The Middle Rhine Valley is the most famous German
river valley internationally. Especially for foreign guests, it is
the epitome of German romanticism on the Rhine. It is not for
nothing that the upper Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen and
Koblenz has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since
2002.
Castles, vineyards, cozy towns and villages
characterize this delightful region. The main actor is of course the
"Father Rhine", who has carved out a rugged valley between Taunus
and Hunsrück. Below Koblenz to Bonn, the Rhine squeezes between the
Westerwald and the Eifel.
Simply visit the valley and let
yourself be enchanted by the romance of the Rhine.
The Middle Rhine wine-growing
region is one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in Europe still
preserved today. However, the cultivation area has decreased
drastically since the 19th century. In the steep slopes of the
Middle Rhine, cultivation and harvesting are laborious and hardly
economical. In 1989 the Middle Rhine winegrowers were still
cultivating 681 hectares. Since then, the area has decreased by
around 36% until 2011.
In the Hessian towns of Lorchhausen,
Lorch, Assmannshausen and Rüdesheim, a lot of wine is still grown.
However, these wine villages on the right bank of the Rhine are part
of the Rheingau wine-growing region and represent almost as much
vineyard area as the entire Middle Rhine wine-growing region. To the
northwest of Lorchhausen you can only see small areas of vineyards.
The many dry stone walls show where wine-growing used to be. Today
these areas are overgrown with bushes and trees. It looks a little
better on the right bank of the Rhine. Larger vineyard areas can be
found especially in the side valleys with southern slopes, such as
in Oberheimbach, Bacharach, Oberwesel and on the Rheinbogen near
Boppard.
The federal states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate share the Middle
Rhine region. Only the foothills to Bonn belong to North
Rhine-Westphalia. The Middle Rhine is a sub-region of the historic
Rhineland, which still lives on in two federal states.
The
world-famous valley, dotted with castles, between the tributaries of the
Nahe and Moselle, the cities of Koblenz and Bingen and the Hunsrück and
Taunus mountains is known as the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The famous
Loreley can be found in the middle near St. Goarshausen, a rocky outcrop
at the narrowest point in the Middle Rhine Valley. In 2002, the Upper
Middle Rhine Valley was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage
Sites, including Bingen and Rüdesheim, although these towns are in
Rheinhessen and Rheingau, respectively.
The section between
Koblenz and Bonn-Bad Godesberg and Bad Honnef is called the Lower Middle
Rhine Valley. It separates the Eifel from the Westerwald and the
Siebengebirge.
1 Bingen am Rhein with the district of Bingerbrück is
located at the mouth of the Nahe. Klopp Castle is in the
city center, beautiful Rhine promenade with a view of the
Mouse Tower and the Rheingau.
2 Trechtingshausen with
Rheinstein Castle
3 Niederheimbach with Sooneck Castle.
4 Bacharach Historic building ensembles, an intact city
wall, the church of St. Peter and the ruins of the Gothic
chapel of St. Werner characterize the city. Stahleck Castle
(a youth hostel since 1927) is located above the town.
5
Oberwesel old town with 3 km of partly walkable medieval
town wall with 16 of 21 preserved defense towers. -
Schönburg ruins from the 12th century, Church of our Lady
(also called "red church") from 1308.
6 St. Goar with the
imposing Rheinfels castle ruins
7 Bad Salzig with a
beautiful promenade overlooking the castles of the enemy
brothers. The historic bathhouse with sauna and thermal
baths fed with medicinal water is worth seeing. Likewise the
spacious spa gardens.
8 Boppard chairlift to the view of
the four lakes, old town, "electoral castle" with museum,
beautiful Rhine promenade.
9 Rhens with the medieval town
hall.
10 Koblenz . Deutsches Eck at the Moselle
tributary. Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, cable car over the
Rhine.
11 Rüdesheim am Rhein World-famous wine town at the gateway
to the Middle Rhine Valley with Niederwald monument (ascent
by cable car possible), Drosselgasse and wine-growing museum
in the Brömserburg.
12 Assmannshausen known wine-growing
community for the Rheingau red wine, which is a district of
Rüdesheim.
13 Lorch and Lorchhausen.
14 Kaub with the
Pfalzgrafenstein customs castle, which lies in the middle of
the river, and the Blücher monument.
