Tours → Rhine & Moselle
9 Days / 8 Nights · Private · Max 30 Guests
A thousand years of castles, rivers, and wine — Germany's most storied landscape.
River Castles Tour
From $4,699 per person
★★★★★ 4.9 · 272 Reviews on TripAdvisor
At a Glance
A 9-day all-inclusive private tour along the German rivers Rhine, Moselle, Neckar, and Main — featuring UNESCO World Heritage Rhine cruises, the never-destroyed Marksburg Castle, Burg Eltz, Heidelberg, medieval Rothenburg, and Wurzburg's baroque Residenz.
For hundreds of years the Rhine has ranked as one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe. This region, truly one of the most beautiful in Germany, was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002. This tour explores the castles and cultural treasures along four of Germany's great rivers.
Five nights at the Art Nouveau Bellevue Rheinhotel in Boppard — situated directly on the river, operational since 1877 with swimming pool, sauna, and fitness centre — provide a perfect base. A full-day Rhine cruise travels the most beautiful UNESCO stretch past Loreley Rock and medieval castles to Rudesheim, with lunch and shopping in the famous Drosselgasse and a cable car through vineyards to the Niederwald Monument. Dinner includes wine tasting at a typical Rheinkeller.
Marksburg, the 11th-century castle that was never destroyed, receives a guided interior tour. Koblenz at the confluence of Moselle and Rhine at Deutsches Eck leads to a cable car ride to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. The Moselle chapter brings the magnificent 12th-century Burg Eltz — one of Germany's most beautiful castles, surrounded by river on three sides — and idyllic Cochem. Trier, Germany's oldest city, delivers the UNESCO treasures of Porta Nigra, the Cathedral, and the oldest purely Gothic church in Germany.
The route south brings Heidelberg's famous red-walled castle with cogwheel train descent, a night on the Burgenstrasse Castle Road, and the tour closes with medieval Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Wurzburg's magnificent Residenz — a superb baroque palace and UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring Tiepolo's frescoes. Farewell dinner in Frankfurt.
Highlights
✦UNESCO Rhine cruise past Loreley Rock and medieval castles
✦Marksburg Castle — 11th century, never destroyed
✦12th-century Burg Eltz surrounded by river on three sides
✦Rudesheim Drosselgasse with cable car to Niederwald Monument
✦Trier — Germany's oldest city with Porta Nigra and Cathedral
✦Koblenz Deutsches Eck and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress cable car
✦Heidelberg Castle with cogwheel train descent
✦Medieval Rothenburg ob der Tauber
✦Wurzburg Residenz — baroque UNESCO palace with Tiepolo frescoes
✦Rheinfels Castle in St. Goar
✦Cologne Cathedral and pedestrian zone
✦Wine tasting at a typical Rheinkeller
Your Journey
The Rhine, the Moselle, the Neckar — Germany's great rivers have been trade routes, borders, and inspiration for a millennium. Their banks are lined with castles that once controlled commerce and defended kingdoms, and the towns between them preserve a way of life that predates industry. This tour follows the water through UNESCO-listed gorges, past Roman ruins, and into medieval towns where the best wine cellars are still underground.
Day 1 · Departure
Day 2
Rhine Cruise — Rüdesheim & Castles
The Rhine cruise through the UNESCO World Heritage gorge is the centerpiece: Loreley Rock, medieval castles on every promontory, vineyards dropping to the water's edge. Rüdesheim's Drosselgasse, a cable car above the vines, and dinner with wine tasting at a typical Rheinkeller.
Rüdesheim / Rhine
Bellevue Rheinhotel Boppard
Breakfast, Dinner
✦Rhine Cruise — UNESCO Section
✦Rüdesheim & Niederwald Monument
✦Rheinkeller Wine Tasting & Dinner
Day 3
Marksburg, Koblenz & Ehrenbreitstein
Marksburg Castle has survived since the eleventh century — never conquered, never destroyed, every room authentic. Koblenz stands at the dramatic meeting of Rhine and Moselle. The cable car to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress delivers views that make sense of the strategic geography. Dinner aboard the return boat.
Braubach / Koblenz
Bellevue Rheinhotel Boppard
Breakfast, Dinner
✦Marksburg Castle Tour
✦Koblenz & Deutsches Eck
✦Ehrenbreitstein Fortress by Cable Car
Day 4
Remagen & Cologne
The Peace Museum in Remagen preserves the remains of the bridge that changed the course of a war. Cologne's Gothic Cathedral dominates a city that knows how to balance ancient and modern — and its pedestrian zone is one of Germany's longest. An afternoon for exploring before returning to base.
Remagen / Cologne
Bellevue Rheinhotel Boppard
Breakfast, Dinner
~1.5h each way
✦Remagen Peace Museum
✦Cologne Cathedral & City
Day 5
Moselle River, Burg Eltz, Cochem & Trier
The Moselle River moves at its own pace. Burg Eltz materializes from the forest — twelfth century, surrounded by water on three sides, the interior a time capsule. Cochem provides a riverside lunch. Then Trier, Germany's oldest city: the Porta Nigra, the Cathedral, the Church of Our Dear Lady — three UNESCO sites in one walk.
