I don’t know how it happened but we ended up adding Germany’s Rhineland to our Belgium/Netherlands trip. Well, okay, I do know how it happened… I was putting together the itinerary and got carried away, as usual. I wanted to go to Luxembourg and Trier is just right there and then from Trier Koblenz is a quick 90 minute train ride so we could go see castles and then we have to head back north to get to the Netherlands so might as well stop in Bonn and Cologne on the way… This is how my itineraries end up so packed.
So this visit is really what I call a sampler- quick first visit to check it out and see if I want to explore “for real” next time. Basically I hit the major sites and figure out what areas I want to spend more time in next time. Spoiler alert: I ended up wanting to spend more time everywhere!
This three day itinerary is adapted from my trip and hits major sights in Cologne, Bonn, Aachen and the Romantic Rhine. I suggest staying in Cologne, as it is easily accessible to all by train. We came from Trier so this itinerary will start in Koblenz, which is an easy train ride from Trier but if you are coming from somewhere else start in Cologne and just take the train to Koblenz.
Day 1 -Koblenz and the Romantic Rhine
The Middle Rhine is a UNESCO Heritage site and has so much to see. Many people take a whole vacation visiting the castles and quaint little towns of this area but remember this is a sampler tour so we aren’t going in depth. I am sticking to sights right on the river between Koblenz and Bingen.
This is a choose your own adventure moment…
If you want a relaxing day looking at the exterior of castles and checking out some of the cute little towns along the Rhine I suggest taking a KD River cruise from Koblenz. During high season you may be able to stop in and see a castle or two because the boats run more often and have longer hours, however there are more crowds which will inevitably make things slower too.
If you want to tour the interiors of castles I suggest renting a car and driving in between the castles. Most castles are high up on hills so you will likely park down below and then hike up but moving between towns will be quicker so you will have more time to explore.
Since this is just a day trip I am only covering the main sights. If you want to spend longer there are amazing monasteries, wineries and an endless supply of castles and quaint little towns all over this region. Here are some highlights on the Middle Rhine:
Burg Rheinstein
Restored in the 19th century this beautiful castle features stained glass from different eras, antique furniture and frescoes. It also has 15th century armor and replicas of a stone slingshot and cannon. Add in breathtaking views and a fabulous restaurant and you have the perfect place to stop for lunch!
Burg Reichenstein
Owned by the Puricelli family Burg Reichenstein is almost directly over the Rhine not perched on a ridge like most of the area’s castles and is directly accessible by car making it easy to visit. Inside you will find a museum with paintings, armor, decorative cast iron plates used for heating devices and a helpful audio guide to explain it all. The castle also functions as a hotel and has a restaurant.
Burg Sooneck
An 11th century castle with period furnishings, a collection of medieval weapons and Romantic era paintings, Burg Sooneck maintains much of its original character. It was rebuilt in the early 19th century by Prussian Princes who wanted it kept as a simple hunting castle.
Bacharach
An insanely cute town on the Rhine, Bacharach’s history with wine goes back to Roman and Celtic times. Stroll the ramparts, roam the streets, ogle the half timber houses and indulge in some of town’s famous Riesling.
St Goar and St Goarshousen
They sit on opposite sides of the Rhine. It’s a great place to cross when you need to get to the other side. We took a ferry from one to the other. More cuteness. Restaurants and cafes along the river with outdoor seating are an idyllic spot to take a coffee break.
Burg Rheinfels
Once one of the largest and most powerful castles on the Rhine, this 13th century castle is now in ruins but still intriguing to visit. Not only can you walk through the extensive complex and enjoy stunning views from the clock tower, there are mine corridors below the castle and a museum exploring the history of the castle as well as a model of the fortress in its prime.
Loreley
A steep cliff where a nymph named Loreley or Lorelei lured sailors to treacherous waters and often their ruin with haunting melodies. This is a dangerous spot on the Rhine. It is narrow and the current is quick but the legend of the nymph was created by Clemens Brentano in 1801 and later it was made into a ballad and set to music. The cliff is beautiful though and best seen from the water.
Festung Ehrenbreitstein
Europe’s largest fortress is situated above Koblenz with an impressive view of the union of the Mosel and Rhine rivers and is reached by cable car. Its origins date back over 1000 years but the current structure is from the early 19th century. Explore the history on a one hour tour of the Roman fortifications, knight’s castles and Prussian fortress or just enjoy the view. It really is spectacular.
Marksburg Castle
Built in the 12th century, Marksburg Castle was spared the damage that other castles along the Rhine suffered. The interiors can only be visited on a tour which runs regularly throughout the day. An English tour is offered at 1pm but you can join a regular tour and use the English printed guide. That is what we did and it was great. Highlights include the giant kitchen, painted chapel and medieval torture chamber.
A cautionary tale– try to do everything and you will do nothing. My plan was to take the train in between a few castles we wanted to tour and then catch the KD cruise back to Koblenz. We successfully toured Marksburg castle. Then we hit snag after snag- late trains, missed ferries, another really late train. We gave up seeing the interiors and decided to catch the last boat heading back to Koblenz so we could just relax on the water for a bit and see the castles along the river. We caught the boat but it was going toward Rudesheim (the wrong way!) so we ended up with no cruise and only one castle tour. Not our best travel day.
