132 Best Sights in The Rhineland, Germany

Part of the Kulturhaus Oberwesel, a historic winery turned culture center, this museum 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.

This pretty, 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 is among the most beautiful to be found on the Rhine. Admire the exterior from the shade of the solitary oak.

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.

No less than 15 of Wiesbaden's 26 springs converge at the steaming Kochbrunnen Fountain, where the warm, salty, but (in theory) healthful waters are there for the tasting. First mentioned in 1366, the spring produces around 360 liters of 66°C (151°F), sodium chloride-rich water every single minute. As well as being used to medicinal purposes, the water is also used to heat the city's Stadt Wiesbaden (New Town Hall) building. The fountain square is one of the town's loveliest, flanked by grand old hotel buildings.

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. English-language tastings are available, but groups of five or more people should call ahead to book (for a large enough group, they'll even open Monday through Wednesday). Try the light and flinty Alte Badstube am Doctorberg Riesling.

A friendly husband-and-wife team run this winery, which has eight generations of winemaking tradition behind it. They make a special collection of Rieslings with labels designed by visiting artists, and have an unpretentious tasting room close to the river.

Only fully established in 1991, this winery is one of the newest in the region. Combining modern and traditional winemaking principles, it has succeeded as one of the finest and most interesting Grand Cru vineyards in the region. The winery's five hectares of steep vineyards grow almost exclusively Riesling grapes; try the light but complex Trarbacher Hühnerberg Riesling Spätlese.

Built by the English aristocrat John Sutton, this beautiful villa in Kiedrich, 2½ km (1½ miles) northwest of Eltville, 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.

Step off the train and straight into this century-old winery. Tutored tastings allow you to discover a selection of locally grown wines while you learn about the production and harvesting process. Alternatively, simply let the wine speak for itself; take a seat in the cellar or garden and order a bottle to share.

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.