Rhine Castle Tour

You will pass Mainz, an ancient Roman city with a magnificent medieval cathedral. The most famous stretch of the Rhine with terraced vineyards, castle ruins and picture-book villages begins at Bingen, where the Rhine enters a deep valley.

You will follow the Rhine Valley to Koblenz, where the Moselle River flows into the Rhine. Shortly before reaching Cologne you will pass Bonn, the former capital of the Federal Republic of Germany and the birthplace of Beethoven. Important sites include the 11th century cathedral and Beethoven-Haus, which contains the largest Beethoven collection in the world, including the last piano owned by the composer.

East of Cologne you will pass through a hilly, forested region known as the Bergisches Land, then proceed southwards along the western edge of a low mountain chain called the Westerwald, a region famous for its pottery.

After passing through the hilly forests of the Spessart region, one of Germany's largest natural parks, you will reach the medieval city of Würzburg. The most famous of the city's many sites is the Old Bridge dating back to 1473. From here you can take the "Romantic Road" (Romantische Straße), an old trade route that connects many of Bavaria's most picturesque villages, or continue on the main motorway.

If time allows you should take the Romantic Road to the medieval city of Würzburg via Creglingen. The most famous of Wurzburg's many landmarks are the Old Bridge dating back to 1473 and Marienberg Fortress perched on a hill above the bridge. From Würzburg you can take the motorway to Frankfurt.