Rhine River Cruise: Heidelberg to Koblenz
In this third post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores the next part of her Romantic Rhine cruise on Avalon as she travels from Heidelberg, Germany to Koblenz, Germany.
My very first river cruise was the wonderful Romantic Rhine cruise on Avalon Waterways. I had been considering a river cruise for a while but wasn’t sure if it was something I would like or not. From doing a bit of research online, the average passengers on a river cruise seemed to be married retirees. On this cruise I would just be turning 45 and I would be traveling solo. But the idea of getting to see so many wonderful places in one relatively short time span was appealing, as was the notion of only having to unpack once. So, I made the plunge and booked the trip. Long story short, it was the start of an ever-growing love affair with river cruises in general and Avalon in particular!
Please join me in this and related posts as I relive this wonderful experience on the Avalon Tranquility II in June 2017. This third post in the series highlights the middle part of the cruise, with several stops in Germany and an afternoon sailing through the gorgeous castle-studded Rhine Gorge.
Romantic Rhine Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the cruise. This post includes details about Day 4 and Day 5 of the cruise.
- Pre-Cruise – June 22: Zurich, Switzerland
- Pre-Cruise – June 23: Zurich, Switzerland
- Cruise Day 1 – June 24: Lucerne and Basel, Switzerland (embarkation)
- Cruise Day 2 – June 25: Breisach/Black Forest, Germany & Colmar, France
- Cruise Day 3 – June 26: Strasbourg, Alsace, & Obernai, France
- Cruise Day 4 – June 27: Mannheim, Heidelberg, & Mainz, Germany
- Cruise Day 5 – June 28: Rudesheim, sailing the Rhine Gorge, & Koblenz, Germany
- Cruise Day 6 – June 29: Cologne, Germany & sailing to Amsterdam
- Cruise Day 7 – June 30: Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cruise Day 8 – July 1: Amsterdam, Netherlands (disembarkation)
Heidelberg, Germany
Day 4 of my Romantic Rhine cruise started in Mannheim, Germany. Once again, I went to sleep in one country (France) and woke up in another (Germany)! We arrived here around 7:30am. After breakfast, we loaded onto buses and drove about 30 minutes to Heidelberg. Along the way our guide gave us a lot of history and information about the region.
Heidelberg Castle
Once in Heidelberg, the bus dropped us off at the Heidelberg Castle. It is in ruins now, but it is still very beautiful. Originally built in the early 13th century, the castle sustained damage from lightning bolts, wars, and fires in the 16th and 17th centuries. It towers over the city high on a hill, and it is considered one of the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.
The views from the castle’s terrace overlooking the city were amazing!
Heidelberg Altstadt (Old Town)
After exploring the castle, we boarded the bus again and drove back down to the Altstadt (Old Town). We had a walking tour through the town and then had some free time to explore more areas on our own. One of my favorite spots was a bridge that spans the Neckar River and offers some amazing views of the area.
Mainz, Germany
Once our morning in Heidelberg was complete, we drove back to the ship. We sailed from Nierstein, Germany to Mainz, Germany this afternoon while enjoying another delicious buffet lunch on the ship. The ship docked right in a central area of Mainz. This is another stop that I would revisit a few years later on my Christmas Markets Cruise…it is a fantastic place to visit in both the summer and in the festive season.
Mainz Altstadt (Old Town)
Mainz is Germany’s largest and most important wine market. To help celebrate this heritage there is a signpost near the docks which points to other well-known wine areas around the world! Once off the ship, we took a walking tour of the beautiful Altstadt (Old Town).
Gutenberg Museum
One stop on our walking tour of Mainz was the Gutenberg Museum, located in the heart of the city. Here our guide showed us around the museum and also gave us a demonstration on a Gutenberg press. The result was beautiful!
Mainzer Dom (Mainz Cathedral)
The last stop on our walking tour was the Mainzer Dom (Mainz Cathedral). This stunning Roman Catholic cathedral, also known as Martinsdom (St. Martin’s Cathedral), was founded in 975. It is a lovely and peaceful place to explore.
An Evening in Mainz
Our ship was docked overnight tonight in Mainz, sailing early the next morning. So, I got to relax and enjoy the lovely view from my suite after the excursion was finished. There is nothing better after a busy day of exploring than coming back to the suite, throwing the large Panorama windows open, propping your feet up, and just relaxing! After dinner we were treated to a fantastic concert by a local trio called La Strada. This trio included two violinists and one guitarist, playing everything from classical music to gypsy music to showtunes. It was wonderful!