15 St. Goarshausen
Maus Castle and Katz Castle, towards Kaub, the Loreley
16
Braubach with the Marksburg, the best-preserved hilltop
castle on the Middle Rhine, cozy old town and Rhine
promenade.
17 Lahnstein with Lahneck Castle, at the mouth
of the Lahn
In the 65-kilometer section of the upper Middle Rhine Valley
there are 16 castles on the left bank of the Rhine between
Bingen and Koblenz and 14 castles on the right bank of the
Rhine between Rüdesheim and Lahnstein. A total of around 40
castles, palaces and fortresses are counted.
The high
density of castles in the Middle Rhine Valley is due to the
deep incision of the Rhine in the Rhenish Slate Mountains.
The easily controllable river section of the European Rhine
waterway had enormous strategic importance due to the
lucrative revenue from customs duties. The situation was
further complicated by the fact that various dynasties (the
Archbishoprics of Cologne, Mainz and Trier and the Counts
Palatine and Hessian Landgraves) disputed each other's
influence.
Depending on the topographical situation,
the complexes were divided into hilltop castles, hillside
castles, lowland castles and moated castles, the fortresses
were then the bulletproof systems as they came into being
after the use of gunpowder in cannons from the 17th century.
Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the simple castles
no longer had anything to oppose the first fire artillery,
which was modern at the time, and they increasingly fell
into disrepair or were expanded into fortresses. The last
major destruction of these still intact fortresses was then
caused by Napoleon, who had the last of the still functional
systems blown up in 1806. Only two of the fortifications
remained largely intact, the rest was ruins.
Only the
romantic and national currents towards the end of the 19th
century moved the wealthy bourgeoisie to restore the castles
for private pleasure, which was also the trigger for Rhine
romanticism, which continues to have an effect into modern
times.
The high density of castles, which is unique
in the world, was one of the main reasons for the inclusion
in the list of UNESCO monuments in 2002, along with the
natural landscape of the Rhine Valley.
Individual
castles are also for sale, for those who are interested
there is an inexpensive opportunity to become a castle owner
yourself, the purchase price is usually only symbolic ("One
Euro"). On the other hand, there are strict monument
protection requirements and, as a result, often a huge need
for financing for necessary renovations. The annual heating
costs alone require strict calculation, the annual operating
and maintenance costs for a castle are in the five-digit
euro range.
1 Boosenburg (upper castle) in Rüdesheim
(private ownership)
2 Brömserburg (Niederburg) in
Rüdesheim - Originally a customs castle on the Rhine from
the 8th to 12th centuries. Today the Rheingau Wine Museum is
housed here.
3 Vorderburg - Marktburg. (from 1276). The
remains of the castle, which is easy to overlook, are
located in the old town of Rüdesheim on the south-west edge
of the market. Like the Brömserburg, it was probably
destroyed by French soldiers in 1640. Only the defense tower
from the old castle survives, to which a residential
building was added around 1663.
4 Klopp Castle in Bingen
- rebuilt between 1853 and 1879, since 1897 the seat of the
city administration. The courtyard is open to the general
public.
5 Binger Mouse Tower Former defense and
watchtower on an island in the Rhine near Bingerbrück.
Rebuilt 1856-58 in neo-Gothic style and used as a signal
tower for Rhine shipping until 1974.
6 Ehrenfels Castle
Customs castle on the Binger Loch between Rüdesheim and
Assmannshausen opposite the Mouse Tower near Bingen.
7
Ruine Rossel built around 1794 as a decorative castle ruin
in the Niederwald landscape park near Rüdesheim with a
wonderful view of the opposite mouth of the Nahe into the
Rhine and the Binger Loch.
8 Rheinstein Castle between
Bingen and Trechtingshausen. The facility can be visited.
9 Reichenstein Castle, Reichenstein 2 is above
Trechtingshausen. The castle is accessible.
10 Sooneck
Castle The castle from the 11th century was destroyed by the
French in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the
Hohenzollerns had the ruins rebuilt as a hunting castle.
11 Heimburg Privately owned.
12 Fürstenberg Castle
Hilltop castle above the district of Rheindiebach, founded
between 1217 and 1219, destroyed in 1689, privately owned.
