I'm going to Germany and want to spend a couple days looking at castles and palaces. I was wondering if the best thing to do would be go down the Rhine by boat and just stop off or what. What place do you think has the best castles and palaces to be seen in two days and how would you see them, i.e. boat, tour, names of helpful guides and companies... thanks for your help

Don't just get on a boat and stop off -- a little planning is required for the Rhine region, which has many castles and is a good place to see some, but where many are privately owned, have been turned into hotels, or are otherwise not possible to visit. Marksburg Castle in Braubach, south of Koblenz, is a terrific medieval sort of knights' castle. The tour is in German but guides usually speak English and will answer your questions. The KD boats stop there, and there's a train station too. Go to www.roadstoruins.com/marksburg.htm for some photos and history. <BR> <BR>Rheinfels Castle in St. Goar can be self-toured. It's a ruined fortress that's fun to crawl around through if you have some imagination. <BR> <BR>The nearby Mosel River has a couple of good ones too. The easiest to see is Reichsburg Castle in Cochem. There's a great tour with an English handout -- go to www.roadstoruins.com/Cochem.html for some details. <BR> <BR>The granddaddy in this area is Burg Eltz, between Cochem and Koblenz near the town of Moselkern (on the Mosel River.) Amazingly furnished, it too was never destroyed. Go to www.burg-eltz.de to check it out. <BR> <BR>Also, you may want to visit the German Castle Road that cuts across Germany from east to west south of the Rhine Gorge -- here's a website: www.burgenstrasse.de/international_version.htm

Check out Rick STeve's info on the Rhine. To paraphrase, we took a KD cruise from Bacharach to St. Goar. There are lots of castles to see from the river on that segment. We then toured Rhinefels and trained back to our base in Bacharach. Burg Stahlek sits above Bacharach, and we visited it. Nice hike and view; It is now a hostel. You can see and reach many castles from the train, stopping off at those you want to tour. We have toured Rhinefels, Burg Eltz and Reichsburg (all mentioned by Russ in his very informative post). They are all worth seeing. However, purists would probably tell you that Reichsburg was rebuilt in the 1800's, (I think). We like the mix of Rhinefels (a sprawling, ruined fortress and Burg Eltz. Please note that Burg Eltz is a long (but scenic) hike from the town. I hope to tour Marksburg in the future.

Reichsburg Castle in Cochem just celebrated its 1000th anniversary, so it's pretty old as anything goes. However, it never was really completed until more recently. Under near constant siege for centuries, the original plans for the place could never be carried out until more peaceful times, when the Ravene family purchased it and finally completed restoration and construction using the original plans. Hitler confiscated the place, but it became the property of the city of Cochem a number of years after the war. It's a spectacular place, and there's a nice restaurant/patio with an even more spectacular view of the town and river below. You won't regret a visit.

Rheinfels castle in St Goar is awesome. Stay overnight on the Rhine in a castle-hotel and take a torch with you for touring Rheinfels. There are heaps of pitch black tunnels and stairways that are lots of fun.

I'd suggest you stay on the Rhine for a couple of nights and use the KD boats for visiting a couple of towns and castles. Incidentally, Eurrail Pass includes those boats, so you can hop on and off if you have the pass. We spent three nights in Rudesheim and visited several castles and villages, but staying a little further north would be even more convenient. The KD boats on the Mosel are also included. Koblenz as a base would give you the option of traveling both rivers and seeing a lot.

I've stayed at the Rheinfels castle hotel above St. Goars and it and the adjacent delapidated castle was a treat, but for me, so far, nothing but nothing beats that old tourist draw, the castle above Heidelburg. I was only able to spend about three hours there and it was rainy fall weather and both my husband and I were sick with very bad colds. STILL, it was a joy. The grounds, views, architecture, history, everything were wonderful. I saw things that I'd seen for years in paintings and illustrations from the Romantic era in early 19th century German history. Because the weather wasn't great, there were few tourists and so we could enjoy the place peacefully. I loved it. <BR>I've not yet been to Berg Elz but I bet that is special, too. I plan to go someday soon.

There are so many wonderful castles in Germany...and each of them has its own history, feel, and views of Germany. <BR> <BR>Already given suggestions are great. My favorite has to be the Castle in Cochem--you can't beat it. The casle on the Mosel, and below, such a lovely town. (You'll think you're in the Germany secion of Epcot--only the real deal.) <BR> <BR>I would second Berg Eltz. <BR> <BR>Happy castle hopping. <BR> <BR>--Norma