Oh, I really love to go with the flow while travelling. From the city of Frankfurt and my recent visit of the LIMES World Heritage – Römerkastell Saalburg, it is just another stone’s throw to Rüdesheim at the beginning of the Romantic Rhine Valley. (Yes, it really deserves to be called like that. 😀 ) Shortly after leaving Frankfurt, “romantic vineyards” appear on the horizon while my joy starts to grow. One of the most spectacular river landscapes in Europe … Is it that the Rhine valley could indeed equal “our very own Wachau Danube river valley” in Lower Austria? :p
Arrival in the city of Rüdesheim and view from atop the Niederwald memorial hill: Spectacular, really!
Hang out above the vineyards: Here in Rüdesheim, it is possible thanks to taking this cool gondola ride.
In Rüdesheim, I am welcomed by the charming Brühl family at Hotel Trapp: He just loooves to cook and share local stories, so we have found a perfect haven here. Exactly what I like 🙂
The speciality of this Rüdesheimer hotel is … duck !
We enjoy an evening meal that is just delightful … besides the duck on my plate, more than 3.000 more ducks are all over the hotel: The owners are fans of them big time. I even get a small toy duck as a gift on my travels!
In the evening, Rüdesheim has a party zone called the “Drosselgasse” … It is here where we are headed of course, visiting charming Mr Breuer at the Weinhotel Rüdesheimer Schloss who serves me …
… this Rüdesheim speciality: Coffee served with local white wine brandy and cream. Nice !
Wine too is just wonderful here … The Rhine valley is especially well known for growing excellent Riesling white wine varieties.
Last but not least, my visit in Rüdesheim sees me head over to a most outstanding museum: A collection of mechanic music instruments that I have never seen before. Quite amazing … as well as our charming guide!
Romantic Rhine Valley: Boat trip, cycling or hiking, it does get quite so romantic here!
Dear readers. In order to feel romance by the river Rhine, you do not necessarily have to be in love (although this might help). 😉 Here at the Rhine, even the regional tourism destination is called “Romantischer Rhein Tourismus GmbH”! So what can I do other than calling it romantic? Charming local Claudia Schwarz and her happy colleague Elisabeth have organised E-Bikes for us: “But we are only cycling alongside the river … ??” – “E-Bikes are great”, I laugh and think back at my E-Bike experiences during #Balticdiscovery in Germany as well as in the Lower Austrian Weinviertel district.
And off we go – from Rüdesheim to Bacharach, it is about 15 kilometres following the river downstream, then onto one of the countless river cruise boats. Seriously beautiful. And of course, very ROMANTIC !!
Romantic, too, is the sweet look Elisabeth offers us here in the artistic garden of Hildegard von Bingen, who is a modern shooting star in terms of biological farming and the use of herbs for the kitchen (she has lived almost 1.000 years ago) … It all comes back!
Together, it is so much more fun! Thank you Claudia & Elisabeth for being my local guides for the day and answering my countless questions about your destination. 😉
Alongside the river Rhine, we continue discovering old palace and toll tower buildings, such as this one in the village of Bacharach.
Here, we are heading for lunch at the Rheinhotel Stümpers Restaurant where we are greeted by Mr Stüber who himself is a local “World Heritage Host“, an association of farmers, chefs & hotels in the Upper Rhine Valley that represent the local values of World Heritage.
For instance, we only eat fresh, seasonal and local ingredients here …
… and love the style of the house, as well as our salads, which is all very refreshing during this hot summer day.
Taking a walk through lovely little Bacharach is very recommendable, last but not least because they have home-made RIESLING wine ice cream here … Nice !! Definitely try that 😀
After our delicious ice cream, I feel we have definitely earned ourselves a ticket aboard this ship …
Last but not least, our “romantic day” by the “Romantic river Rhine” shapes up to include hiking romance, exploring one of the single most beautiful lookout points over the entire river valley and searching for famous Loreley: Was she a siren, a woman, a myth or a legend to the local sailors and fishermen? Either way, the Rhine valley has clearly cast a spell on us … so much beauty here in this World Heritage District of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The long distance hiking trail of the “Rheinsteig” has equally caught my attention: It must be so beautiful to walk out here for a couple of days. Wow!
View from the city of St. Goar over Katz castle, hunting for the “mouse castle” a little further downstream … no joke: This destination is full of old legends and stories that are interesting to listen to.
I just enjoy the magic vistas from the seat of the Loreley high above the river Rhine valley.
Sooo beautiful out here …
Fancy a hike? Thank you so much, Claudia Schwarz, for this sensational tipp about where to go for the best views over the “Romantic Rhine valley”. You clearly are the local tour expert and I loved spending this day here with you!
So finally, to conclude with the story of “romance by the river Rhine”: Who is able to see the “dancing couple” in the clouds floating above this picturesque field … ? 😀
Disclaimer: I have been invited by the German Tourist Board in order to travel to & experience several World Heritage Sites in Germany. All opinions are my own.