Rhine and Moselle Castles You Can Tour While on A River Cruise
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist
One of the questions often asked us is: “Can I tour inside a castle on a river cruise on the Rhine?”
There are 5 good castles you can visit near Koblenz Germany and this report will identify which river cruise companies provide tour excursions to the castles as part of their itinerary.
One of the reasons you may want to consider using a river cruise instead of trying to visit on your own is the ease of getting to the castles. We used public transportation (trains and buses) to explore on our own to 3 of these castles. When combined with sometimes a long hike or steep climb up a hillside, which 10 years ago was quite fun and adventurous but required a lot of planning on our part and active hiking to visit these castles, this may not be the best option for you.
Koblenz is located at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers. It is a great base to explore parts of nearby castles and quaint towns—we used it as a base of operations and enjoyed it very much during a trip in 2013 to three of these castles on a land tour we organized for ourselves. We visited the other two while on a river cruise.
It is one of the oldest towns in Germany and its strategic location had two different influences upon its history—it was a great place to collect tolls from river traffic and both Germany and France wanted to control these valuable waterways and the land near it.
So, castles and fortresses were built to defend these waterways by the Germans. Later France attacked and destroyed and burned most of these defensive positions and structures as they vied for control of the area.
I decided to organize this blog by listing the strongpoints alphabetically, so not to show any favoritism towards any line and describe the castle or stronghold first and then the river cruise line that best allows you see them. A word of caution—routes change and we may have missed a route change that would present another opportunity, so please use this as a good starting point only.
So, let’s explore together and learn about 5 great castles and 1 fortress in this area and how you can tour inside these strong points while on a river cruise.
Burg Eltz is located in Moselkern, near Cochem: Its multiple turrets and towers, which rise amid a thick forest near the Mosel River, evoke the chivalry and poetry of the Middle Ages. This is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Germany.
Burg Eltz is a beautifully preserved castle, with towers, half-timbered walls, and it is seemingly in the middle of nowhere—Anne and I hiked 3 miles from the Mosel River in early March one year to visit. The family who owns this castle still lives here and has done so for 850 years in their ancestral home.
There are 2 places to visit here—the Treasury (pictures allowed) with a great display of precious items and tour of select rooms (no pictures) which takes about an hour or less. 3 families owned this castle, and each has built separate wings.
The tour includes an entrance way decorated with weapons, various gathering rooms, bedrooms, and the kitchen—all very authentic and used by the families for over 33 generations.
Perhaps the most famous room of the castle is the Knight’s room, where the 3 different families met to celebrate and work out any conflicts that might arise. It is famous for the wall decorations, which served as a reminder to the 3 families about cooperation—a jester mask (representing freedom of speech) and a large rose (representing a code of silence—items discussed in the room need to stay there).
How to Tour on a River Cruise—to my knowledge only Scenic includes this castle. It is on their “Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle” route which is available as a 7-day cruise or a 12-day version with tours of Switzerland.
Fortress Ehrenbreitstein--The Fortress rises 118 meters above the Rhine and dates back to the year 1000. Over the centuries the building was extended by the Electors of Trier. After its destruction through the French, the Prussians rebuilt the fortifications and the result, one of Germany's strongest fortresses, is today open to the public. It is the second largest fortress in Europe (Gibraltar is larger). It is directly across the Rhine from Koblenz.
To reach the fortress, make the one-way passage across the river from the main Rhine dock. Ferries operate mid-March to late November daily 9am to 5:15pm.
You can also take the Koblenz Cable Car and get a ride that takes you 367 feet above the Rhine and the ride is about 3000 feet. The more adventurous might want a car with a glass bottom. The chairlift operates daily from April to October from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Most river cruise companies use the cable car system, which for many is a plus with amazing views, but for others, not so fun an experience.
How to Tour on a River Cruise—several river cruise companies have tours to the fortress.
AmaWaterways visits the fortress on the Rhine & Moselle Fairytales
Avalon visits the fortress on its Active & Discovery on the Rhine
Emerald visits on its Jewels of the Rhine; the Legendary Rhine & Mosel and on The Majestic Rhine
Lahneck Castle
This is a great castle to tour, as combines medieval fortifications, and great interiors. It was built in 1244 and destroyed in the Thirty Years War (1633). In 1852, it was rebuilt and finally fully restored in 1937.
