Rhine Castles and Palaces Boat Tour from Koblenz

Koblenz, the Deutsches Eck and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

Koblenz grew from a Roman fort founded more than two thousand years ago where the Moselle flows into the Rhine; its name comes from the Latin Confluentes, the confluence. The tip of land between the two rivers is the Deutsches Eck, the German Corner, crowned by a monumental equestrian statue and lined with flags. Across the Rhine, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress sits on a rock spur more than 100 metres above the water, one of the largest preserved fortresses in Europe.

From the pier on the Rhine promenade the boat swings out into the current and gives you the best view of all three at once: the confluence, the old town skyline with its churches and the fortress walls above. The cable car that links the riverbank with the fortress glides overhead, a reminder that Koblenz is easy to explore on foot and by boat.

Stolzenfels Castle

Heading south, the first great sight is Stolzenfels Castle, perched on a wooded spur above the left bank. A toll castle stood here in the thirteenth century, but it was destroyed by French troops in 1689. In the nineteenth century the Prussian royal family rebuilt it as a Romantic summer residence in neo-Gothic style, with yellow-ochre walls, crenellated towers, terraced gardens and richly furnished rooms, and it became a symbol of the Rhine Romantic movement.

From the boat you see how the palace blends into the cliffs and forest, especially lovely in the morning sun. Many visitors ask how to get to Stolzenfels Castle; it is a short trip from Koblenz by bus followed by a steep path, so this Rhine boat trip is a relaxed way to admire it first. Castle entry is not part of the cruise.

Lahnstein and Lahneck Castle

On the opposite bank, the Lahn river joins the Rhine at the town of Lahnstein, and above the confluence stands Lahneck Castle. It was built in the thirteenth century by the archbishops of Mainz to protect their lands and the nearby silver mines, then rebuilt in the nineteenth century after centuries as a ruin. Its tall pentagonal keep and battlements make it one of the most striking silhouettes on this stretch of the river.

Below the castle, Lahnstein's old town with its medieval walls and towers spreads along both rivers. From the deck you can see the Lahn valley opening to the east and the busy river traffic of barges heading up and down the Rhine. The captain points out the castles on both banks, which often face each other across the water as rival territories once did.

The Marksburg above Braubach

The turning point of the cruise is the Marksburg, standing high on a rocky hilltop above the town of Braubach. Built from the twelfth century onwards and named after the chapel dedicated to Saint Mark, it is the only hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine that was never destroyed, so its keep, walls, courtyards and medieval kitchen still look much as they did centuries ago. With its white walls and tall square tower, it is the image many people have in mind when they think of a Rhine castle.

The Marksburg is open to visitors with guided tours, so if you are wondering whether the Marksburg is worth visiting, the answer is yes, as a separate excursion. On this boat tour you enjoy it from the best angle, from the river below, before the boat turns and heads back towards Koblenz.

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen and Koblenz was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002 for its exceptional landscape of steep slopes, terraced hillsides, small riverside towns and medieval castles. For centuries the Rhine was one of Europe's most important trade routes, and the many castles were built by rival lords to control the river and collect tolls from passing boats.

This Koblenz Rhine cruise covers the northern gateway of the valley, ideal if you have only a couple of hours. The best time to visit the Middle Rhine Valley is from spring to autumn, when the boats run frequently and the hillsides are green or golden; in autumn the colours on the slopes are especially beautiful. On the return trip the boat glides with the current back to Koblenz.