5 Best Sights in Boppard, The Rhineland

Two baroque altars dominate the interior of the Gothic Karmeliterkirche on Karmeliterstrasse, near the Rhine. It houses intricately carved choir stalls and tombstones and several beautiful Madonnas. Winegrowers still observe the old custom of laying the first-picked Trauben (grapes) at the foot of the Traubenmadonna (1330) to ensure a good harvest.

On the eastern shore overlooking the town of Braubach is the Marksburg. Built in the 13th century to protect the silver and lead mines in the area, it's the only land-based castle on the Rhine to have survived the centuries intact. Within its massive walls are a collection of weapons and manuscripts, a medieval botanical garden, and a self-service restaurant with a terrace offering stunning views. The castle can only be visited as part of a 50-minute guided tour: individual English tours take place daily during the summer months at 1 pm and 4 pm; call ahead if you'd like to join a pre-arranged tour at a different time.

The Roman garrison (Römer-Kastell) Bodobrica, established here in the 4th century, was enclosed by a 26-foot-high rectangular wall (1,010 by 505 feet) with 28 defense towers. You can see portions of these in a fascinating open-air archaeological park.

Excavations in the 1960s revealed ancient Roman baths beneath the twin-tower, Romanesque Severuskirche on the market square. The large triumphal crucifix over the main altar and a lovely statue of a smiling Madonna date from the 13th century.

From the Mühltal station, let the Sesselbahn (chairlift) whisk you a half-mile uphill to the Vierseenblick (Four-Lake View), from where the Rhine looks like a chain of four lakes. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes.