Rhineland-Palatinate

A wine-growing region in western Germany, where the Middle Rhine Valley and the Moselle Valley are lined with picturesque castles.

Rhineland-Palatinate lies in western Germany, bordering France, Luxembourg and Belgium. In the Middle Rhine Valley, from Bingen to Koblenz, castles and vineyards rise in tiers, and the Lorelei rock is famous; the valley is a World Heritage site. The Moselle Valley winds in tight bends, and small towns such as Cochem are known for their Riesling wines. Trier preserves ancient Roman monuments, the cathedrals of Speyer and Worms have a long history, and Eltz Castle is also very popular. Spring through autumn is good for boat trips and hiking, and the autumn grape harvest has the most atmosphere. You can reach Koblenz or Mainz by train from Frankfurt Airport.

Destinations

• Upper Middle Rhine Valley
• Cochem & Moselle Valley
• Trier
• Mainz
• Heidelberg
• Saarbrücken

Itineraries

• Rhine, Moselle, Saar & Heidelberg – A grand self-drive loop starting from Frankfurt, winding along the Rhine, Moselle, and Saar rivers to Heidelberg.
• Car-Free Moselle Valley – From Eltz Castle to Trier, explore wine villages and ancient Roman ruins at a leisurely pace by train, bus, and boat.
• Germany Grand Rail Loop – Starting and ending in Frankfurt, connect the Rhine, Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Rothenburg, and Munich by train.
• Rhine Gorge Cruise & Castles – Cruise downstream from Rüdesheim to Koblenz, connecting wine villages, historic towns, and castles by train and boat.
• Heidelberg, Alsace & Black Forest Railway – A Germany-France border rail loop connecting Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg, Colmar, and Freiburg.
• Southern Germany Grand Loop: Frankfurt to Munich – A grand self-drive route connecting Heidelberg, the Black Forest, Lake Constance, Neuschwanstein Castle, and Zugspitze.