13 Stahleck Castle High castle above Bacharach. Rebuilt into
a youth castle from 1925, today used as a youth hostel.
14 Stahlberg Castle ruins in a side valley on a mountain
spur above the Steeg district of the town of Bacharach.
15 Pfalzgrafenstein customs castle On an island near Kaub,
the mighty castle divides the Rhine. King Ludwig the
Bavarian built it in 1327. It was modernized in 1607 and
1755.
16 Gutenfels Castle near Kaub - is privately owned
and cannot be visited.
17 Schönburg near Oberwesel − The
castle consists of three courtyards staggered in height and
a large number of different towers, residential buildings
and fortifications. In 1166, Emperor Friedrich I elevated it
to the status of imperial castle. In 1689 it was destroyed
by the French during the Palatinate War of Succession. From
1885 it was partially rebuilt. Since 2011, the gate tower
has housed an informative museum on the subject of castle
building, monument protection and castles during war.
18
Katz Castle near St. Goarshausen. The facility is privately
owned in Japan and therefore not accessible.
19 Rheinfels
Castle near St. Goar. The mighty ruins can be visited for an
entrance fee.
20 Maus Castle near St. Goarshausen. At the
castle, an eagle and falcon court offers flight
demonstrations.
21 Sterrenberg Castle Castle ruins above
Kamp-Bornhofen, also known as one of the "Enemy Brothers".
22 Liebenstein Castle also above Kamp-Bornhofen, also known
as one of the "Enemy Brothers".
23 Roman fort (Castra
Bodobrica) in Boppard - The fort wall, up to nine meters
high, is the best-preserved Roman wall in Germany.
24
Electoral Boppard Castle is now the seat of the municipal
museum.
25 Wasserburg Osterspai The castle chapel of St.
Jakobus is a two-storey, rectangular hall building. On the
upper floor, vaults with remains of wall paintings from the
13th century have been preserved.
26 Marksburg The
beautiful castle towers over Braubach and the Rhine on a
rocky cone. With its keep, several assemblies, kennels and
bastions, it is the only hilltop castle on the Rhine that
was never destroyed.
27 Lahneck Castle above the Lahn,
built between 1240 and 1245. Glass and panel paintings in
the chapel built in 1245. From 1852 the entire castle was
rebuilt in the English neo-Gothic style. The grounds and
some of the historic rooms with rich furnishings are now
open to visitors.
28 Stolzenfels Castle The Stolzenfels
Fortress burned down in 1689. The architect Karl Friedrich
Schinkel built his new Stolzenfels Castle for the Prussian
King Friedrich Wilhelm IV on the ruins from 1836 - 1842. The
castle was renovated in 2011. The state of
Rhineland-Palatinate invested €15 million in the renovation.
It is closed in December and only open on weekends in
January. Admission: €4.
29 Koblenz Electoral City Castle
(Alte Burg) from 1185 is located on the banks of the Moselle
at the old Moselle bridge. Today it houses the city
archives.
30 Electoral Palace Koblenz, Neustadt, 56068
Koblenz from 1777 - 1793 is located on the banks of the
Rhine.
31 Ehrenbreitstein Fortress . above Koblenz.
Imposing facility on the right bank of the Rhine opposite
the Deutsches Eck.
1 Abbey of St. Hildegard From the monastery north of
Rüdesheim-Eibingen, which is well worth seeing, you have a
view of Rüdesheim and the Rochusberg on the other side of
the Rhine from the vineyards.
2 Eberbach Monastery
Monastery complex well worth seeing. After secularization in
1803, the abbey's farms became state property as a
wine-growing domain. The Hessian State Wineries GmbH Kloster
Eberbach are today the largest German winery. They run a
vinotheque in the monastery buildings. The central winery
and a vinotheque of the winery are located on the Steinberg
not far from the monastery.
3 St. Hildegard Abbey The
abbey, built by Benedictine nuns in 1904, is the successor
to the Rupertsberg and Eibingen monasteries founded by St.
Hildegard von Bingen. The monastery winery, the monastery
shop, the art workshops and a guest house serve to support
the community. Pilgrims and pilgrims to the shrine of St.
Hildegard in the parish church of Eibingen.
4 Bornhofen
Monastery Bornhofen Monastery is a Franciscan monastery and
is one of the oldest and most important places of pilgrimage
in the Middle Rhine.
