38 Best Sights in The Rhineland, Germany

In the rolling hills of western Germany, Eifel National Park unfolds as a tapestry of natural splendor. This expansive haven features lush forests, tranquil volcanic lakes, and charming meadows, creating an inviting landscape for lovers of the outdoors. Explore scenic trails like the nearly 200-mile Eifelsteig trail that meanders through Monschau and the surrounding countryside. Ramble across the rolling hills, spot elusive wildlife, and soak in the serene beauty of the park's unspoiled wilderness.

Aachen's stunning cathedral, the "chapelle" of the town's earlier name of Aix-la-Chapelle, remains the single greatest storehouse of Carolingian architecture in Europe, and it was the first place in Germany to be named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Though it was built over the course of 1,000 years and reflects architectural styles from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, its commanding image remains the magnificent octagonal royal chapel, rising up two arched stories to end in the cap of the dome. It was this section, the heart of the church, that Charlemagne saw completed in AD 800. His bones now lie in the Gothic choir, in a golden shrine surrounded by wonderful carvings of saints. Another treasure is his marble throne. Charlemagne had to journey all the way to Rome for his coronation, but the next 32 Holy Roman emperors were crowned here in Aachen (with some exceptions), and each marked the occasion by presenting a lavish gift to the cathedral. In the 12th century Emperor Frederick I (aka Barbarossa) donated the great chandelier now hanging in the center of the Palatine chapel; his grandson, Friedrich II, donated Charlemagne's shrine. English-language guided tours of the cathedral are offered daily at 2.

This stylish, revamped harbor district is a mix of late-19th-century warehouses and ultramodern towers housing restaurants, bars, hotels, and the many media companies that have made this area their home. On the riverbank you'll find the Frank Gehry–designed Neuer Zollhof, a particularly striking ensemble of three organic-looking high-rises. The best way to tackle the buzzing architecture is to take a stroll down the promenade and over the pedestrian Living Bridge, which connects both sides of the harbor.

The oldest Christian church north of the Alps, the Dom was commissioned by Emperor Constantine in AD 330 and built on the site of the torn-down Palace of St. Helen, his mother. While the church burned down in 336, a second, even larger one was built soon after. Parts of the foundations of this third building can be seen in the east end of the present structure (begun in about 1035).

The cathedral you see today is a weighty and sturdy edifice with small round-head windows, rough stonework, and asymmetrical towers, as much a fortress as a church. Inside, Gothic styles predominate—the result of remodeling in the 13th century—although there are also many baroque tombs, altars, and confessionals. The highlight of the Schatzkammer (Cathedral Treasury) is the 10th-century Andreas Tragaltar (St. Andrew's Portable Altar), constructed of oak and covered with gold leaf, enamel, and ivory by local craftsmen. It's a reliquary for the soles of St. Andrew's sandals, as signaled by the gilded, life-size foot on the top of the altar.

The town of Königswinter has one of the most visited castles on the Rhine, the Drachenfels. Its ruins crown one of the highest hills in the Siebengebirge, with a spectacular view of the Rhine. It's also part of Germany's oldest nature reserve, with more than 100 km (62 miles) of hiking trails. The castle was built in the 12th century by the archbishop of Cologne, and takes its name from a dragon said to have lived in a nearby cave. (The dragon was slain by Siegfried, hero of the epic Nibelungenlied.)

The castle ruins can be reached via two different hikes, each of about 45 minutes. One route begins at the Drachenfelsbahn station, and passes the Nibelungenhalle reptile zoo along the way. The other route starts at Rhöndorf on the other side of the hill. The Siebengebirge Tourist Office can provide a map that includes these and other local hiking trails.

A Roman garrison was established on this site in the 4th century, and would once have been enclosed by a 26-foot-high rectangular wall with 28 defense towers. Today, there are only ruins, set within an open-air archaeological park (sandwiched between Angertstrasse and Kirchgasse), but you can still see portions of the wall and towers.

From the southern side of St. Peter's Church, a set of stone steps (signposted) leads to Bacharach's undoubted landmark, the Wernerkapelle. It's a bit of a climb, but well worth for a close-up look at these romantic sandstone ruins, famous for their filigree tracery, as well as for the sweeping views around. The Gothic chapel's roof succumbed to falling rocks in 1689, when the French blew up nearby Burg Stahleck; it's a 10-minute walk from here to the old castle, which lay dormant until 1925 when a youth hostel was built on the foundations.

