3 days before going to Essen

I like Rick Steves' books and have been using them almost 30 years but the books are limited in that he does not really cover the areas he is not interested in. So I look to other guidebooks for that.

I think the Rough Guides are great - they have a Germany book that covers the Rhine in much more detail than Rick's book. It's from 2018 but the sights will not have changed much. You can always check it out from the library, which is what I do, until I've narrowed down what book(s) I want to take with me. They also have some good information on that area on their website: https://www.roughguides.com/germany/rhineland-palatinate-and-saarland/

Another good option is Lonely Planet's Germany guide - it covers the Rhine area (including Mainz) in detail and has lots of information. I also got this book from the library and have been using with extensively (with the RG and RS) to plan my upcoming trip (coupled with advice from here, of course). 😊 I have not been to this area of Germany (which is why I can't help you with specific info) so I am using as many sources as possible.

Thank you for your book suggestions, Mardee! I will look into those books. I know there’s only so much any one book can cover. I’ve been looking on the Mainz website as well. I should do that for the other cities as well. I’m hoping I will also find some artists/galleries/shops or tours as I dig. Not much going on in March, though, that’s a consideration I can’t change.

If you look at the KD website, it says that the winter cruises run through the beginning of April. That being said, they haven't updated their website so this was from last year, but I would imagine that they would follow the same schedule. https://www.k-d.com/en/cruises/kd-winter-timetable-middle-rhine

And here you can find information about cruising from Mainz - if you scroll down, there are several phone numbers and an email that you might try to get more information. https://www.k-d.com/en/landing-stages/mainz And if you don't get a response, possibly try emailing the Mainz tourist info center - I'm sure they will have information on the river cruises.

Thanks for posting the links, your kindness is appreciated! I must have missed the ending date on the winter schedule. I don't see Mainz on the winter schedule, but I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to take the train to one of the towns listed. That would be awfully nice to take one of the castle cruises, even in March.

I almost didn't look at your post as it only mentioned Essen.

No, Rick doesn't cover Mainz, which in fact is a good destination or a good stopover on the way to somewhere else. It's a 25-minute direct train ride from FRA. to I spent an enjoyable year there decades ago, and it has gotten better with every return trip.

A one-day walk around Mainz (penned by one of Tripadvisor's better-respected contributors who lives in Mainz.)
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187393-c218446/Mainz:Germany:Walk.Mainz.In.One.Day.html

IMHO Mainz makes for a very weak boarding town for a river cruise - the scenery is rather dull until you reach Bingen, so just catch a train to Bingen if you're brave enough for a winter-time cruise

For pedestrians, Mainz is a great place - you can explore most of the town without crossing major traffic thoroughfares thanks to the elaborate tangle of pedestrianized streets. The pink streets on this map are all for pedestrians only:

https://www.orangesmile.com/common/img_city_maps/mainz-map-2.jpg

Middle Rhine Valley: I do not think you'll find a whole lot going on in the Rhine towns between Mainz and Koblenz. But from Mainz it's easy enough to take a train to one or two towns for a look around. There are many train options from Mainz into the Middle Rhine Valley, some faster some slower, some direct and others with connections. But whatever train you take, it will be a lot WARMER than any cruise boat in March!

Just one hour on the regional express (fastest local train) gets you to Koblenz via Germany's most scenic railway, stopping at Bingen, Bacharach, Oberwesel and Boppard beforehand; departures on sample date 3/21 leave Mainz at 7:32, 9:51, 11:51. So you could have a hop-off hop-on trip by boarding either the first train or the second, stop over in the town of your choice, then catch the next RE train a couple of hours later to Koblenz. Personally, I think Bacharach will give you the best short-stopover experience - the streets are nice and flat there, and Bacharach has the finest old-world buildings on the river, I think.

This train ride to Koblenz provides great views from the west riverbank. In Koblenz, you can return south and continue your outing along the EAST riverbank, which provides a different view of things, naturally. In March, I would recommend a stop in Rüdesheim (1 hour from Koblenz) if you have the time. You might have an afternoon meal there - lots of restaurant choices in that town. After your R'heim visit, you'd catch a train back to Mainz via Wiesbaden (1 change of train, 55 minutes.)

This train outing will cost only €31/couple if you buy the Rheinland-Pfalz ticket at Mainz station. That's the ticket machine price - it's €2 more from a counter person. It's a day pass that permits travel throughout the state of Rheinland-Pfalz.

One more comment... while it's true that when you go to Essen, you'll travel the same scenic rail segment, you will likely be taking a high-speed train (like ICE) - these trains typically rush directly between Mainz and Koblenz without stopping, which rushes the window views as well and of course means no strolling of Bacharach's streets. Not that you'd want to be carrying your bags with you on this stroll... none of the small Rhine towns have station lockers for stowing your bags until you get to Koblenz.

Honestly, I don't think Rick ever has been to Mainz or he wouldn't post such comments in his book - Don't bother with Mainz.

Historically, the city had a large Roman fort, with 1000s of Roman soldiers and there are Roman artifacts all over the city. Visit the Isis Temple ruins that they found while building a shopping mall. There is also the Roman Kaserne, by Mainz Kastell. The Roman Amphitheater next to the train station - Römisches Theater, would have been the largest amphitheater outside of Italy.
Mainz is one of the SCHUM cities along with Speyer and Worms and had a very large Jewish community going back to the year 1000 at least. The new Mainz Synagogue is a very unique building and even if you cannot go inside, the exterior is stunning.
Next item?
The Mainz Cathedral. Building started in the late 900s and the archbishop of Mainz was one of the most powerful Electors for the Holy Roman Emperor and his territory stretched over much of Germany. The church is beautiful and well worth a visit. Mainz, Speyer, and Worms all built their cathedrals around the same time and they look quite similar, but the interior in Mainz is the most richly decorated.
There are some other beautiful churches in Mainz too if you have the time to go see them. Do go to St. Stephens which has the Chagall windows. Walking inside this church on a sunny day is like diving into an aquarium as you are surrounded by 100 shades of blue.

The Guttenburg museum is fascinating. The Landesmuseum and the Antique Shipbuilding museum are good ones too.
Though not the best starting point for the day trips run by KD, I would not ever call the scenery along the Rhein, dull.

Oh, Ms. Jo, Your description of the Chagall windows is so very evocative! Sounds amazing! When I read descriptions of the different towns without many pictures, it all starts to run together. There are so many cathedrals (each, no doubt, a masterpiece, but still…) I appreciate the clarification and boost for Mainz. Glad to hear a more positive description for the Gutenberg museum.

Russ, thanks so much for chiming in. The links you included were really interesting and appropriate! Lots of choices for several good outings. I didn’t really digest the need to be careful which train we took out of Mainz, and the ticket choices, along with multiple destinations, were beginning to make my head swim. You are absolutely right that I could have titled the thread more specifically about Mainz. I was considering all of the cities along the way, including Koblenz and Cologne, so I was thinking of it as “on the way to Essen”. I thought a winter cruise might be tolerable because of the covered portion of the ship. The view looks good that way, too, but you can only do so much in one day.

By the way, both of you, and others, I really admired all the specifics and suggestions you gave to the woman who was taking her mother and daughter to Munich and other places. It’s a great example of just how helpful and caring this forum can be.