Ruppert Gorge near Lahnstein
Zoo. in
Neuwied/Heimbach-Weis.
butterfly garden. in Sayn.
Upper Middle Rhine Valley - sorted downstream:
(Without views of castles and palaces)
1 rest area
Ehrenfelsblickaus. on the history trail, panorama trail,
Rheingau-Riesling trail and Hessenweg 7. − Trails at
different heights from Rüdesheim through the vineyards in
the direction of Assmannshausen.
2 Niederwald monument.
near Rüdesheim - nice view of the Rhine.
A round tour is
recommended here: ascent with the chairlift to the hunting
lodge in Assmannshausen, hike over the "Rossel" vantage
point to the Niederwald monument. Descend with the cable car
in Rüdensheim and return to Assmannshausen by boat with the
Cologne-Düsseldorfer. Price of the "Ringticket" for adults:
14 €, as a "romantic tour" with a visit to the castle you
can also do the tour in reverse for 16 € (10-2015).
3
Nicholas Rock. west of the mouth of the Nahe in Bingen, nice
view of the Mause Tower and across to the ruins of
Ehrenfels.
4 Bingen Gate. near Assmannshausen - About 100
meters away from the train station of the chairlift that
leads from Assmannshausen to the Niederwald hunting lodge.
5 Red wine arbor on the Rheinsteig. near Assmannshausen.
6 panoramic viewpoint. on Lorchhausen.
7 Viewpoint on
Bacharach. Rheinsteig: Wirbellay − View over the Rhine.
8
Viewpoint on Kaub
Valley near Bacharach. View of the
Rhine valley near Bacharach upstream of the picturesque wine
town with Peterskirche and Wernerkapelle. The most beautiful
way to the vantage point begins in the district of
Henschhausen and leads along the Rhein-Wein-Wanderweg
through the Henschhäuser Heide.
9 Valley near Oberwesel.
Road from Oberwesel to Urbar very close to the
Sieben-Jungfrauenblick.
10 Loreley A winding road leads
from St. Goarshausen to Patersberg and the Rheinblick.
St
Goar. From St. Goar a road leads up from the Gründerelbach
valley to Werlau. At the top of the vineyards, turn right to
the "Auf der Schanz" farm.
11 Bopparder Hamm Rhine loop.
The Bopparder Hamm near Boppard, known for its vineyards, is
the largest loop of the Rhine. A beautiful view of the Rhine
loop and the vineyards can be had from the Gedeonseck
mountain restaurant, for example.
12 Four Lakes View.
From this vantage point you can see four parts of the Rhine
hidden by mountains. On the mountain there are excursion
restaurants that invite you to stop. From Boppard, a
chairlift opens up the attraction.
13 Deutsches Eck near
Koblenz, from the monument you have a view of the two rivers
where the Moselle flows into the Rhine.
Burg Godesburg is a medieval castle near Bad Godesberg in Rhein Valley of Germany.
Burg Drachenfels stands on top of the 321 meters high mountain that is volcanic in its origin.
Although the Arenfels Castle was originally build in 1260 few architectural features of the former structure remain today.
Rheineck Castle is located on a Western side of Rhine river at former border between Roman provinces of Upper and Lower Germania.
Hammerstein Castle was build and occupied by Henry IV who brought here his crown insignia.
Burg Ehrenbreitstein is a defensive fortification that stand today on the hill at the confluence of Rhine and Moselle rivers.
Burg Lahneck is most famous for death of seventeen year old girl Idilia Dubb who was trapped in the ruins.
Beautiful pseudo- Gothic castle of Schloss Stolzenfels adds its own charm to the Rhine valley. Located on the Western bank of the Rhine this building is more of the residence than a castle.
Medieval Castles Braubach and Marksburg is the only castle in the Middle Rhine from the medieval times that hasn’t been destroyed.
Despite its nickname 'mouse', Maus Castle was never captured by the enemy forces.
Medieval Rheinfels Castle was found in 1245 by Count Diether V of Katzenelnbogen as a base for his toll- collecting operations.
Standing on the eastern shore of the Rhine river this castle overlooks the town of Saint Goarhausen. It was build in 1371 by Count Wilhelm II of Katzenelnbogen.