Burg Eltz / Cochem / Trier
Bellevue Rheinhotel Boppard
Breakfast
✦Burg Eltz Interior Visit
✦Cochem — Moselle Promenade Lunch
✦Trier — Porta Nigra, Cathedral & Church
Day 6
Rheinfels, Heidelberg & Burgenstrasse
A farewell to Rheinfels Castle, then south to Heidelberg — red sandstone walls above the Neckar, the great wine vat inside, a cogwheel train into the university city. The castle and the city complement each other perfectly. An overnight in the Neckar valley along the Burgenstrasse.
St. Goar / Heidelberg
Hotel in Neckar Valley
Breakfast, Dinner
Boppard → Heidelberg: ~2h
✦Rheinfels Castle Farewell
✦Heidelberg Castle Tour
Day 7
Rothenburg, Romantic Road & Würzburg
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is medieval Germany at its finest — ramparts, towers, the Meistertrunk legend, and lanes that feel like the sixteenth century never ended. The Romantic Road continues to Würzburg, where the Residenz — a UNESCO baroque palace with Tiepolo's frescoes — provides a grand finale. Farewell dinner in Frankfurt.
Rothenburg / Würzburg
Hotel in Frankfurt
Breakfast, Dinner
Rothenburg → Würzburg: ~1h, Würzburg → Frankfurt: ~1.5h
✦Rothenburg Medieval Walk
✦Würzburg Residenz Tour
✦Farewell Dinner in Frankfurt
Day 8 · Return
A last breakfast, a transfer to Frankfurt Airport, and the realization that you've spent a week on rivers that have carried travelers for two thousand years. The castles are still standing. The wine is still flowing. The stories are yours now.
Frankfurt
Breakfast
✦Airport Transfer
What's Included
✓Door-to-door transportation throughout the tour
✓7 breakfast buffets
✓6 three-course dinners with menu choices, beverages, and coffee/tea
✓Wine tasting at Rheinkeller
✓7 nights accommodation (Bellevue Rheinhotel 5 nights, Neckar valley 1 night, Frankfurt 1 night)
✓All entrance fees, taxes, and local guide fees
✓Rhine cruises, cable car tickets, cogwheel train
✓Ferry crossings and boat rides
✓Inside visits at all castles (not drive-by tours)
✓Tour director services throughout
✓Airport transfers from/to Frankfurt Airport
✓Money-back satisfaction guarantee
✓Free cancellation up to 24h before departure
✗Air fare
✗Personal expenses
✗Lunches
✗Gratuities for driver and local guides
Love what you see? Tell us your preferred dates — we'll tailor every detail to your group.
Plan Your Journey →Our Promise
Money-Back Guarantee
Not satisfied? Full refund. We've been doing this since 2004 — it hasn't happened yet.
Flexible Booking
Change dates up to 30 days before departure. Life happens — we get it.
No Hidden Costs
The price you see includes everything. Entrance fees, transport, guide — no surprise extras.
Secure your dates with just $500 deposit per person.
Your Guide
Alessandro & Team
Born in Füssen at the foot of Neuschwanstein, Alessandro grew up with castle stories as bedtime tales. A historian by training and a storyteller by nature, he and his carefully selected team of local guides have accompanied thousands of guests through Central Europe's most remarkable places.
Per Person Pricing
2 Guests
$4,699
4 Guests
$3,999
6 Guests
$3,599
All-inclusive — accommodation, private transport, guides & entrance fees
Your Next Step
Make This the Trip You'll Talk About for Years
Tell us your preferred dates and group size. We'll craft a personalized itinerary — no payment required until you're completely satisfied.
Plan Your JourneyNo payment required. We'll design a draft itinerary — free of charge, no obligation.
Peak season (June–September) books out 4–6 months ahead.
Common Questions
Door-to-door transportation throughout the tour, 7 breakfast buffets, 6 three-course dinners with menu choices, beverages, and coffee/tea, Wine tasting at Rheinkeller, 7 nights accommodation (Bellevue Rheinhotel 5 nights, Neckar valley 1 night, Frankfurt 1 night), All entrance fees, taxes, and local guide fees, Rhine cruises, cable car tickets, cogwheel train, Ferry crossings and boat rides, Inside visits at all castles (not drive-by tours), Tour director services throughout, Airport transfers from/to Frankfurt Airport, Money-back satisfaction guarantee.
The River Castles Tour is a 7-day private tour. Including arrival and departure days, plan for 9 days total.
Starting from $4999 per person (based on 2 travelers). Group discounts available for 4+ and 6+ travelers. Secure your dates with a $500 deposit per person.
Further Reading
