The ultimate guide to experiencing the Rhine Valley

Rhine River Valley Travel Guide at a glance

What is the Rhine River? The Rhine River is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. It stretches from the Alps in Switzerland to the North Sea in the Netherlands and passes through several countries, including Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and France.

Where is the Rhine Valley? The Rhine Valley can refer to any section of the valley surrounding the Rhine River in Europe, but it’s most often used to denote a section also referred to as the Middle Rhine Valley, a scenic stretch that runs through western Germany. The area is also sometimes referred to as Rhineland, Germany.

When is the best time to visit the Rhine Valley? There’s no bad time to visit the picturesque Rhine Valley, but if you want to spend some time floating down the iconic Rhine River on a cruise, we recommend joining us on a Rhine Valley tour between April and mid-October. The weather in the spring and summer is warm and pleasant, whereas the fall brings fiery colors to the foliage surrounding the river. Winter is the best time to visit the Rhine Valley if you want to spend time at Germany’s iconic Christmas markets.

What is the Rhine Valley famous for? The Rhine Valley is a destination famous for many things, including its scenic beauty, impressive collection of historic castles and ruins, and world-renowned wine production.

What are some cities and towns in the Rhine Valley? Many cities and towns lie along the Rhine Valley, including Mainz, Cologne, Düsseldorf, St. Goar, Boppard, and Rüdesheim am Rhein.

The best things to do in the Rhine Valley

The Rhine River Valley is truly a hidden gem in Germany. Below are some of our favorite things to do on a Rhine Valley tour.

• Cruise down the Rhine River. One of the best ways to explore the Rhine Valley is from the winding water of the Rhine River. Board a boat on one of our Rhine Valley tours to drift past charming, historic towns, medieval German castles, and steeply terraced vineyards. “Relaxing on the Rhine at the end of the tour was a perfect way to wrap up our adventure,” said traveler Judith after joining the Rhine River Cruise & Wine Tasting excursion offered on the extension of our Switzerland, Alsace & the Black Forest tour. “While all of the excursions are amazing, do not miss out on all of the river/canal excursions that are offered on this tour,” said traveler Gustavo, who cruised the Rhine River on our Grand Tour of Europe: London to Rome. “For me, seeing the sights from the water was the most memorable experience of the trip!”
• Taste the local wine and beer. Enjoying the cuisine and sipping locally brewed beverages are among our favorite things to do in Germany, and the Rhine River Valley is one of the top wine-producing regions in the country. The area is especially famous for its Riesling, which is considered to be among the best in the world. Enjoy a tasting of local wines when you stop at a vineyard on one of our Rhine River tours. Not much of a wine drinker? You’re in luck! Kölsch, the light and hoppy German beer, is brewed exclusively in Cologne in the Rhine Valley.
• Admire the scenery from a new perspective. While we love drifting down the Rhine on a boat and exploring the area’s welcoming towns on foot or via motorcoach, there’s something about biking through the countryside and soaring over the vineyards in a cable car that casts a new light on Germany’s Rhineland. Traveler Marcia chose to do just that during her free time on our Belgium & Germany: Beers & Culinary Traditions tour. “On our own, we rented bikes and rode to another town following a canal,” she said. “[We] saw beautiful artwork, statues, and churches and rode a small cable car over vineyards above the Rhine River.”
• Explore the storybook town of Rüdesheim am Rhein. The town of Rüdesheim, with its half-timbered houses and colorful wine taverns, looks like something straight out of a fairytale. When you visit Rüdesheim am Rhein on our Belgium & Germany: Beers & Culinary Traditions tour, you can spend your free time strolling down Drosselgasse, an historic, pub-lined alleyway in the heart of the Old Town. Pop into a tavern for lunch and some live music, or make your way up the hillside to the Niederwald Monument. Here, you can get breathtaking views and an up-close look at the 34-foot statue of Germania, the national personification of Germany. For those looking to cross a few items off their Rhine Valley bucket list at one time, there’s a cable car that will take you from the town up to the monument.

Things you’ll see in the Rhine Valley

Sweeping views, historic architecture, enchanting landscapes—there’s so much to see when you join us on a Rhine Valley tour. Below are some of the most interesting things you’ll see in the Rhine Valley.

• The Rhine Gorge. We know, we know—it feels like an oversimplification to say that one of the best things to see in the Rhine Valley is the valley itself, but it’s true. The Rhine Gorge in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley is staggeringly beautiful, with its meandering cerulean water, slate cliffs topped with lush vegetation, and hidden castles around every corner. It’s so beautiful, in fact, that the entire area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. We might be biased, but we think taking a Rhine River tour is one of the best things to do in Germany.
• Cologne Cathedral. When you visit Cologne on our Grand Tour of Europe: London to Rome, you’ll have a chance to enter Cologne Cathedral, one of the most impressive and imposing Gothic cathedrals in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage site took more than 600 years to build and features an intricate facade bookended by soaring twin spires. Inside, the gilded Shrine of the Three Kings is said to house the bones of the Biblical Magi. The cathedral is one of the most important cultural landmarks not just in the Rhineland but in all of Germany.
• Rhine Tower. One of the best things to see on a trip to Germany, according to our Germany Travel Guide, is Düsseldorf’s Rhine Tower, which offers both spectacular views and some of the best Japanese food you’ll eat outside of Japan. Visit the tower during your free time and ride an elevator to the observation deck for 360-degree views of the Rhine, harbor, and city below. On a clear day, you might even see all the way to Cologne Cathedral. The tower’s rotating restaurant serves modern, fusion-style Japanese cuisine and is a product of the thriving Japanese community found in Düsseldorf.
• One of Germany’s most concentrated groups of castles. There’s an abundance of fairy-tale castles to see in Germany no matter where you go, but the sheer number lining the banks of the Rhine remains impressive. Dozens of hilltop castles and fortresses adorn the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, many of them on opposing banks. They’re a striking feature of the area that helped lead to its UNESCO designation. You’ll pass at least half a dozen Rhine River castles, like the formidable Rheinfels Castle and romantic Katz Castle, when you join the Rhine River cruise offered on our Rhine Valley tours.
• Loreley Rock. Just downriver from St. Goar, where you’ll end your river cruise on our Rhine Valley tours, lies Loreley Rock. The steep slate formation juts more than 400 feet from the bank of the river and was named after a siren who, according to legend, would perch on the rock and lure sailors to their doom with her captivating song. In reality, the rock lies at one of the narrowest points in the river, making it a challenging spot for boaters to navigate.

What you should know before visiting the Rhine Valley

You’re almost ready to explore the Rhineland’s quaint towns, rolling vineyards, and winding waters. Below are a few things you should know before you join us on one of our Rhine Valley tours.

• The Rhine has dictated international borders. The river serves as a natural border between several countries, including Germany and Switzerland, Germany and France, and Germany and the Netherlands.
• Tipping is common in Germany, though you shouldn’t expect to tip as much as you’re used to in the United States or Canada. When ordering a beer or coffee on a trip to Germany, round up and tip the additional change or tip a few euros. Tips are sometimes included in the bill at restaurants, but it’s common to tip around 5-10% of the total.
• Germany has restricted single-use plastics. In many places along the Rhine, you’ll find that single-use plastics like straws and shopping bags are unavailable or come at an additional cost. We recommend carrying a reusable water bottle and shopping bag with you when you join us on a Rhine Valley tour.
• Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Although many people in Germany speak English, it helps to learn a few key German phrases before you visit the Rhine Valley on one of our tours of Germany.