Our Long-Awaited Journey Part 7: Middle Rhine Castles

October 02, 2022

The Germans affectionately call their river Old Father Rhine. The Rhine begins in the Swiss Alps and flows 820 miles through several countries to the North Sea. The Upper Rhine carves out Germany's borders with Switzerland and the French Alsace. The Middle Rhine provides picturesque forests, vineyards and castles in the heart of Germany. Leaving this area, it levels out to the Lower Rhine, the Netherlands, and the Rhine River Delta.

Castles and wine are the star along the Middle Rhine and the area is filled with history. Grapes are still harvested by hand along the steepest riverbanks, which is a tradition that dates back 2,000 years when Romans introduced wine growing to the area. Later on, medieval noblemen built towering castles to oversee trade, collect tolls, and defend kingdoms from pillagers and power seekers.

The Middle Rhine River Valley extends from the old Roman town of Koblenz to Bingen and Rudesheim, with steep vineyards that produce the famous Rhine wines. During the Romantic era the Rhine served as a channel for the exchange of a wealth of cultural influences and ideas. In 2002, stating that the Upper Middle Rhine Valley is of outstanding universal value, UNESCO declared it as a World Heritage Site.

Since we were not able to sail through the Middle Rhine due to low water levels, before we left the port of Koblenz, they arranged for a smaller boat to give us a tour of the castles of the Middle Rhine. Little did we know what was in store along this peaceful river cruise.

Along every slight twist or turn of the river, we were given views of one castle after another. Some were the ruins of once magnificent castles, and others were still well-preserved. There are a few that now house restaurants or hotels, but some are still privately owned. The sheer size and beauty of the castles is breathtaking. When you think you have seen the most impressive, another appears as you slowly sail along the river.

Intertwined with the beauty of castles were the small German villages we passed along the way with beautiful churches and quiet, sleepy riverbanks. It seemed as if every space on the slopes were filled with vineyards; we had never seen so many grapes, and certainly not growing on such steep inclines. One could only imagine how difficult it must be to tend these vineyards.

As all good things do, our cruise came to an end. We will never forget the beauty and serenity of the Middle Rhine River Valley, and with each memory will be taken back to a time of soaring castles and medieval noblemen.