The Romantic Rhine Valley — 4 days

Medieval castles, vineyards and a river cruise. Day-by-day itinerary: Arrival in Frankfurt & Rüdesheim; Rhine cruise & Marksburg Castle; Bacharach & Cologne; Cologne & departure.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Frankfurt & Rüdesheim

• 10:00 — Arrival in Frankfurt
• 11:30 — Train → Rüdesheim am Rhein (1h) — Francfort → Rüdesheim
• 13:30 — Romantic hotel check-in — Rüdesheim
• 15:00 — Cable car to the Niederwalddenkmal — Rüdesheim
• 17:00 — Drosselgasse — a lively lane — Rüdesheim
• Walk to dinner — Rüdesheim → Drosselgasse
• 20:00 — Rheingau wine & specialities dinner — Drosselgasse

Day 2 — Rhine cruise & Marksburg Castle

• 10:00 — Romantic Rhine cruise — Rüdesheim → Sankt Goarshausen
• Boat to Sankt Goarshausen — Rüdesheim → Sankt Goarshausen
• 13:00 — The Lorelei rock — Sankt Goarshausen
• 13:30 — Riverside lunch
• 15:30 — Marksburg Castle — Braubach
• Drive to Bacharach — Braubach → Bacharach
• 18:00 — Hotel check-in — Bacharach
• 20:00 — Romantic dinner in a wine cellar — Bacharach

Day 3 — Bacharach & Cologne

• 09:00 — Bacharach's walls & old town — Bacharach
• 11:00 — Train → Cologne (1h30) — Bacharach → Cologne
• 13:00 — Hotel check-in — Altstadt, Cologne
• Walk to the cathedral — Altstadt, Cologne → Altstadt
• 14:30 — Cologne Cathedral — Altstadt
• Walk to the Rhine — Altstadt → Rheinauhafen
• 17:00 — Stroll along the banks of the Rhine — Rheinauhafen
• Walk back to the Altstadt — Rheinauhafen → Altstadt
• 20:00 — Gourmet dinner — Rhineland cuisine — Altstadt

Day 4 — Cologne & departure

• 09:30 — Lindt Chocolate Museum — Rheinauhafen
• Walk to the old town — Rheinauhafen → Altstadt
• 11:30 — Old town & Rathaus — Altstadt
• 13:00 — Lunch at a Kölsch brewery — Altstadt
• 15:00 — Train → Frankfurt Airport — Cologne → Francfort
• 18:30 — Return flight from Frankfurt