Rhine River Boat Tour from Bonn to Linz

Bonn's Rhine bank and the former government quarter

The trip starts below the Alter Zoll, an old bastion of Bonn's city fortifications with cannons and plane trees on top, which is one of the best viewpoints on the river. From here the boat heads upstream past the former government quarter of the capital years, when Bonn was the seat of the West German government from 1949 to 1990.

From the water you see the glass plenary hall where the parliament once met, the riverside lawns of the federal buildings and the white Villa Hammerschmidt, for decades the official seat of the federal president in Bonn. Soon after, the riverbank turns greener as the boat reaches Bad Godesberg, the former spa town with its villas and the castle ruin on the hill above.

Königswinter, the Drachenfels and the Siebengebirge

Across the river from Bad Godesberg rise the Siebengebirge, the 'Seven Mountains', a range of volcanic hills that has been protected as one of Germany's oldest nature reserves. At their foot lies Königswinter, with its riverside promenade and the starting point of the oldest rack railway in Germany, which climbs the Drachenfels.

The Drachenfels, 321 metres high, is crowned by the ruins of a 12th-century castle, and halfway up stands the turreted Drachenburg Castle, a romantic 19th-century mansion. Further along you can spot the Petersberg, where the federal government once hosted state guests. Seen from a Rhine cruise, this is the most dramatic part of the trip and the reason many people search for a Drachenfels boat trip from Bonn.

Bad Honnef, Unkel and the river islands

Upstream from Königswinter the valley narrows and the scenery becomes more rural. Bad Honnef, once called the 'Rhine Nice' for its mild climate, sits among gardens and villas below the hills, with the green island of Grafenwerth and the island of Nonnenwerth with its former convent in the river nearby.

On the opposite bank you pass Unkel, a small historic town with half-timbered houses and a church tower close to the water. This calm stretch is the time to sit on the open deck with a coffee and simply watch the river traffic, the barges and the villages slide by. Look out for the small passenger ferries that still link the two banks here, a reminder of how people crossed the Rhine long before bridges were built.

The bridge at Remagen and its peace museum

At Remagen two dark stone towers stand on the riverbank, and a matching pair rises on the far side. They are all that remains of the old railway bridge, built during the First World War. In March 1945 it was one of the last bridges over the Rhine still standing, and its capture by Allied troops helped bring the war in Europe to a faster end; ten days later the bridge collapsed.

Since 1980 the western towers have housed a peace museum telling the story of the bridge and of the people who lived through those days. From the boat you see the towers framed by the hills, a quiet and moving sight that gives this Rhine river cruise more depth than a simple scenic trip.

Linz am Rhein, the colourful town

The turning point of the trip is Linz am Rhein, known as the colourful town on the Rhine. Its old centre is packed with brightly painted half-timbered houses, medieval town gates and the Romanesque church of St. Martin on the hill, and from the river you see the rooftops and towers rising behind the waterfront.

After the boat turns at Linz, the return downstream is quicker, giving you a second look at Remagen, Bad Honnef and the Drachenfels in different light. The morning departure is ideal if you want sunshine on the Siebengebirge; the afternoon departure brings softer light on the return. Either way, it is one of the best things to do in Bonn on a fine day.