Day 2: Cologne & Aachen
Cologne is one of the oldest cities in Germany, founded shortly after Trier, and while it honors the past it isn’t afraid to embrace the future. You will see a mix of old and new all across town which gives it an authentic feel. A town that has lived but is always adapting, keeping up with the times, staying relevant. As the fourth largest city in Germany, it has a cosmopolitan feel with great museums, music and dining and is easily walkable.
Aachen started as a Roman spa town but Charlemagne made it a great center of the Holy Roman Empire. It served as the coronation site for Holy Roman Emperors and German Kings from the Middle Ages through the Reformation. I’ve wanted to see its cathedral since taking an art history class. Easily reachable by train from Cologne it is a great day trip.
10:00 Start your morning at Cologne Cathedral (Koln Dom), one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the world. With its rib vaulting, flying buttresses and spires, this is what comes to my mind when someone says Gothic Cathedral. Construction began in 1248 but wasn’t finished until 1880. The largest cathedral in Germany, its grand scale is due to the huge number of pilgrims that traveled to this site to see the relics of the Magi, as is the wider than usual ambulatory. Don’t miss the Three Kings windows from the early 14th century as well as all the other stunning windows. Visiting the cathedral is free but there is a charge for visiting the treasury and climbing the tower.
12:00 Grab some lunch and a beer. The city’s popular beer can only be called Kolsch if it is brewed within sight of the cathedral. Might as well have a glass or two while you are within sight of the cathedral.
13:30 Take the train to Aachen
14:30 Visit the Aachen Dom and the Cathedral Treasury (Domschatzkammer). The Aachen Dom was the first place in Germany to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is beautiful with marble, bronze doors and stained glass. It encompasses different architectural styles from the last 1000 years but the star of the show is definitely the royal chapel which was finished in 800 AD. Holy Roman Emperors crowned in Aachen gave the cathedral extravagant gifts to commemorate the occasion including the chandelier in the Palatine chapel and Charlemagne’s shrine.
The Cathedral Treasury holds the most important collection of medieval church treasures north of the alps and shares the cathedral’s UNESCO status. Spread over three levels some of the highlights include the Crown of Margaret of York, 15th century painted oak panels that served as the high altar, various reliquaries and vestments. Also in the collection is a bust of Charlemagne and the 3rd century Persephone Sarcophagus, which served as his first burial place.
15:00 Have dinner. There are several little cafes and restaurants between Aachener Dom and Elisenbrunnen.
18:30 Check out Elisa Fountain (Elisenbrunnen), which is also the site of the tourist information center. Inside the columned structure are two fountains with hot water from the thermal springs that put Aachen on the map. You can take the waters like Charlemagne and his father did. Warning: it’s pretty stinky. I was not brave enough to do it.
19:30 Train back to Cologne
Day 3: Bonn & Cologne
Bonn is a 2000 year old small town that was thrust into the limelight in 1949 when it was made capital of West Germany, when that was a thing. After the reunification of Germany in 1991, Berlin was once again named capital and Bonn returned to its somewhat quiet existence. Home to Bonn University and birthplace of Beethoven, this charming town still has a lot to offer- a beautiful cathedral and some interesting museums.
8:45 Train to Bonn
9:30 Stop in at Bonn Minster (or Munster in German). While not as stunning as the cathedrals in Aachen and Cologne, this 900 year old Romanesque church is quite beautiful. Renovations concluded in October 2021 leaving everything dazzlingly clean and in tip top shape. We went in the morning and were the only ones in the church, which was honestly a little eerie but gave us plenty of time for silent reflection and to enjoy the newly restored artwork and interiors. I mean the colors really pop!
Outside are two stone heads belonging to Cassius and Florentius, the Roman soldiers who were martyred on this site in the 3rd century. St Helena, mother of Constantine, is considered the founder of the church that was originally built over their graves. Today a statue of her is one of the focal points of the church.
11:00 Next pay a visit to Beethoven Haus. This is where Beethoven was born. The building has been restored to look as it would have during his lifetime and houses scores, his last piano, ear trumpets, paintings and other such things. You will learn a lot about Beethoven during your visit here. The gift shop sells every Beethoven souvenir you can think of- from books and CDs to shirts and magnets. There’s even a miniature bust of Beethoven.
12:00 Explore town and grab a quick bite to eat. There are tons of cute buildings making it perfect for a little stroll.
13:30 Catch a train back to Cologne
14:00 Walk by the Roman Germanic Museum (Romisch-Germanisches). Built around the Dionysius mosaic discovered here in 1941. The museum is currently closed for renovations but you can see the mosaic through the windows as you walk by. The other exhibits have been moved to the Belgian House. It displays archaeological finds from the Rhineland area and spans 100,000 years of settlements- from Paleolithic times to the Middle Ages.
16:00 Enjoy some art at the Wallraf Richartz Museum. Displayed in a modern building the collection spans from 1300 to 1900 and is like an art history lesson. Starting with one of the world’s leading collections of Medieval paintings, it also includes German Romantics, Baroque Masters such as Rubens, Rembrandt and Murillo, as well as the largest collection of French Impressionists and Neo Impressionists in Germany.
If modern art is more your thing check out Museum Ludwig which showcases art from the 20th century to today. It has a fantastic American Pop Art collection(think Warhol and Lichtenstein).
18:00 Time for dinner. Somewhere along the river is always nice.
Night: Ride the Cologne Ferris wheel at the Zoological Gardens for amazing views of the city at night.
So that is the whirlwind tour of the Rhineland. There is so much more to explore but this itinerary is great if you only have a couple days or to use as a starting point to build on if you are taking a longer trip.