Medieval Burg Schonburg get its name from a German word that means 'beautiful mountain'.
Hiking on the Rheinsteig, Rheinburgenweg and Rheinhöhenweg.
Cycling on the Rhine cycle path on the left bank of the Rhine. On the
right bank of the Rhine there are several narrow stretches of road
without cycle paths.
Steamboat trips on the Rhine (see
Cologne-Düsseldorfer)
Events
Vierthäler-Markt in Bacharach ·
Medieval hustle and bustle in the Rhine area in front of the gates of
the old town on the Middle Rhine in a medieval ambience in May.
Medieval Spectaculum in Oberwesel − Every two years on the Pentecost
weekend in even-numbered years, enthusiastic spectators attend this
festival of historical craftsmanship, jugglers, minstrels and
charlatans: Oberwesel celebrates its medieval Spectaculum within the old
town walls.
Rhine in Flames − annual fireworks at different locations
and on different days.
Bonn: May
Rüdesheim - Bingen: July − Starts
in Trechtingshausen at 10 p.m. via Assmannshausen and Bingen to
Rüdesheim. Boat tickets: 43 - 105 €.
Koblenz: August.
Oberwesel:
September. – Start in St. Goar /St. Goarshausen, past the Loreley to
Oberwesel.
St Goar - September. − To the Loreley rock, the Rheinfels
and Katz castles.
Middle Rhine Music Festival · from May to August.
RheinVokal – Festival on the Middle Rhine − "from the song to the
oratorio, from the Middle Ages to the present" · from June to August in
various places on the Rhine.
In 2011, the Federal Horticultural Show
took place in Koblenz, including the Upper Middle Rhine.
By train
The valley is easy to reach by train.
There is a railway line on both sides of the river. Several Deutsche
Bahn Intercity lines run along the left bank of the Rhine with
regular stops in Bonn and Koblenz. Individual trains also stop in
Remagen, Andernach, Boppard and Bingen am Rhein. The trains of the
lines RB 26 (Cologne - Mainz), RB 10 (Neuwied - Frankfurt) RE 2
(Koblenz - Frankfurt), RE 17 (Koblenz - Kaiserslautern) RE 5 (Wesel
- Koblenz) and RB 27 (Moenchengladbach - Koblenz).
On the
street
The valley is accessed by two main roads: the B 9 runs on
the left bank of the Rhine, and the B 42 on the right bank.
The Upper Middle Rhine Valley is connected to the European trunk
road network via the A 61 Hunsrück motorway. Another connection is
via the Lower Middle Rhine Valley and Bonn to the A59/A3 (on the
right bank of the Rhine) and A555/A4 (on the left bank of the
Rhine).
By bicycle
In the romantic Middle Rhine Valley
between Bingen and Koblenz, make sure to use the left bank of the
Rhine. There is a continuous cycle path here. Between Bingen and
Bacharach, as well as between Spay and Koblenz, the cycle path is
off the road.
The right bank of the Rhine (with Loreley and
Rüdesheim) still has large gaps in the cycle path. These should only
be closed in the next few years. The federal highway 42 is not
recommended as a cycle route, as there is heavy traffic here. Of
particular note is the Assmannshausen - Lorch section, which is
temporarily closed due to the construction of the cycle path. For
experienced cyclists there is a signposted diversion via the
high-altitude municipality of Presberg, otherwise the only
alternative is the train.
If you want to visit the sights on
the right bank of the Rhine, the best thing to do is to take the
ferry.
Further information nationwide: see Rhine Cycle Path
By boat
Numerous boat trips are offered on the Middle Rhine:
Cologne-Düsseldorfer
Rössler line
Bingen-Rüdesheim passenger
shipping
Loreley line Weinand
Public transport
Large parts of the Middle
Rhine Valley belong to the Rhein-Mosel VRM transport association.
The eastern part of the left bank of the Rhine from Bingen to
Bacharach belongs to the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Nahe RNN, which has
transitional tariffs with the Hessian RMV. The Hessian section on
the right bank of the Rhine from Rüdesheim to Lorchhausen belongs to
the Rhein-Main RMV transport association. From Rüdesheim, bus line
171 runs parallel to the train to Wiesbaden. If you exceed the
Bacharach/Oberwesel fare limit on the left bank of the Rhine, a
train ticket must be purchased. On the right bank of the Rhine, this
is only necessary when crossing the St. Goarshausen/Kestert border,
since the Kaub and St. Goarshausen train stations, which are
actually in the VRM area, have been accessible in addition to the
RMV tariff since the beginning of 2022.