Known as Schiffchen (Little Ship) because of the boatlike shape at its heart—formed by Grabenstrasse and Wagemannstrasse, located just behind the former duke's palace (and now seat of state parliament) Stadtschloss—Wiesbaden's pretty Old Town is packed with restaurants, cafés and shops. There aren't many standout sights within its margins, which are marked by Webergasse in the north, the Marktplatz in the east, Schwalbacher Strasse in the west, and Rheinstrasse in the south, but the interesting mix of architectural styles makes it a lovely area to stroll around.

First mentioned in AD 793, this soaring Catholic church was built on the site of an older Roman temple. It's been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times since then, which has resulted in an interesting mix of architectural styles; the 11th-century crypt and Gothic and baroque furnishings make it worth a visit. It's dedicated to the 4th-century Martin of Tours, and you'll find the former patron saint of France depicted in carvings and frescoes throughout the church.

Excavations in the 1960s revealed ancient Roman baths hidden beneath this twin-towered Romanesque church, the main feature of Boppard's market square. The large triumphal crucifix over the main altar and a lovely statue of a smiling Madonna date from the 13th century.

The 900-year-old church is vintage late Romanesque, with a massive octagonal main tower and a soaring spire. It stands on a site where two Roman soldiers were executed in the 3rd century for being Christian. It saw the coronations of two Holy Roman Emperors (in 1314 and 1346) and was one of the Rhineland's most important ecclesiastical centers in the Middle Ages. The 17th-century bronze figure of St. Helen and the ornate rococo pulpit are highlights of the interior. Outside you'll find two giant stone heads: those of Cassius and Florentius, the martyred soldiers.

Walking through the pleasant area that was once the government district is like taking a trip back in time, to an era when Bonn was still the sleepy capital of West Germany. Bordered by Adenauerallee, Kaiser-Friedrich-Strasse, Franz-Josef-Strasse, and the Rhine, the quarter boasts sights such as the Bundeshaus, which includes the Plenarsaal (Plenary Hall). Designed to serve as the new Federal Parliament, the Bundeshaus was completed only seven years before the capital was relocated to Berlin in 1999. A few steps away, you'll find the historic Villa Hammerschmidt, the German equivalent of the White House. This stylish neoclassical mansion began serving as the federal president's permanent residence in 1950, and is still his home when he stays in Bonn. Equally impressive is the Palais Schaumburg, another fine example of the Rhein Riveria estates that once housed the Federal Chancellery (1949–76). It became the center of Cold War politics during the Adenauer administration.

Throughout its history, Bingen has repeatedly been destroyed by wars and fires, which means there are many ancient foundations but few visible architectural remains of the past. One very notable exception is this castle. Since Celtic times, the Kloppberg (Klopp Hill) in the heart of town has been the site of a succession of citadels, and since 1282 they've all been named Burg Klopp. Visit today and you'll find a terrace with good views of the Rhine, the Nahe, and the surrounding hills, and from April to October you can climb the tower for a more lofty view.

Take a walk up to the hilltop ruins of this 13th-century castle for splendid views along the Mosel. It was here that Trier's Archbishop Boemund II is said to have recovered from an illness by drinking the local wine. This legendary vineyard, still known as "the Doctor," soars up from Hinterm Graben street near the town gate, Graacher Tor. You can sample these Grand Cru wines at the castle's excellent restaurant (though be prepared to pay for the privilege) or pick up a bottle in one of the many shops below. The restaurant is open Friday to Sunday only for both lunch and dinner.

From Ediger-Eller train station, head west into the hills instead of east into the village, and you'll find yourself on a hiking route among Europe's steepest vineyards. The path, which runs for 3½ km (2 miles) between Ediger-Eller and Bremm at an altitude of between 200 and 300 meters, comes with steel ropes for support (it's very steep in places) and provides stunning views up and down the Mosel. Look out for the romantic ruins of a 12th-century Augustinian convent; it's across the river just before the loop to Bremm. The path is reserved for those with a good level of fitness and in possession of sturdy footwear.

This pointed bit of land, jutting into the river like the prow of an early ironclad warship, is at the sharp intersection of the Rhine and Mosel rivers. In 1897, an equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, first emperor of the newly united Germany, was erected here as one of the more effusive manifestations of German nationalism. It was destroyed at the end of World War II, and replaced for 40 years by a ponderous monument to Germany's unity, but a new statue of Wilhelm was placed here in 1993—and still stands today. It's accompanied by three pieces of the Berlin Wall on the Mosel side, a memorial to those who died as a result of the partitioning of the country.

