Your favorite Rhine River stop

I know it can be pretty hard to choose but for those who have sailed the Rhine, what were a couple of your favorite stops along the river? Ones you wouldn't want to miss.

My bride and I are looking at different cruise lines and itineraries for the Rhine.

Thanks in advance.

We were on the Rhine last summer with Uniworld from Amsterdam to Basel. We really enjoyed the Alsatian Wine region tour. Went to a couple nice villages. One village was like stepping back in time. We personally really enjoyed Marksburg Castle. I see mixed reviews on CC but we found it one of the most enjoyable excursions. In Cologne we were one of only two couples to climb to the top of the bell tower. In July it was quite warm and strenuous but the view well worth it. There were so many highlights that we enjoyed but these stick out in my mind. Some of my favorites were unique to Uniworld so I won't go into those unles you plan on cruisin Uniworld.

And of course the major highlight of all Rhine cruises is on the boat itself as you are cruising past all the castles. I bought a book on Amazon called Castles on the Rhine that had a brief history of each which really added to the experience as we were passing by each. We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day with authentic german cuisine and beer. Was a great morning.

Have fun planning

I enjoyed our visit to Boppard. Riding the chair lift up to the viewpoint and café was a highlight of my trip.

We took Avalon Zurich to Amsterdam in 2013. I really enjoyed the day of embarkation trip to Mt. Pilatus & Lucern before we boarded and really liked the optional wine tasting trip to the Alsase region. We took the cable cars in Koblenz - went across the river up to the fort as well as up to the top in Rudesheim - both gave very nice views of the area and across the river.

Loved Rudesheim. The Siegfried Mechanical Museum and lunch at a local tavern complete with Kaffee with Asbach brandy.

Loved Rudesheim. The Siegfried Mechanical Museum and lunch at a local tavern complete with Kaffee with Asbach brandy.

We loved Rudesheim too but had to chose between the Museum and the cable car to the Neiderwald. The cable car was fantastic with spectacular views of the river and the vineyards.....and it was a lovely park to walk around in....but for me, the BEST part of Rudesheim was the eiswine!!! It was soooooo goood!!! And the castles and scenery from the ship as we sailed along were just breathtaking.

I agree with everyone else's highlights. I'm very interested in ancient history, so the basilica in Speyer with tombs of Holy Roman emperors, the ruins of an old synagogue and the beginning of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela were unusual highlights for me. As well as the excellent Roman museum next to the magnificent cathedral of Cologne. If you're not into history, not so interesting I guess.

We also enjoyed free time strolling around Koblenz.

I absolutely loved Strasbourg. I would go back there in a heartbeat. The other stop that I really enjoyed was an optional tour to Colmar

My favorite was Cochem, just a beautiful place.

Um... Don't make me choose - all of them?

Strasbourg, for its beautiful mix of the best of German architecture, and French language, culture, food. The river as it flows through the town is gorgeous. And the tarte flambée (Flammkuchen) is so good!

Rudesheim, postcard-cute with a wine bar every 10 feet. I only wish we'd visited in the evening, not the morning. We will return for more. I also didn't have time to take the cable car. Rogerdawhip - There's one in Boppard too? I wish we had known about it. I just googled it and it's not far from the dock.

Cologne looked like a great city but we were there during a cool rainy day. So we'll go back. The bell tower climb was fun even in the drizzle and fog.

I guess we had a different experience as we took the Viking Getaway in December from Basel to Amsterdam for the Christmas Markets. But much of the trip consisted of tours that take place all year long. It was a wonderful trip and one thing that impressed me was the variety of experiences in just one 7 day trip! Picking a favorite would be almost impossible!!

Basel ~ lovely city and we had a great cheese fondue dinner!

Breisach ~ we liked the Black Forest tour and DH really enjoyed the optional WWII excursion.

Strasbourg ~ fabulous city expecially the walking tour to the medieval section, beautiful Cathedral and lots of interesting little places for lunch.

Heidelberg ~ interesting castle overlooking the city and wonderful places for pasteries.

Rhine River ~ how fantastic sailing by the castles and little towns!

Marksburg Castle ~ fantastic experience (be warned, much difficult walking!)

Rudesheim ~ arrived in the evening - fun optional dinner in town; would love to see the town during the day!

Ciologne ~ wonderful city (best of the CMs!!), great Cathedral, wish we had had time for the Roman Museum. Would love to visit again!

Kinderdijk ~ many report this stop as a "throw-away" but if you're into photography it's a gem!!! We were there on a winter afternoon - I'd like to visit any time!!!

