Board your flight from your home destination to Frankfurt, Germany.
This is assumed to be an overnight flight.

Air fare independently arranged.

Your flight should arrive at Frankfurt Airport by 11:00 a.m. for the included transfer at noon.

Arrival in Frankfurt, Germany.  Meet your group, Tour Director and Driver at noon and drive directly to the Rhine for lunch in one of the charming villages on the River.

Transfer to your Hotel Jakobsberg, one of the best hotels in the RHINE Area, built on the site of  a former monastery founded by Emperor Frederik I, known as Barbarossa in 1157.  We will spend the next five nights here.

In the afternoon rest and enjoy the hotel facilities -- pool, sauna, gym, in-outdoor tennis, in-outdoor golf, bowling -- or go hiking in the beautiful countryside.

Tonight we meet for a welcome drink followed by dinner at the Hotel.

Transfer from Airport  to Jakobsberg

Welcome drink, 3 course dinner with choice and  1 drink and coffee

  Welcome

Cruising all day on the Rhine on the most beautiful stretch of the river, the part recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.  Upstream past the Loreley Rock and lots of medieval Castles on both sides of the river we travel to most charming RUEDESHEIM.

Time for lunch and souvenirs in famous Drosselgasse, and afterwards we take a cable car uphill through the vineyards to Niederwald Monument.  Be prepared for incredible views over the valley. 

We reboard our Rhinesteamer back and later have a great dinner in a typical Rheinkeller with wine tasting.

Buffet Breakfast, Door-to-door transportation
Rhinecruise from and to St. Goar, tickets for Cable Car
3 course Dinner with choice and  wine tasting

  Ruedesheim

Today we cross the river by ferry to Braubach, the town of roses where we take a guided tour of the MARKSBURG, an 11th century castle, the only one on the Rhine that was never destroyed.

We continue to KOBLENZ, meaning confluence, where the Moselle joins the Rhine on the Deutsches Eck (the German Corner).  Admire the equestrian statue of Wilhelm I.  Time to explore Koblenz on you own, before we take a cable car up to EHRENBREITSTEIN Fortress for an inside visit of the Museum of the Rhine.

From Koblenz we take a boat back and  have dinner on board.

Buffet Breakfast, Door-to-door transportation,

Entrance fees to Marksburg and Ehrenbreitstein, Rhinecruise Koblenz - Boppard

3 course Dinner on board with choice and one drink and coffee

  Marksburg

Morning stop in Peace Museum of REMAGEN, located in the only surviving tower of the former railway bridge which fell into the American hands almost intact on March 7, 1945, but collapsed ten days later under the weight of armoured vehicles.

We continue to COLOGNE, the biggest City on our tour and on the Rhine.  See the famous gothic Cathedral, and join the locals in one of Germany´s longest pedestrian zones for a Koelsch or a cup of coffee.

Late afternoon arrival back at your hotel.  Dinner.

Buffet Breakfast, Door-to-door transportation

Guided walking Tour of Cologne, Entrance to Peace Museum

3 course dinner with choice, one drink and coffee

  Cologne

Today we drive upstream along the MOSELLE River, which in scenery, castles and vineyards does not stand in the shadow compared to its big brother, the Rhine.
Our first stop is the twelfth century BURG ELTZ, majestically rising above the rear end of the wild Eltz Valley, one of Germany´s  most beautiful castles, surrounded by the river on three sides. Inside visit.

We continue to COCHEM located on an idyllic bend on the river, where you have time for lunch on the Moselle Promenade.

Then on to TRIER, Germany´s oldest city, with lots of Roman sights.  We get a deeper insight into this place with a guided walking tour, which takes you inside the Porta Nigra, a roman fortress from the second century, and the best preserved roman construction north of the Alps.  The tour also includes the Cathedral, one of Germany´s oldest churches with foundations dating from the fourth century, and the Church of our Dear Lady, the oldest purely gothic church in Germany.  All three sights are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Time for dinner on your own in Trier tonight before we return to the hotel.

Buffet Breakfast, Door-to-door transportation
Entrance fees Eltz, Porta Nigra, Cathedral, Church of our Dear Lady, Local Guide Trier

  Burg Eltz

Today say goodbye to the Rhine after your visit to Rheinfels Castles in St. Goar and head south to HEIDELBERG, on the banks of the Neckar river. In medieval times the Electoral Palatinate with Heidelberg as the politcal centre was one of the most advanced European States.

