When a direct, cheap flight to Frankfurt landed in my inbox, I wasn’t about to pass it up — especially since it meant I could spend 2 days in the Rhine River Valley, just an hour away, and stay in an actual castle (more on that later). I’d heard the area was stunning, but nothing quite prepared me for seeing it in person. Two days later, I was already planning when I could come back. So let’s get into it.
Jump to: About the Rhine River Valley | Where to stay | What to do | Getting around | Why it’s worth 2 days
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A little about the Rhine River Valley
The Rhine River Valley has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. It’s famous for its steep, terraced vineyards and roughly 40 hilltop castles. The region is also one of Germany’s top wine areas, with Riesling as the dominant grape grown.
Many travelers visit the area to do a river cruise, since companies like Viking run some of their most popular routes here. But you don’t need a cruise ship to see it. The castles, towns, and vineyards are just as stunning by car or on foot.
Where to stay
When you visit the Rhine River Valley, you absolutely have to stay in a castle. The region is full of them, and many have been converted into hotels. It’s one of the coolest experiences you can have here.
I stayed at Burg Gutenfels, perched above the town of Kaub. The castle dates back to 1220, making it over 800 years old. It sits right in the middle of the vineyards overlooking the Rhine.
It was incredible. There are only a handful of rooms here, so it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. The room was enormous and included a kitchen, living room, and a huge luxury-feeling bathroom. Also, it had the comfiest bed ever!!
Breakfast was included, and it might be the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had. Fresh-made eggs, bacon, pastries, yogurt, cheese, meats, the works. Not to mention, breakfast is served in an enormous, beautiful dining room. It really felt like eating as a king or queen in the medieval days.
The stay also included access to a private sauna you could book just for yourself. It was so relaxing, especially since I visited in October and it was pretty chilly!
Walking around the property was an experience on its own. There are lots of places to explore, and every corner felt like being transported back in time.
What do to
My favorite thing I did in the are was visit Rüdesheim to ride the cable car up over the vineyards. You glide right over the vines with the Rhine River in view the entire way, and it drops you at the Niederwald Monument, where you can take in the views before riding back down.
The region is also full of wineries right along the river, since this whole stretch is one of Germany’s top wine-growing areas. In Rüdesheim, RheinWeinWelt is a great spot to taste a wide range of local wines in one place, and in Bacharach, Weingut Baer offers guided tastings right in the vineyard. There are also tours that will drive and take you to multiple.
You also can’t skip the castles. The whole river is lined with them, and several are open to visit, including Marksburg, the only Rhine castle that was never destroyed, and Pfalzgrafenstein, a ship-shaped castle sitting right on a tiny island in the river.
If you want to see the valley from the water, you can also take a daytime river cruise with KD (Köln-Düsseldorfer), the main operator running cruises through this stretch of the Rhine. I didn’t do this myself, but I bet it would be a beautiful way to see the castles and villages from a different angle.
Getting around
I rented a car for this trip, since I love having the freedom to go wherever I want on whatever timeframe I want. There’s also a train that runs along the river if you’d rather not drive, but I’d recommend renting a car if you can.
Just driving along the Rhine was an experience in itself. The road hugs the river most of the way, so you get stunning views the entire drive, past vineyards, castles, and small towns. It never felt like a means to get somewhere else. It was part of the trip.
Why 2 Days in the Rhine River Valley Is Worth It
2 days in the Rhine River Valley was a great amount of time to spend there. It was enough to settle into the castle, explore the different towns, drive along the river, and still feel relaxed instead of rushed. I’d rather leave a place wanting more than stay so long that I’m ready to move on. However, if you have the time, you can definitely stretch it to three days. I wouldn’t go much beyond that though, since there’s plenty more of Germany worth seeing with the extra time. Places like Heidelberg or Füssen are well worth adding on. I actually drove through Heidelberg on my way up from Füssen and wished I’d had longer to explore it. (Read more about my time in Füssen here.)
