Castles of the Middle Rhine
From the fortress above Koblenz upstream to Bingen, along the gorge where a castle stands on almost every bend.
- 9 stops
- 80 km by road
- 2 h 16 min of driving
- 2 days
Distances and times are calculated on real roads (OpenStreetMap), with no stops and no traffic.
The route goes into the planner with its stops, split over days: move, remove or add stops, see the times and look for a place to stay. Or open the whole route in Google Maps.
Before you set off
A car for this route
Hire the car where you arrive, at the airport or in the first city, and check that it can be returned where the route ends.
- Car hire Hire a car in Germany and reach the places the trains do not. On Localrent
- eSIM for Germany Mobile data from the moment you land, with no roaming bill. Installed on your phone before you leave. On Airalo
These services are sold by our partners: you book and pay on their sites. Viaqui may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
About the route
Between Koblenz and Bingen the Rhine cuts a narrow gorge through slate hills, and for some sixty-five kilometres castles follow one another on both banks. The valley is a World Heritage Site. The route starts at Stolzenfels, just above Koblenz, crosses to the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein and goes up the right bank, past Marksburg, the only hilltop castle here that was never destroyed, and the toll castle on its island at Kaub, then crosses by ferry for the three castles above Trechtingshausen. There are no bridges on this stretch, so the ferries are part of the trip.
The route has 9 stops in Germany, across 2 regions. From the first to the last there are 80 km by road, which is 2 h 16 min of driving with no stops. The numbers on the map and in the list are the same order; press a stop to see it on the map, or open its page for the description and the address.
The route is a suggestion, not a schedule: you can drive it the other way round, split it over more days or take only the stops on your way. Every stop is also on the attractions map of Germany, together with everything else there is to see around it.
How long does the route take?
The driving alone is 2 h 16 min. With the stops, it depends how long you stay at each. We suggest 2 days, a pace that leaves time to go inside, not only to drive past.
Is the distance by road?
Yes. The 80 km and the 2 h 16 min are calculated on real roads, not in a straight line, with OpenStreetMap data. They do not include stops, traffic or detours.
Do I pay at every stop?
No. Some of the stops are free to enter; where a ticket is sold, it shows on the page of the place. Opening hours are set by whoever runs each place, so check them before you leave.
Can I change the order?
Yes. The order here is the one that keeps the drive short, but the route works just as well backwards or in pieces.
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