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    Middle Rhine
    Hammondtravels / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Germany

    Middle Rhine

    RegionUNESCO

    Zwischen Bingen und Koblenz zwängt sich der Rhein durch ein enges Schiefertal zwischen Hunsrück und Taunus.

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    Zwischen Bingen und Koblenz zwängt sich der Rhein durch ein enges Schiefertal zwischen Hunsrück und Taunus. Auf diesem Abschnitt, dem Oberen Mittelrheintal, reihen sich rund 40 Burgen, Schlösser und Festungen, Weinbergterrassen und kleine Städte mit Stadtmauern wie Bacharach und Oberwesel. Seit 2002 ist das Tal UNESCO-Welterbe.Am engsten wird es an der Loreley bei St. Goarshausen. Zwischen Mainz und Koblenz gibt es keine Straßenbrücke, über den Fluss bringen dich Fähren. Bei extremem Niedrigwasser, wie im August 2026, kann der Fähr- und Schiffsverkehr eingestellt werden, prüfe dann vorab die aktuellen Fahrpläne. Auf beiden Ufern fahren Züge, und der Rheinsteig führt rechtsrheinisch über die Höhen. Im Norden, an der Mündung der Mosel, liegt Koblenz als größte Stadt der Region.
    Marksburg
    Tobi 87 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Place 1 of 4

    Marksburg

    The Marksburg, above Braubach, south of Koblenz, is considered the only never-destroyed hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine.

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    Bacharach

    Place 2 of 4

    Bacharach

    Bacharach is a small wine village on the left bank of the Rhine between Bingen and Boppard, first mentioned in 871 and still largely enclosed by its town wall with towers.

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    Loreley

    Place 3 of 4

    Loreley

    The Loreley is a 132-meter-high slate rock situated on the right bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, right in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley.

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    Koblenz

    Place 4 of 4

    Koblenz

    Koblenz liegt dort, wo die Mosel in den Rhein mündet, und ist das nördliche Tor zum UNESCO-Welterbe Oberes Mittelrheintal.

    With around 114,000 inhabitants, Koblenz is the largest city on the Middle Rhine and can be easily explored on foot. The Old Town is situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle, extending from Görresplatz via Münzplatz and Florinsmarkt to Deutsches Eck.

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    More places in Middle Rhine

    Boppard

    Boppard

    Boppard is situated on a large bend of the Rhine, about 20 kilometers south of Koblenz, and has a population of just over 15,000. Within the town, remains of the Roman fort Bodobrica are preserved, considered one of the best-preserved forts north of the Alps. Its southern part is freely accessible as an archaeological park.On the market square stands the two-towered Romanesque Church of St. Severus, while the Electoral Castle houses the town museum. From April to October, a chairlift takes you from Mühltal up to the Vierseenblick, where the mountains conceal the river so it appears like four lakes, and to Gedeonseck, offering views of the vineyards of the Bopparder Hamm.

    Round trips through this region

    Classics in 14 Days

    This 14-day journey combines Germany's great cities and landscapes from Berlin to Cologne. From the capital, via Dresden to Franconia, whose Bamberg Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993, and further via Nuremberg to Munich. Near Füssen, you visit Schloss Neuschwanstein; the route then leads via Heidelberg to Koblenz at the Moselle estuary, the north end of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage site. The journey ends in Cologne; from the main station, you can reach Köln/Bonn Airport in 11 minutes by Regional-Express.

    14 Days
    10 stops
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    Rhein, Mosel and Castles

    In a week, you'll follow the Rhine from Cologne to Koblenz, then into the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002. From Bacharach, you'll explore the Loreley, a 132-meter high slate rock face near St. Goarshausen. Afterward, switch to the Moselle in Cochem with its Reichsburg, then hike to Eltz Castle, owned by the Eltz family for over 800 years. The journey ends in Trier, where Roman structures like Porta Nigra and Imperial Baths have been World Heritage sites since 1986.

    7 Days
    7 stops
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    Nearby

    Boppard

    Boppard

    Boppard is situated on a large bend of the Rhine, about 20 kilometers south of Koblenz, and has a population of just over 15,000. Within the town, remains of the Roman fort Bodobrica are preserved, considered one of the best-preserved forts north of the Alps. Its southern part is freely accessible as an archaeological park.On the market square stands the two-towered Romanesque Church of St. Severus, while the Electoral Castle houses the town museum. From April to October, a chairlift takes you from Mühltal up to the Vierseenblick, where the mountains conceal the river so it appears like four lakes, and to Gedeonseck, offering views of the vineyards of the Bopparder Hamm.
    Marksburg

    Marksburg

    The Marksburg, above Braubach, south of Koblenz, is considered the only never-destroyed hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine. Construction of the keep began in the 12th century; the castle has been inhabited for over 700 years, and its buildings from the 13th to 15th centuries have been preserved.Today, it is the seat of the German Castles Association. In 2026, it will be open daily from April 3 to October 31, from 10 AM to 5 PM. A visit gives you a vivid impression of how a medieval castle was built and fortified.
    Koblenz

    Koblenz

    Koblenz liegt dort, wo die Mosel in den Rhein mündet, und ist das nördliche Tor zum UNESCO-Welterbe Oberes Mittelrheintal. Die rund 114.000 Einwohner zählende Stadt geht auf ein römisches Kastell zurück, dessen Name „apud confluentes“, bei den Zusammenfließenden, im heutigen Stadtnamen steckt.Am Deutschen Eck steht das Reiterstandbild Kaiser Wilhelms I. über dem Zusammenfluss, gegenüber thront auf dem Felsen die Festung Ehrenbreitstein, eine der größten erhaltenen Festungsanlagen Europas. Eine Seilbahn verbindet beide Ufer. Dazwischen liegt eine kompakte Altstadt mit romanischen Kirchen, kleinen Plätzen und Weinstuben, von der aus du Burgen am Rhein und Ausflüge an die Mosel gut erreichst.
    Loreley

    Loreley

    The Loreley is a 132-meter-high slate rock situated on the right bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, right in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley. It was at this narrow, once-feared stretch of the river that Clemens Brentano set his ballad "Lore Lay" in 1801, and Heinrich Heine's 1824 poem subsequently made the mythical siren, who famously distracts mariners with her alluring hair, world-famous.Perched atop the plateau, a cultural and landscape park opened in 2019, offering a modern visitor center and barrier-free paths that lead to stunning panoramic viewpoints overlooking the magnificent Rhine Valley. To reach this impressive site, you can embark on an approximate 15-minute walk along a section of the Rheinsteig trail, commencing from the car park located in the Heide district.
    Burg Eltz

    Burg Eltz

    Eltz Castle stands on a roughly 70-meter high rock spur in a loop of the Elz River, nestled between the Moselle, Eifel, and Maifeld regions. It originated in the 12th century, was never seriously destroyed, and still belongs to the same family, now in its 33rd generation. Many recognize its image from the former 500 D-Mark banknote.From the parking lot near Wierschem, it's about a 10-minute walk, or you can take the shuttle bus. Hikers can reach the castle via the Traumpfad Eltzer Burgpanorama trail. The guided tour shows the interiors of the Rübenach and Rodendorf houses; the ticket includes the Treasury. It is open seasonally from April to early November.