Rudesheim, Germany
On Day 5 of my Romantic Rhine cruise, we sailed from Mainz at 5:15am and arrived in Rudesheim at 8:00am. Unfortunately, it was a rainy day, but luckily Avalon provides large umbrellas onboard! So, I grabbed an umbrella after breakfast and headed out to catch our ride into town…on a fun small “train” that was waiting at the dock to whisk us away.
Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum
First up in Rudesheim was Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. I had no idea what to expect here, and admittedly my expectations were pretty low. Boy, was I surprised…what a wonderful spot! This fun museum has a large collection of self-playing calliopes, music boxes, and other instruments from the 18th century to the early 20th century. Our entertaining and informative guide led us through a series of rooms, each one full of amazing instruments. I enjoyed seeing and hearing this eclectic collection.
Rudesheimer Coffee at the Rudesheimer Schloss
Once our entertaining tour of the museum was finished, we walked a short distance to Rudesheimer Schloss. Here we were in for a wonderful treat – Rudesheimer coffee! This local specialty starts with sugar in the bottom of the cup. Some of the local brandy is added and is set on fire to caramelize the sugar. Next, coffee is poured on top to extinguish the flame. Whipped cream and shaved chocolate top it all off. Der Kaffee ist köstlich (the coffee is delicious)!
Sailing the Rhine Gorge
After a fun and delicious morning, it was time to head back to the ship. This afternoon was the highlight of the cruise…sailing through the gorgeous Rhine Gorge. This is the most beautiful stretch of the river, dotted with many beautiful castles and small towns all along the way.
Most passengers chose to head up to the Sky Deck for the sailing, where the Cruise Director provided some commentary along the way to point out some of the highlights. One particular highlight was the Loreli Rock (spelled Loreley in German). The name translates as “murmur rock” or “murmuring rock,” because the heavy currents and a small waterfall in the area create a murmuring sound, and the rock produces a special echo. There are many folklores and myths associated with the rock, all involving a beautiful young woman who either falls to her own death or causes sailors to crash onto the rocks.
The rain held off for most of the journey, but we did get a few showers as we got closer to Koblenz. It was a perfect opportunity to go back inside the ship for a nice cup of coffee!
Koblenz, Germany
After a wonderful afternoon sailing through the Rhine Gorge, we arrived in Koblenz at 4:00pm. Once again, the ship docked right in town, so it was easy to get out and explore for the afternoon excursion.
Koblenz Walking Tour
The afternoon excursion was a walking tour of Koblenz. Unfortunately, the rain made a return, and we got caught without umbrellas about 20 minutes into the walk! Luckily, it was a brief storm, and the sun came back out shortly after the rain started. Koblenz is another lovely town along the banks of the Rhine River. I enjoyed the beautiful architecture and the lush garden areas. An amusing highlight is the “Spitting Boy” fountain. This town icon is a cheeky little boy that periodically “spits” on unsuspecting passersby. The base of the fountain also depicts young boys engaging in a host of other mischievous activities, including smoking, fighting, and mocking their elders.
Deutsches Eck (German Corner)
The main highlight in Koblenz is the Deutches Eck (German Corner). This is where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers meet (or, as the common phrase goes, “where Father Rhine meets Mother Moselle”). On this spot stands the prominent Kaiser Wilhelm Monument, a tribute to the emperor who brought about the complete unification of Germany after three wars. We had a chance to walk around the monument on the walking tour, and then we had a spectacular view of it as we sailed past it later that afternoon.
Sailing Into Sunset
During this evening’s sailing we spotted a few more castles. We also sailed past the Ludendorff Bridge. This bridge was a critical remaining bridge across the Rhine in March 1945. US Army forces captured it in early March, which enabled the Army to establish a bridgehead on the eastern side of the Rhine. German forces attempted to destroy it many times after the US forces captured it. But it did not collapse until 10 days after it was captured.
The highlight of this evening’s sailing from Koblenz to Cologne was the spectacular sunset. What a sight it was! Day 5 of the cruise ended in beautiful fashion.
Conclusion
Days 4 and 5 of my Romantic Rhine cruise were fantastic. From the castle ruins in Heidelberg, to a beautiful visit to Koblenz, and everything in between. I had many fun experiences during these two days…exploring the fun mechanical musical instrument museum, sipping a delicious Rudesheimer coffee, soaking in the sights as we sailed the Rhine Gorge. These two days in Germany were so much fun, even if the weather did not always cooperate!
Be sure to check out the next post in this series, which will cover the remaining two days of the cruise.
Links
Click the buttons below to read the first two posts in this series:
Click the button below to read more about my Christmas Markets Cruise, when I returned to Mainz in the festive season:
Click the button below for more information about Avalon Waterways:
