My husband and I are visiting Germany from 16 June and would like to go on river cruises on the Rhine and Mosel to explore small towns and experience the culture of the region. We like taking things slowly and embracing cultures. If we only have 5 days to spend here, what small but interesting towns can we visit on these rivers. I've read about the KD river pass? how exactely does that work?

www.k-d.com has the schedules but i know little about any pass except railpasses and rail tickets can be used on K-D regular serrest is rather industrial. You could use that train ticket tovices without extra charge - just hop on.

The best part of the Rhine starts at Rudesheim, where many K-D boats begin to go downstream to Koblenz - passing thru the Rhine Gorge - the highlight of this part of the Rhine - and passing a passel of cutish Baroque riverside resort towns - boats are frequent enough that you can get on and off without problem and there are also trains near every dock to quickly return you to your base.

The Mosel is a far different river and IMO much more scenic than the Rhine and Cochem is a great great smaller town base - a base for both the Rhine and the Mosel - it has good hourly or more train service and has boats going upstream to Beilstein, passing thru, arguably, the most dramatically scenic of the awesomely scenic Mosel Valley - the river runs here in a deep deep vineyard-studded valley with ruined castles crowning hills, etc.
Cochem itself has the castle of your dreams peeking out of a vineyard coverd hill right in the town center. Cochem is a wine town and you can visit some wineries cranking out that vaunted Mosel white wines right in town.
Are you spending five days here or five days in Germany - i would say for the average tourist 3 days would be tops as there are so many other really neat places in Germany.
On the other thread of yours i said no railpasses would be of interest to you - but if you are coming here from Cologne then going to do day trips by rail and boat (railpasses valid on K-D boats) and go to Berlin, etc. then investigate the German Railpass and compare with ordinary prices at www.bahn.de as i outlined in the other thread.

Thanks Palenque, this helps a lot already! We have about 4 - 5 days in that area and then moving on to Berlin and Prague for a few days. On our way we will visit Cologne, Bonn and Dusseldorf. Any must see ideas?

I agree with Palenque - Cochem is a lovely spot for a trip on the Mosel. I have a name of a great Inn there should you need it.
I have never gone on a river cruise on the Rhine, but have been on a scenic river tour of the Neckar River - starting in Heidelberg. Here you can see medieval castles and beautiful countryside - you did not mention this river, but if you go to Heidelberg it is worth a tour!!

Have a ball - Germany was by far one of our favorite trips of all time!!

AK - Bonn is a cute town and on The Rhine just a mile or so up river is Drachnfels Castles, one of the most evocative and famous in the Rhineland - you can take a tram from Bonn that trundles along the east bank of the Rhine to its base and then i think some kind of chairlift up - sweeping views.


Drachenfels Castle Information and black and white photos of the ... Lodging Germany - Bonn Tourist information for Bonn and links to some hotels. ...
goeurope.about.com

Ruin of castle Drachenfels. Old drawing of the Drachenfels. ... Siebengebirge mountain range near Bonn, Germany. The castle ruin on top bears the same name. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drachenfels_(Siebengebirge) -