Mittelrhein wine and castles from Boppard - Koblenz
A Romantic Rhine river cruise between Koblenz and Boppard, discovering the iconic wines and German castles on the Rhine river in the beautiful Middle Rhine Valley
Loving our boat trip in Germany’s Mittelrhein, from Koblenz to Boppard
The Mittelrhein - or Middle Rhine Valley - is the spectacular stretch of the River Rhine between Bonn and Bingen, known as the Rhine Gorge, encompassing some of the world’s most amazing, spectacular scenery. The most famous Unesco World Heritage Site in Germany, the Middle Rhine Valley comprises a 70km stretch of the river Rhine, where ancient castles, historic villages and steep, terraced vineyards line the impossibly steep rocky gorge sides.
One of the best ways to appreciate this beautiful stretch of the Rhine is by boat - what could be better than relaxing on board, watching the superb, world-famous scenery enfold in front of you, enjoying a drink or a bite to eat and immersing yourself in the region’s history, culture and sights.
We did just that and took a boat from the beautiful wine town of Boppard up to Koblenz, making time of course to visit Boppard’s famous vineyards along the way!
The famous Bopparder Ham vineyards in the Mittelrhein - Source: Winekeller
The Mittelrhein wine region and Bopparder Hamm
The Mittelrhein wine region comprises about 470 hectares of vineyards, three-quarters of which are planted with Riesling, producing some excellent and well-regarded wines. This small German wine region also produces some high quality red wines, in particular Pinot noir - or Spätburgunder.
Learn more about the Mittelrhein wines here.
The Mittelrhein vineyards run either side of the River Rhine and the most important are located south-east of Koblenz, around the popular wine towns of Bacharach and Boppard. Boppard is the largest continuous vineyard and also the most famous in Mittelrhein, known as the ‘Bopparder Hamm’, stretching for some 75 hectares, with vines spread out on a large curve on the River Rhine.
Bopparder Hamm vineyards
The Bopparder Hamm is known for producing excellent wine - especially Riesling wine - due to the high level of slate content in the soils. Typical Boppard Rieslings tend to display lovely apple and mint flavours, with various spice notes thrown in.
The Bopparder Hamm is divided up into individual parcels, including names such as Elfenlay, Fässerlay, Weingrube, Mandelstein, Feuerlay, Ohlenberg and Engelstein. Bopparder Hamm wineries are spread along the river, around the popular wine town of Boppard-am-Rhein, with several notable ones located in the wine village of Spay - see later.
The beautiful Bopparder Hamm vineyards stretching along the Rhine - Source: Winekeller
Our Koblenz - Boppard - Koblenz day out
We were based in the lovely town of Koblenz and decided to get a train to Boppard and return by boat. The excellent public transport connections here make it easy to combine different modes of transport.
Exploring Koblenz
We stayed at the Hotel Mercure in Koblenz, using this lovely town as a base for our visit to Mittelrhein. For other accommodation options in Koblenz, see here.
Koblenz is easily reached via car and train, using Frankfurt or Cologne as the nearest airport. There’s lots to explore here and plenty of good restaurants - see below. Also, it’s where the River Mosel and River Lahn both join the River Rhine and it’s a great stop-off for river boat trips and cruises. You can also easily combine wine tours of the Mittelrhein wine region with the nearby Mosel wine region - and you don’t have to go too far to also explore the Rheingau and Rheinhessen wine regions!
What to see and do in Koblenz:
Beautiful Koblenz and the Deutsches Eck - source: Winekeller
Stroll around the ‘old town’ to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the lovely old buildings, churches and shops/restaurants;
Visit the famous Deutsches Eck - the German ‘corner’ where the River Rhine and River Mosel merge;
Stroll along the rivers and watch the cruise ships go by! (lovely to do in the evening);
Take the cable car up to the imposing citadel - Ehrenbreitstein - overlooking the town below.
See here for some more ideas for visiting Koblenz.
Koblenz to Boppard by train
The train station in Koblenz was just a short walk from our hotel and buying our ticket was an easy process. We purchased a ‘kombiticket’, combining the train to Boppard and a return by riverboat. You can also purchase tickets in advance from the many riverside kiosks. The train journey lasted just 20 minutes, but the stunning scenery and several castles along the way made us look forward to our slower return by riverboat!
Things to do in Boppard
Boppard am Rhein is one of the most popular tourist towns in the Middle Rhine valley, boasting 2000 years of cultural history. Stroll through the winding streets of the old town or along the ‘Rhein Allee’ by the river and take in the sights spanning Roman and early Christian times as well as the Middle Ages period. Soak up the stunning scenery, surrounded by the beautiful Rhine on one side and the majestic Hunsrück Hills on the other.