See the beautiful red-walled castle including the great vat with a guided tour. Afterwards we take a cogwheel train down into the city where you have more time for sightseeing, shopping and postcards.

Tonight we are staying in a typical country hotel in the Neckar Valley on the BURGENSTRASSE (Castle Road).

Buffet Breakfast, Door-to-door transportation
Entrance fees Heidelberg Castle Tour, Cogwheel Train
3 course dinner with choice, one drink and coffee

  Heidelberg

Our last traveling day takes us to medieval ROTHENBURG ob der Tauber in Frankonia where you feel like you just jumped back into the 16th century. Competely surrounded by its medieval ramparts with countless towers, Rothenburg is famous for its ancient houses, fountains, cobbled lanes and hidden corners and street signs.  Also famous for the Meistertrunk, in which -- according to legend -- the burgomeister saved the town by emptying a 6-pint tankard in one single draught.

After lunch we take the ROMANTIC ROAD all the way to where it starts, to WUERZBURG on the Main River.  Take a guided tour of UNESCO Residence, this superb baroque palace, one of the biggest in Germany, admire the staircase, the frescoes by Tiepolo, the Hofkirche and the Gardens.

Afterwards you have time to see more of Wuerzburg on your own and get  your final shopping done.

Back for overnight to Frankfurt.

Farewell dinner tonight at our hotel.

Buffet breakfast, Door-to-door transportation
Entrance fees, Tour Residence, 3 course dinner with choice, one drink and coffee

  Rothenburg

Time to say "Auf wiedersehen".

Transfer to Frankfurt Airport for your return flight home.

Buffet breakfast, Transfer to Airport

  
Rudesheim

  
Drosselgasse, Rudesheim

  
Mouse Tower

  
Burg Rheinstein

  
Burg Reichenstein

  
Marksburg

  
The German Corner

  
Burg Eltz

  
Porta Nigra, Trier

  
Heidelberg Castle

  
Rothenburg

  
Wuerzburg Residence

To anyone who is considering taking the Rhine Area River Castle tour, this trip surpassed other tours we have taken around the world.   Each day was a highlight when one enjoys living a bit of History, visiting and touching Roman walls, Medieval Castles, and quaint European villages.  And while Ms. Baur offers excellent and interesting commentary, one also has time to explore the sights at their leisure.    We could not be more pleased with our visit.

-  Bob and Jeanne Lawler, Illinois, July 2007

I have participated in two Astrid Baur tours.  Both tours exceeded my expectations. These were exceptionally well-designed and flawlessly executed adventures that constantly interested, surprised, and delighted me.  Astrid passed on her encyclopedic knowledge of the history and background of the featured sites and areas in a professional but relaxed manner best described as genuine “sharing”.  She is knowledgeable, well-organized, sensitive to people's interests and wishes, and fun.

   -  Bruce McKay, Ontario, July 2007

For castle buffs, a tour with Astrid is a must.  We took both the Bavarian tour and the Rhine River tour, and enjoyed them both.   Her selection of castles, hotels, restaurants, and city tours was superb.   She created a wonderfully enjoyable time for all of us with her warmth, her flexibility, and her graciousness.

-  Pat and Lee Flocke, Florida, July 2007

Astrid Baur in my opinion is without a doubt the best Tour Director to be found anywhere.  She demonstrates professionalism in conducting the tour, while maintaining a very personal relationship with her clients.  She responds to the needs and concerns of her group in a prompt and efficient manner. I plan on joining Astrid on another tour in the future.

-  Richard Smith, Illinois, July 2007

 
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This is a condensed tour description page, posted for your information on www.castlesoftheworld.com.

Full information on this tour – including "In Depth" information sections, a downloadable itinerary, extended references, and reservation materials – is posted on the River Castles Tour page of the Castles Tours website > 

Tour prices:

-  are per person,

-  are in U.S. dollars (US $), and

-  are for the land segment only.  (Air fare is extra.)

A deposit of US $ 200 per person is required to secure a reservation.

  
A child 8 to 16 years old sharing a room with two adults receives a 30% reduction.

Reservation details  and materials  >  

Contact the Tour Director in Germany

(Eastern Time + 6 hours)

Astrid Baur

info@castlesoftheworld.de

Phone

Fax

Mail

011 - 49 - 171 - 546 68 39

011 - 49 - 8362 - 91 67 23

Hoehenstrasse 8
87629 Hopfen am See
Germany