3 Best Sights in The Rhineland, Germany

This stylish, revamped harbor district is a mix of late-19th-century warehouses and ultramodern towers housing restaurants, bars, hotels, and the many media companies that have made this area their home. On the riverbank you'll find the Frank Gehry–designed Neuer Zollhof, a particularly striking ensemble of three organic-looking high-rises. The best way to tackle the buzzing architecture is to take a stroll down the promenade and over the pedestrian Living Bridge, which connects both sides of the harbor.

Known as Schiffchen (Little Ship) because of the boatlike shape at its heart—formed by Grabenstrasse and Wagemannstrasse, located just behind the former duke's palace (and now seat of state parliament) Stadtschloss—Wiesbaden's pretty Old Town is packed with restaurants, cafés and shops. There aren't many standout sights within its margins, which are marked by Webergasse in the north, the Marktplatz in the east, Schwalbacher Strasse in the west, and Rheinstrasse in the south, but the interesting mix of architectural styles makes it a lovely area to stroll around.

A 25-minute ride on the U79 from the City Center puts you in this historic corner of Düsseldorf, reminiscent of a storybook German town with its winding cobblestone streets and neatly packed stone and brick buildings. Don't miss seeing the crumbling ruins of Kaiserpfalz, a 12th-century castle on the banks of the Rhine.