It is a very interesting and pretty residential castle. The stained-glass windows of the chapel date to the 1400s.
There is even a portrait of Queen Victoria, painted in 1840.
It is full of fine furniture, porcelain, ceramics, a 15th century kitchen complex and a fully furnished 3-story doll house.
How to Tour on a River Cruise—This is an exclusive tour from AmaWaterways. There are 2 routes: The Enchanting Rhine; Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle; Rhine & Moselle Fairytales and The Treasures of the Main & Rhine routes, that include an exclusive Lahneck Castle tour.
Marksburg Castle is the only castle that never was sacked or ruined among the 40 some odd castles along the Rhine Gorge stretch from Koblenz to Rüdesheim. It is above the town of Braubach. Marksburg was built and served as primarily a fort and often these countryside castles lacked the grandeur of royal palaces. The white pained castle with red trim is distinctive and has a butter-churn keep tower, as the lower parts of the tower are wider than the upper parts and it resembles a butter-churn devise.
The construction of Marksburg was intended to defend the town and after entering the castle the first area in the Great Battery with its firing positions designed to protect the Rhine and town from enemies.
The gothic Hall was the kitchen area of the castle fort.
The next area on the tour is the wine cellar.
The next area was the sleeping area.
Next is the Chapel
Now the Armory Museum, called the Gimbel collection, uses life-sized figurines to show the changes in armor and weaponry through the ages.
Finally, the Horse Stables, which also was used as a prison complete with torture devices.
How to Tour on a River Cruise—here are the companies we found that tour Marksburg.
Scenic offers tours of Marksburg on the following routes: Jewels of Europe; Romantic Rhine & Moselle; and on 3 Christmas Markets Cruises on the Rhine.
Viking offers this as an included tour on these routes: Grand European Tour; European Sojourn but charges extra on some of the other Rhine cruises.
Reichsburg (also known as Cochem Castle) also deserves a tour. Standing on a hill 300 feet above the town of Cochem, this elaborately restored castle (it was destroyed by the French in 1689 by the Soldiers of King Louis XIV). It is a fun and interesting visit. It is the largest castle on the Moselle.
Many river cruise companies visit this castle. The original castle, whose first purpose like many others on the rivers of Germany was to collect tolls, was rebuilt from 1868 to 1890.
While not authentic, it is still cool—great vistas, interesting rooms, perhaps most importantly, at first glance, it is an impressive structure and I enjoyed visiting it. My favorite rooms were the Dining Hall, the Knight’s Room, and the Trophy Room.
How to Tour on a River Cruise—this is the one castle that has the best options among river cruise lines that either port in Koblenz or sail on the Moselle.
AmaWaterways tours this castle on its Europe’s Rivers & Castles; Rhine & Moselle Splendors; Rhine & Moselle Delights; Rhine & Moselle Fairytales; and Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle.
Avalon tours the castle on its Active & Discovery on the Moselle; The Rhine & Moselle route.
Emerald tours the castle for an extra charge on the Jewels of the Rhine and The Majestic Rhine as optional tours but it is included on the Legendary Rhine & Moselle and the Tulips & the Rhine routes.
Scenic offers the tour on these routes: Romantic Rhine and Moselle; Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle; Rhine Highlights and on their Christmas Markets cruises.
Tauck offers this tour on its Rhine & Moselle route.
Uniworld offers this tour on its Magnificent Moselle & Rhine route.
Viking offers this tour on its Cities of Light; and Paris to the Swiss Alps.
Schloss Stolzenfels—the castle is located approx. 5 km to the south of Koblenz, which was originally built as a customs fortress and was destroyed by the French in 1689 in the Palatine War of Succession. It was rebuilt according to the plans of the Berlin master builder Schinkel and is now open to the public. It houses a number of valuable furniture pieces and a collection of armor and weapons. Here are some pictures:
How to Tour on a River Cruise
Avalon used to do a guided walk here but I was unable to find the exact cruise route in their Active & Discovery cruises.
Our Final Thoughts
I have always loved castles and like to see how these stark defensive structures were transformed into more comfortable living spaces. They offer a unique look into the past.
We hope you have enjoyed this report. Perhaps now you see the added value we bring to helping you match your desired experiences with the offerings of the various cruise lines we follow. I am certain our research into the available options is very unique, as I am unable to find as detailed a report as is contained in this blog post.
We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.
When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.
Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!
ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 52 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent
