasn’t particularly big. We didn’t go inside the others, but I can’t imagine they would be that time intensive. However, they may start to get repetitive so perhaps think about two castles in two days vs. four. You can spend the rest of that time wandering in the village streets or along the river.

      Reply

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