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📍 Rüdesheim am Rhein · UNESCO Middle Rhine Valley

Loreley – the rock,
who writes songs

The Middle Rhine Valley near Rüdesheim is the most romantic part of the Rhine. Steep vineyards, medieval castles and the legendary Loreley Rock - all from the water.

From €18Cheapest tour
132 mLoreley rocks
UNESCOWorld Heritage since 2002
Rüdesheim · Loreley

Castles in the Rhine Valley – the tour

The 1.5-hour boat tour from Rüdesheim takes you through the heart of the Middle Rhine Valley. You'll see castles, palaces, vineyards and the world-famous Loreley Rock - all in one compact excursion.

Castles in the Rhine Valley boat tour Rüdesheim Loreley
🏰 Loreley route · 18 €
Rüdesheim am Rhein

Castles in the Rhine Valley: 1.5 hour boat tour

The classic Loreley boat tour. For an hour and a half you glide past the foot of the steepest vineyards in Germany, with a view of medieval castles and the mighty Loreley Rock.

  • Loreley rock (132 m) directly from the boat
  • Rheinstein Castle, Reichenstein, Sooneck
  • Steep vineyards of the Middle Rhine
  • Onboard commentary on history and legends
18€ per person
★★★★
4.1 · 1 move.
Book now →
Koblenz Rhine Valley Boat Tour Loreley Castles Middle Rhine
From Koblenz · Middle Rhine
Koblenz · Middle Rhine Valley

Koblenz: Rhine Valley boat tour castles & palaces

If you want to experience the Loreley from the other side - from Koblenz - this tour is one of the best-rated castle tours in the entire Middle Rhine (⭐ 4.6).

  • Middle Rhine Valley from Koblenz southwards
  • Marksburg, Deutsches Eck, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
  • Best rated: 4.6 out of 5 stars
19€ per person
★★★★★
4.6
Book a Koblenz tour →
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The Lorelei

The rock that writes legends

What is the Lorelei?

The Loreley is a 132 meter high slate rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen. Here the Rhine is particularly narrow and the current is particularly strong - it used to be a feared place for boatmen. Heinrich Heine immortalized the rock in his famous poem in 1824: the mermaid Loreley, who lures the boatmen to their deaths with her song.

Rüdesheim – Wine & Rhine

Rüdesheim am Rhein is the most popular starting point for Loreley tours. The city is famous for the Throttle Alley – one of the most visited streets in Germany – and for its Riesling vineyards. This Niederwald monument towers high above the Rhine. A boat tour combines the best of Rüdesheim and the Middle Rhine Valley.

Which castles can be seen?

The Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen and Koblenz is home to over 40 castles and palaces. On the Rüdesheim route you can see, among other things: Ehrenfels Castle (ruin over the Rhine), Rheinstein Castle (completely preserved), Reichenstein, Sooneck and - depending on the length of the tour - the Loreley with Katz Castle and Maus Castle in the background.

🏰 More castles: Koblenz

The densest castle panorama is between Koblenz and Rüdesheim. For the most complete castle tour, we recommend the tour from Koblenz.

Koblenz castle tour →
💡 Rüdesheim tip

Book a boat trip in the morning, Drosselgasse and wine tasting in the afternoon - and back with the Rhine ferry to Bingen. A perfect day trip.

Further on the Rhine

Along the Rhine route

🏰
Koblenz & Castles
North of Rüdesheim lies Koblenz - the northern entrance to the Middle Rhine Valley with Deutsches Eck and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.
Koblenz tours →
🏛️
Cologne on the Rhine
Cologne is 250 km north - the ideal starting point for day boat trips with a cathedral panorama and evening trips.
Cologne tours →
💧
Rhine Falls
At the southern end of the Rhine - Europe's largest waterfall near Schaffhausen. Experience it up close by boat.
Rhine Falls boat tour →
Frequently asked questions

Loreley & Rüdesheim – your questions

Can you see the Lorelei from the boat tour?+
Yes - the Loreley Rock is particularly impressive from the water. On the Rüdesheim boat tour you pass directly over the rock, with a clear view of the mighty slate cliff and the amphitheater of the same name at the top.
How to get to Rüdesheim?+
By train: From Frankfurt approx. 50 minutes (regional train). From Cologne: approx. 2 hours. Rüdesheim has a train station directly on the Rhine promenade. By car: A66 towards Wiesbaden, then B42 along the banks of the Rhine.
What else is there to see in Rüdesheim?+
The Throttle Alley (most visited alley in Germany), that Niederwald monument with cable car, wineries and wine tastings, that Rüdesheim Castle and the historic old town. Ideal as a full day trip.
What is the Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site?+
The Upper Middle Rhine Valley (65 km between Bingen/Rüdesheim and Koblenz) was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002 - as an extraordinary cultural landscape with over 40 castles, medieval towns and a 2,000-year-old wine-growing tradition.
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