Visit Boppard’s Roman Fort - a reminder of the significance of Boppard in Roman times;
Visit Boppard’s ‘Alte Burg’ Castle in the centre of the town;
Spend time in Boppard’s Market Square and visit the Romanesque church of St. Severus with its distinctive twin towers;
Enjoy a wine tasting in one of the many bars and taverns in the town, or visit the Tourist Information Boppard and get yourself a map and some information to help you plan a walking or cycling tour.
Boppard - Koblenz by boat
A trip on a Rhine riverboat is a great experience and one we can really recommend!
The Rhine’s numerous ferries aren’t a means of transport, they are an institution in their own right and are as much a part of the German Rhine valley as the castles and the wine. The Rhine is an important inland waterway, playing a significant role as a transport route and the boats and ferries are an integral part of everyday life on the Rhine today.
As well as hop-on and hop-off ferries there is also a wonderful range of themed river cruises to choose from across the year.
Seeing the sights from the Rhine is the absolute best way to enjoy and appreciate this beautiful wine region in Germany. Not only do you get the best view of the river towns and villages, but also the famous and dramatic castles on the Rhine and the stunning scenery. Nobody has to drive, you can enjoy a glass of wine, great food and excellent information and commentary!
Rhine riverboat operators
There are lots of options for hop-on and hop-off ferries, but the main river boat operator is KD (Köln Düsseldorfer), which offers trips up and down the River Rhine and down the River Mosel. Our boat trip from Boppard to Koblenz lasted about 1.5 hours. The timetable varies across the year so always check with the riverboat operator, in our case KD (Köln Düsseldorfer).
We enjoyed some stunning scenery during our journey, through the beautiful Bopparder Hamm vineyards, past lovely wine villages with their pretty half-timbered houses and of course past the spectacular German castles on the River Rhine, some romantic, some majestic, some imposing! After leaving beautiful Boppard, our riverboat journey took us:
Through the largest loop in the River Rhine and past the village of Filsen, known for its cherry tree orchards;
Past the lovely town of Osterspai on the right hand side of the Rhine, opposite the Bopparder Hamm vineyards, known for its fabulous hiking trails and overlooked by Liebeneck Castle;
Past the lovely wine villages of Spay, Brey and Rhens on the left bank, a popular holiday resort location, great for walking, hiking and discovering the local culture and history. Spay is known to wine lovers worldwide thanks to its award-winning wines and excellent wineries;
Onto the popular town of Braubach - the town of ‘wine and roses’ - guarded by the imposing castle of Marksburg, which towers high above the mediaeval old town and its historic buildings and winding streets;
Then onto the confluence of the River Rhine and the River Lahn and the lovely, historic town of Lahnstein and the Lahneck Castle.
Past Schloss Stolzenfels, just a few kilometres from the centre of Koblenz, high above the left bank of the Rhine and one of the most remarkable achievements of Prussian Rhine Romanticism.
And finally onto lovely Koblenz, overlooked by the imposing citadel on the hill - Ehrenbreitstein.
Visiting Weingut Weingart in Spay
During our visit to Boppard we took time out to visit top winery, Weingut Weingart in the neighbouring village of Spay. We managed to find a local bus to take us the short journey, but we could have also taken a taxi.
Florian Weingart, aided by his wife Ulrike, produces some excellent Riesling and Pinot noir wines, following sustainable and organic practices, with grapes grown on vineyards on the steep slopes of Spay, Boppard and Bacharach on the Rhine.
Florian took over the business from his parents in 1996 and this small, family-run winery farms the only vineyard in Spay, surrounded by orchards, bushes and forests, along with vineyards in the Bopparder Hamm, including in the top Feuerlay, Ohlenberg and Engelstein locations.
A new state-of-the-art, round, underground winery has been built on the farm, ensuring consistent temperatures and providing a unique, environmentally-friendly space above where people are encouraged to visit, relax and enjoy the beautiful vineyards and landscapes along with a glass or two of Weingart wine! Weingut Weingart is open to visitors who wish to taste the wines or bring a picnic to enjoy in the lovely grounds and hikers are positively encouraged to make a stop at Weingut Weingart whilst enjoying a hike through the Bopparder Hamm vineyards.
Useful information for visiting the Mittelrhein
For lots of useful information about visiting this section of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley visit the official tourism website - ‘Romantischer Rhein’. Also, head over to our Mittelrhein website page for lots of information about hiking and cycling in the Mittelrhein, places to visit and following the famous William Turner route.
For more information about Mittelrhein wines, visit here.
Conclusion - our personal highlights
Koblenz to Boppard is a beautiful section of the Romantic Middle Rhine Valley and seeing it by boat was a real highlight! The Mittelrhein is one of the worlds’ most spectacular wine regions and we would really recommend taking time out to visit it properly, to enjoy the scenery, the historic wine towns and villages, the castles and of course the amazing wines!
