Rhine Gorge Castles, Bank by Bank
From Rüdesheim to Koblenz: what passes your sun-deck chair.
Get Free River Cruise QuotesThe Rhine Gorge river cruise is the most famous scenic stretch in river cruising. Here is what passes your sun-deck chair, heading downstream from Rüdesheim toward Koblenz.
Bingen and Rüdesheim: the Gateway
The gorge begins where the Rhine turns north at Bingen and Rüdesheim. Opposite Bingen, on a little island, stands the Mäuseturm (Mouse Tower), a former toll tower; above Rüdesheim on the right bank the ruin of Ehrenfels watches over vineyards on slopes so steep they are worked largely by hand. Just downstream on the left bank come Rheinstein and Reichenstein, both restored in the nineteenth-century romantic style, followed by Sooneck. This is the moment to go up on deck: from here to Koblenz, the castles come thick and fast.
Bacharach to the Loreley
Bacharach, with its half-timbered houses, the Gothic ruin of the Werner Chapel and Burg Stahleck above, is one of the prettiest towns on the river. A little further, at Kaub, the Pfalzgrafenstein sits on an island in mid-stream — a toll castle shaped, people say, like a stone ship — with Gutenfels on the hill above. Oberwesel follows, crowned by the Schönburg and ringed by old town walls and towers.
Then the valley narrows. On the right bank rises the Loreley, a slate cliff at a sharp, deep bend where, in legend, a siren lured boatmen onto the rocks. Today the bend is still one of the trickiest pieces of navigation on the Rhine, and the commentary from the deck usually reaches its peak here.
St. Goar to Koblenz
Below the Loreley the twin towns of St. Goar and St. Goarshausen face each other. Above St. Goar spread the large ruins of Burg Rheinfels; across the river, Burg Katz (the “cat”) looks down on St. Goarshausen, and a short way on, Burg Maus (the “mouse”) answers it. Near Kamp-Bornhofen, the castles of Sterrenberg and Liebenstein, the “Hostile Brothers,” sit side by side on one ridge. Boppard sits on a great loop of the river, and above Braubach comes Marksburg, a hilltop castle that was never destroyed. The last landmarks are Lahneck at Lahnstein, Stolzenfels on the left bank, and finally Koblenz, where the Moselle joins the Rhine at the Deutsches Eck below Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.
Left bank highlights
Rheinstein, Reichenstein, Sooneck, Stahleck over Bacharach, Schönburg over Oberwesel, Rheinfels over St. Goar, Stolzenfels.
Right bank highlights
Ehrenfels, Gutenfels over Kaub, the Loreley, Katz and Maus, Sterrenberg and Liebenstein, Marksburg, Lahneck.
Mid-river
The Mäuseturm near Bingen and Pfalzgrafenstein at Kaub, both built on islands.
At the end
Koblenz, the Deutsches Eck and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress across the river.
Getting the Most From the Day
- Check the day-by-day itinerary: the gorge should be scheduled for daylight.
- Sit on the sun deck if you can; castles appear on both banks.
- Bring a layer: the valley is often cooler and breezier than you expect.
- Expect the top deck to close briefly under low bridges, especially at high water.
- A short printed list of castles (like the one on this page) makes the commentary easier to follow.
For the full Rhine — Amsterdam to Basel, the towns, the seasons — see our sister site Rhine Riverboat Cruises. Combining the Rhine with its prettiest tributary? Europe Riverboat Cruising covers the Moselle.
Rhine Gorge Questions
How long is the Rhine Gorge?
The UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley runs for roughly 65 km (about 40 miles) between Bingen/Rüdesheim and Koblenz. A river cruise ship covers it in a few hours, depending on direction and current.
Can I see the Loreley from the ship?
Yes. The Loreley is a tall slate rock on the right bank near St. Goarshausen, at one of the narrowest and deepest bends of the river. Ships pass close by, and many play the Loreley song as they do.
Which castles can I visit rather than just see?
Several are open to visitors, including Marksburg above Braubach, Rheinfels at St. Goar and Rheinstein near Trechtingshausen. Whether your ship stops near one depends on the itinerary.
Plan Your Rhine Gorge River Cruise
Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will find Rhine sailings that pass the gorge in daylight, compare lines and send free quotes.
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