135 Best Sights in The Rhineland, Germany

Oberwesel's city museum—a former winery—offers a virtual tour of the town, as well as a multimedia "journey through time" showing the area from the Stone Age to the present day. It also houses a fine collection of old etchings and drawings of the Rhine Valley, including one by John Gardnor, an English clergyman and painter, who published a book of sketches upon his return to England and kicked off a wave of Romantic-era tourism in the late 18th century.

Kloster Eberbach's premier vineyard, the high-tech Steinberg, is surrounded by a 3-km (2-mile) stone wall (13th–18th century). In warmer months you can enjoy its vintages outdoors, overlooking the vines.

This 15th-century collegiate church was built atop the tomb of St. Goar, despite the fact that the tomb itself (an ancient pilgrimage site) was discovered to be empty during the church's construction. The 11th-century crypt has been called the most beautiful to be found on the Rhine between Cologne and Speyer.

The smaller of the two Ludwig art institutions in town (the Ludwig Forum is the larger one) has a collection that concentrates paintings from the 12th to the early 20th century, including a sizable holding of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish works by the likes of Anthony Van Dyck and Frans Hals. It's also home to one of Germany's largest sculpture collections.

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.

This museum contains paintings spanning the years 1300 to 1900. The Dutch and Flemish schools are particularly well represented, as is the 15th- to 16th-century Cologne school of German painting. Its two most famous artists are the Master of the St. Veronica (whose actual name is unknown) and Stefan Lochner, represented by two luminous works, The Last Judgment and The Madonna in the Rose Bower. Large canvases by Rubens, who spent his youth in Cologne, hang prominently on the second floor. There are also outstanding works by Rembrandt, Van Dyck, and Frans Hals, and the largest collection of French impressionism in Germany.

Of Cologne's four main Christmas markets the Weihnachtsmarkt am Kölner Dom, in the shadow of the city's famed cathedral, is the most impressive. Set against the backdrop of the church's magnificent twin spires, a giant Christmas tree stands proudly in the middle of the market's 160 festively adorned stalls, which sell mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, and many other German yuletide treats.

This winery's presence in the Mosel includes vineyards in seven different villages and a grand villa in the center of Bernkastel, where a cozy Vinothek (shop) is found inside the mansion's vaulted cellars. Tastings are available, but groups of five or more people should call ahead to book. Try the light and flinty Alte Badstube am Doctorberg Riesling.

Established in 1991, this winery is very new compared to many others here. Combing modern with traditional winemaking principles, it has succeeded as one of the best and most interesting Grand Cru vineyards in the region. Try the light but complex Trarbacher Hühnerberg Riesling Spätlese.

You'll find only Rieslings in Rebenhof's stylish, contemporary tasting room, which shares space with the stainless-steel fermentation tanks. Try everything from dry and off-dry wines to sweet or sparkling. Call to arrange a spontaneous visit and tasting.

Built by the English aristocrat John Sutton, this beautiful villa south of St. Valentine's Church is home to one of Germany's leading wine estates. Its famed Rieslings can be sampled in the tasting room at no cost (but with the expectation that a bottle or two of wine is purchased afterward). For 10 people or more, an exclusive tasting including a two-hour cellar tour can be arranged in advance for a fee.

This winery dating to at least 1744 specializes in the production of high-quality dry whites. The modern, winebar style of their Vinothek sets them apart from other local establishments. They're located down an unassuming village lane, and also offer accommodations in a guesthouse. Wine tastings can sometimes be arranged during off-hours if you call ahead for an appointment.

Housed in one of the oldest castles on the Rhine, dating to around the year 1000, the museum displays wine-related artifacts and drinking vessels dating from Roman times. There are great views from the roof and the terrace, where there are occasionally wine tastings (ask at the desk). The entrance fee includes an audio-visual guide, tasting glass, and savory baked treats.

From the parish church a set of stone steps (signposted) leads to Bacharach's landmark, the sandstone ruins of the Gothic Wernerkapelle, famous for its filigree tracery. The chapel's roof succumbed to falling rocks in 1689, when the French blew up Burg Stahleck. Originally a Staufen fortress (11th century), the castle lay dormant until 1925, when a youth hostel was built on the foundations. The sweeping views from there are worth the 10-minute walk.

This popular village is full of pubs and wineshops that ply the crowds with Zeller Schwarze Katz, or "Black Cat" wine, a commercially successful product and the focal point of a large wine festival in late June. Some 6 million vines hug the slopes around Zell, making it one of Germany's largest wine-growing communities. The area between Zell and Schweich (near Trier), known as the Middle Mosel, is home to some of the world's finest Riesling.