I really think this cruise would be wonderful any time of year - each season would produce its own beauty!!

While my silde show is heavy on CMs you might also get an idea of the overall trip: RhineRiver TripWow Build Your Own Trip Slideshow

I guess we had a different experience as we took the Viking Getaway in December from Basel to Amsterdam for the Christmas Markets. But much of the trip consisted of tours that take place all year long. It was a wonderful trip and one thing that impressed me was the variety of experiences in just one 7 day trip! Picking a favorite would be almost impossible!!

 

Basel ~ lovely city and we had a great cheese fondue dinner!

Breisach ~ we liked the Black Forest tour and DH really enjoyed the optional WWII excursion.

Strasbourg ~ fabulous city expecially the walking tour to the medieval section, beautiful Cathedral and lots of interesting little places for lunch.

Heidelberg ~ interesting castle overlooking the city and wonderful places for pasteries.

Rhine River ~ how fantastic sailing by the castles and little towns!

Marksburg Castle ~ fantastic experience (be warned, much difficult walking!)

Rudesheim ~ arrived in the evening - fun optional dinner in town; would love to see the town during the day!

Ciologne ~ wonderful city (best of the CMs!!), great Cathedral, wish we had had time for the Roman Museum. Would love to visit again!

Kinderdijk ~ many report this stop as a "throw-away" but if you're into photography it's a gem!!! We were there on a winter afternoon - I'd like to visit any time!!!

 

I really think this cruise would be wonderful any time of year - each season would produce its own beauty!!

 

While my silde show is heavy on CMs you might also get an idea of the overall trip: RhineRiver TripWow Build Your Own Trip Slideshow

Taking this trip in August. Now I really can't wait. I've already been to Kinderdijk (and felt the way you do) Cologne, Rudesheim, and Heidelberg, but really looking forward to the others. Especially Strasbourg and Cochem.

Loving this thread, as we're doing the Rhine and Moselle in August. Keep those favorites coming!

Loving this thread, as we're doing the Rhine and Moselle in August. Keep those favorites coming!

hiccups: when in August and with which line? We're sailing with Vantage on August 27 from Amsterdam to Basel on the Navigator.

We were on the Viking Tor last December, this was the Rhine Getaway Christmas cruise.

Basel - we were there in the evening and went into the old town and visited the Christmas Markets, very nice

Lucerene - we took the hour train to Lucerne and walked around, it was an unseasonably warm 60 degree December day. It was so foggy that day the mountains were not visible. Lucerne had some nice sights but it was fairly expensive to go there just for one day.

Breisbach- we were there on a Sunday and everything was closed, it was warm out and we were able to walk around the city. there are a couple of high spots that give you a nice view of the mountains.

Strasbourg- we took the bus into the city and the guide was very informative, the architecture was splendid, many cafes and wine shops. The cathedral and the astronomical clock inside were nice to see. There were many Christmas Markets scattered around the city and they were nice to visit and had really good food.

Heidelberg- This was the second time i have been here so I knew what to expect, the bus ride through the narrow streets up to the castle is fun. There are nice views from the castle and the city was crowded with shoppers. We found a nice brewery called Vetter and enjoyed fresh holiday ale

Rudesheim- we arrived at dusk and the town was all closed up with the exception of 2 Christmas Shops, we walked around and stopped at a wine bar for some local wine.

Rhine River- this day is the highlight of the trip, we traveled the Rhine and saw many vineyards and castles. It was a good day to unwind and relax after all the sightseeing we did so far. We stopped at the Marksburg Castle and did a walking tour, it is best to wear good shoes because the floors and rocks can be uneven.

Koblenz- this was Christmas Eve, so all was closed, we did walk around, saw the statue of Emperor William and the Rhine and Moselle confluence.

Cologne- this was Christmas Day and the city was crowded, we went inside the cathedral and it was impressive, we walked around the city and went to the Fruh Brewhouse and drank the Kolsch beer that is only brewed in Cologne. I was interested in Cologne because my father flew in a B24 during WW2 and the cathedral was used as a landmark for navigation. His plane was shot down not far from there and was a POW in northern Germany.

Kinderdijk- this was a short pit stop, but it's worth seeing and taking pictures. The closest windmill to me is in Eastham MA and it is a fraction of size compared to these windmills.

Amsterdam- we did the Viking post cruise here, the first day was bitter cold and flurries, our guide took us into the city from the hotel and showed us some canals and departed us when we were downtown. We saw the Anne frank House that day, I purchased the tickets online months ahead, we walked around and made it back to the hotel. The Movenpick is not centrally located and it is quite a walk downtown. The next day we bought tram passes for 7 euros a day and really saw the city, we went to the Rijksmuseum, took a canal boat ride and did the Heiniken Experience. I would recommend to spend 2 or 3 days in Amsterdam either on a pre or post cruise. it is easy to get around and there are many sights to see. This was one of my favorite cities, Plenty to do, good food and friendly people. Be on guard for bicycles.

I agree with everyone else's highlights. I'm very interested in ancient history, so the basilica in Speyer with tombs of Holy Roman emperors, the ruins of an old synagogue and the beginning of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela were unusual highlights for me. As well as the excellent Roman museum next to the magnificent cathedral of Cologne. If you're not into history, not so interesting I guess.

 

We also enjoyed free time strolling around Koblenz.

I loved these ports also for the historical aspect. Ancient history never ceases to amaze.

We loved Cologne old town. Go the the original Farina perfumery. Same exact spot where Napoleon bought his cologne. Each town has their own special beers and pastries. Pretzels in Speyer and Heidelberg.

Amsterdam was the most memorable port for us.

We did Castles on the Rhine with AMA last winter.

My favorite was Colmar for it's old world charm. And it was fabulously decorated for the holidays. Also loved Strasbourg and had a wonderful lunch at a busy cafe that specialized in carpaccio - yum!

Koblenz is a very nice city to wander and enjoy. Cologne is interesting, once you get a bit out of the cathedral area.

Least favorite was Rudesheim.

We did the Rhine Getaway Christmas Markets this past December on the Viking Bragi. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire cruise and every port we visited. We talked about this post last night and we both agreed that our favorite port was Breisach but I have a caveat as to why. Every port we visited we were on a tour except for Breisach. We had chosen not to do the optional tour and decided to walk through the town. It was a Friday so we didn't run into the same problems as ganski with things being closed. To do things on our own, at our own pace and just take in the atmosphere and talk to locals was certainly one of the highlights for us. The bakeries, the shops and the people just made it special for us.

My favorite was Cochem, very beautiful place.

You have all reconvinced me that booking our Rhine cruise for this summer was a great idea!:D I am so looking forward to seeing and experiencing all those wonderful places you have described! :D

As the original poster to this thread I have to tell you that all of you have been of absolutely NO help!

I wanted ideas so that we could go on ONE cruise! After reading all these posts it looks like we will have to go on MULTIPLE cruuses!!! :)

Seriously thank you so much for all these great ideas of what to look forward to! I'm incredibly excited to make this trip happen.

hiccups: when in August and with which line? We're sailing with Vantage on August 27 from Amsterdam to Basel on the Navigator.

We are on Uniworld (River Queen), Amsterdam to Basel, August 1st-13th. Uniworld had a great deal for that date and we were able to do the Rhine & Moselle trip, plus two days in Amsterdam, for a total of a couple hundred more PP than doing just a Rhine cruise with other lines. I hope next year we can find a special like that!

We are cruising on Avalon on the Romantic Rhine in September. This helped to explain some of the ports. Cannot wait! Also doing some independent travel after in Switzerland. Taking the train to Lucerne for two nights and then on to Zurich for one night. A big skittish on doing the stuff on our own since we LIKE the handholding! Each cruise we have tried to venture out more on our own than with ships tours. But that is on the big ships. Anyone else doing some things on your own?

We are cruising on Avalon on the Romantic Rhine in September. This helped to explain some of the ports. Cannot wait! Also doing some independent travel after in Switzerland. Taking the train to Lucerne for two nights and then on to Zurich for one night. A big skittish on doing the stuff on our own since we LIKE the handholding! Each cruise we have tried to venture out more on our own than with ships tours. But that is on the big ships. Anyone else doing some things on your own?

We do most everything on our own and also enjoy independent land travel in Europe using public transport. We like to go at our own pace and not be tied down to a schedule, other than our arrival and departure times in port.

No worries - you will be fine!

We are cruising on Avalon on the Romantic Rhine in September. This helped to explain some of the ports. Cannot wait! Also doing some independent travel after in Switzerland. Taking the train to Lucerne for two nights and then on to Zurich for one night. A big skittish on doing the stuff on our own since we LIKE the handholding! Each cruise we have tried to venture out more on our own than with ships tours. But that is on the big ships. Anyone else doing some things on your own?

On Avalon (we took same cruise) there is an hour or 90 minute walking tour. You are broken into groups of around 20. The guide will give you implicit directions where to go to either get back to the ship or where to meet the bus. So you are on your own, but there is a safety net. Many times you are docked directly in town it's almost impossible to get lost. Even in Amsterdam. Enjoy!