Winningen marks the start of several of the region's loveliest and most informative short walks: the educational Weinpfade (wine trails). There are five trails to choose from, with varying lengths from 4 to 9 km (2½ to 5½ miles), but the best introductory trail is the Domgarten-Weinpfad (Cathedral Garden Wine Trail). It starts and ends at the Weinhof (also a Tourist Information Office), leading up and through the vineyards that lie above the town. The beautiful, medium-difficulty, 4½-km (3-mile) circular route is lined with signs explaining the grape-growing and wine-making processes, as well as plenty of benches for enjoying the spectacular river views. The whole thing usually takes around two hours, excluding stops—and if you find you still have energy, there are four more trails to tackle.

Less than 500 feet long but a major local attraction, Drosselgasse is a narrow, pub-lined lane between Rheinstrasse and Oberstrasse that buzzes with music and merrymaking from 10 am until well past midnight every day, all year round. The first wine tavern here, the Drosselhof, opened in 1727. Stop at the street's Art Cafe for a legendary Rüdesheimerkaffee—made by flambéeing Asbach Uralt brandy and sugar in a specially made cup until the sugar dissolves, pouring strong coffee over it, and garnishing with mountains of whipped cream and chocolate flakes—and, if you still have space, pair it with a Baumstriezel (chimney cake).

German history since World War II is the subject of this museum, which begins with "hour zero," as the Germans call the unconditional surrender of 1945. The museum displays an overwhelming amount of documentary material organized on five levels and engages various types of media. You can even step inside a re-created 1950s ice-cream parlor, complete with an interactive jukebox. An audio guide in English is available.

The oldest remaining parts of the Hofgarten date back to 1769, when it was transformed into Germany's first public park. The promenade leading to what was once a hunting palace, Schloss Jägerhof, was all the rage in late-18th-century Düsseldorf before the park was largely destroyed by Napoléon's troops. Today it's an oasis of greenery in the heart of downtown.

Until the 1930s, Bernkastel was home to a large and well-assimilated Jewish community; although, as this cemetery reveals, they were still required to bury their dead far outside of the town limits. Ask at the Tourist Information to borrow a key to the cemetery, which is reachable by a scenic half-hour hike through the vineyards in the direction of Traben-Trarbach. Opened in the mid-19th century, it's home to around 30 graves, as well as a few headstones from a destroyed 17th-century graveyard.

A 25-minute ride on the U79 from the City Center puts you in this historic corner of Düsseldorf, reminiscent of a storybook German town with its winding cobblestone streets and neatly packed stone and brick buildings. Don't miss seeing the crumbling ruins of Kaiserpfalz, a 12th-century castle on the banks of the Rhine.

The massive tower in the center of town belongs to the parish church of St. Peter. It's a prime example of the "Rhenish Transitional Style," a brief 13th-century movement when old Romanesque churches were decorated with elements of the newer French Gothic style, but without undergoing any major structural alterations. The church is most notable for its impressive four-story nave.

The Kö-Bogen II office complex bills itself as having Europe's largest green façade, with eight kilometers of green hedges and approximately 30,000 plants in total.

An impressive reminder of Trier's Roman past, this edifice, now the city's major Protestant church, was built by the emperor Constantine around AD 310 as the imperial throne room of the palace. At 239 feet long, 93 feet wide, and 108 feet high, it demonstrates the astounding ambition of its Roman builders and the sophistication of their building techniques. The basilica is one of the two largest Roman interiors in existence (the other is the Pantheon in Rome). Look up at the deeply coffered ceiling; more than any other part of the building, it conveys the opulence of the original structure. An ornate rococo garden now separates the basilica from the Landesmuseum.

Popularly known as the "red church" because of its brightly colored brick exterior, the towering Liebfrauenkirche has superb sculptures, tombstones, and paintings, as well as one of Germany's oldest high gothic shrine altars (from 1331). It's at the southeastern end of the town center, near the train station.

This church stands on Roman foundations at the Old Town's highest point, where, on surrounding streets, war damage is evidenced by the blend of old buildings and modern store blocks. The bulk of the church is of Romanesque design, but its choir is one of the Rhineland's finest examples of 15th-century Gothic architecture, and the west front is graced with two 17th-century baroque towers.

One of Wiesbaden's most recognizable attractions, this enormous, red, neo-Gothic church was built between 1853 and 1862. The town's main Protestant church, it is notable for its 49-bell carillon (which can be heard regularly every day) and its 6,198-pipe Walcker organ (which can be heard during the free organ recitals held each Saturday at 11:30 am).