There are too many beautiful sections of the Rhine to choose from, but the romantic, green sections with the most beautiful fairy tale castles are along the stretch between Koblenz and Strasbourg. The views on either side of the river are far and away entertaining and changeable enough to keep you in rapture hanging over the side of the boat. The food is hearty, the locals ruddy and the countryside has retained a rural feel despite being so close to major built up centres. Just lovely scenery.

The stretch out of Koblenz, where the Stolzenfels Castle is a highlight, is one of the Rhine’s most romantic portions, past the pretty towns of Oberwesel and Saint-Goar and hillsides lined with vineyards and decorated with a sprinkling of castles afforded spectacular Rhineland views. Rusheshiem is almost as you expect a German village to be, lively with taverns and restaurants and rather knee slappingly jolly, the marketplace is busy and worth waiting for if you can for the iconic German produce presented in such a traditional way. This way past the narrow spike of land, the Lorelei Rock, with all its wrecks and mythology of the Rhine Maidens to distract you from the dangerous currents. Worms has one of the loveliest cathedrals in Germany, and Frankfurt is a wonderful mish mash of modern glass sky scrapers and beautiful old squished in squares with window boxed flowers from each window. A small detour to Heidelberg for its beautiful ruined castle is highly recommended, especially if you have ever dreamed of fairytale castles.

Written by  Simone Granger.

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