After all, the
northern end of the valley near Bonn belongs to the Rhein-Sieg VRS
transport association, which has transitional tariffs until shortly
before Koblenz.
On foot
On the right bank of the Rhine,
the Rheinsteig accompanies the Rhine. Some signs of the
Rheinburgenweg are still attached.
Between Kaub and Rüdesheim,
the Rheingau Riesling path and Hessenweg 7 often lead along below
the Rheinsteig.
On the left bank of the Rhine, the Rheinburgenweg
leads along above the Rhine.
On both sides, the two Rheinhöhenweg
paths run parallel to the Rhine, mostly at a greater distance.
ferries
There are no bridges in the entire Upper Middle Rhine
Valley between Mainz/Wiesbaden and Koblenz-Süd. If you want to
translate between them, you have to use a ferry. The Rhine Valley is
best seen from the perspective of the Rhine anyway! A ferry ride can
also be a little pleasure. A total of eight ferries make it possible
to cross the river.
Car and passenger ferries:
Ingelheim-Hafen − Oestrich-Winkel
Car ferry from Bingen Hafen to
Rüdesheim train station Tel.: 06721 - 14 140
Car ferry Lorch ↔
Niederheimbach Tel.: 06743 - 6032
Car ferry Kaub ↔ Engelsburg
Tel.: 06774 - 373 and 364
St. Goar – St. Goarshausen Tel.: 06771
- 2620
Boppard – Kamp-Bornhofen Tel.: 06742 - 2953
passenger ferries:
Passenger ferry from Rüdesheim Bridge 8 to
Bingen Bridge 5 Tel.: 06721 - 14 140
The ferry service between
Oberlahnstein and Niederlahnstein – Koblenz-Stolzenfels has been
discontinued since autumn 2010.
Koblenz − Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein
Regular passenger ferry: March - April: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., May -
November: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m
Specialties from the Middle Rhine Valley:
A kettle of colorful.
What presents itself today as cuisine on the Middle Rhine is the
successful recipe from the products of traditional trades such as
fishermen, winegrowers, hunters and farmers as well as from the tastes
of former Rhine Valley visitors
Rhenish sauerbraten, which nowadays
is mostly made from beef, but was traditionally made from horse meat in
the past.
Dippekuchen "cake" is easily misleading, because it is a
hearty potato casserole.
Potato pancakes made from grated raw
potatoes, processed with eggs, onions, spices and a little flour, they
are baked crispy and golden brown as a round cookie in a pan with lots
of fat and served with apple compote.
Dippehas Hare or rabbit parts,
pieces of pork, carrots, onions and smoked bacon come together in a
large pot called "Dippe". Seasoned with bay leaves, pepper, nutmeg and
salt, a conclusion comes wine and broth over the ingredients.
Heaven
and earth - "Himmel un Äd" a classic Rhineland dish! Of heavenly apples
and the earthy potato. Both processed into purees meet again on the
plate. The icing on the cake is fried black pudding slices.
Spring (March to May): Spring is a wonderful time to visit the Middle
Rhine Valley. The temperatures are pleasantly mild, nature comes alive
and the fruit trees and flowers are in full bloom. The vineyards look
particularly picturesque, and hikes along the Rheinsteig offer
breathtaking views.
Summer (June to August): Summer is the high
season for tourism in the Middle Rhine Valley. The days are longer, the
weather is warm and sunny, and there are many events and festivals in
the charming towns along the Rhine. The boat trips on the Rhine are
particularly popular at this time.
Autumn (September to
November): Autumn is another great time to visit. The grape harvest
begins and the vineyards shine in the most beautiful autumn colors.
Temperatures are still comfortable and there are fewer tourists than in
summer.
Winter (December to February): Winter has its own charm
in the Middle Rhine Valley. Christmas markets take place in the cities,
immersing the region in a festive atmosphere. Temperatures can be chilly
but there is also the opportunity to enjoy winter walks along the Rhine
or visits to castles.