Best order in which to see these Rhine attractions

You can drive or use trains (hence train notes) but I'd do it in this order.

• Train to Oberwesel or Bacharach (15 min./20 min.)

• Train to St. Goar for Rheinfels (5/10 min.)

• Ferry to St. Goarshausen, train (no later than 14:32 train) to Braubach (20 min.) for 4 pm tour.

• Train to Filsen (05 min.) and walk 10-20 min. to Boppard ferry crossing.

Do Oberwesel if you want a nice walk that explores the old town wall and towers, Bacharach if you just wish to see some nice buildings and hang out.

Thank you. That is exactly what we shall do. 😁

Russ

This is great information for us as well. Thank you

Can I please join the conversation and ask a couple of questions?

What town would you recommend staying in on the Rhein? We are overwhelmed with choices....we are looking for a quaint town, vineyards, wineries and of course nice stores.

I noticed there are some cable car rides along the Rhein. Is there one better than another?

@ idif...

Boppard, Oberwesel and Bacharach are probably the best options in your case. All are attractive wine towns on the same side of the river within easy driving distance of one another. Bacharach has the most quaint old-world buildings. If you decide to stay there, be cautious about locating yourselves near the railway (where several inns are located) as it is the source of a lot of unhappiness in Bacharach (the Blücherstrasse area is better isolated.) Noise problems usually turn up in hotel reviews.

Boppard is not at all large but it is the largest (most dining and lodging choices) and perhaps the best of those three for shops (though I'm the furthest thing from a shopping guru and none of these appears to be a shopping paradise to my eyes.) Boppard makes great use of its riverfront real estate, better than the other towns, and is home to a chairlift that deposits you near the best (IMHO) place to view the Rhine from the cliffsides - Gedeonseck terrace (a short easy walk from the top of the lift.) Also, a cruise from Bingen (best place to start) to Boppard takes you through the most scenic part of the river and can end in Boppard (that's convenient if you're staying there.) I'd consider Boppard first.

Of all the Rhine towns, Rüdesheim is the liveliest and "shoppingest" and worth a visit on other grounds too - but I'd rather not stay there - large tourist crowds and higher prices. To visit from Boppard, drive onto the Boppard ferry and head south along the east bank. (R'heim has a gondola ride.)

Here's a file of the wineries in the Rhine towns with links, many of which offer accommodations... Wine tasting sessions are often arranged for larger groups but not so available for individuals, so staying with a winemaker might make tasting and maybe a peek at operations more available.

http://www.mittelrhein-wein.com/winzer/adressliste.pdf

Boppard's main vine location is the Bopparder Hamm: https://www.boppard-tourismus.de/111-1-Bopparder-Hamm.html

Russ, This is wonderful information and just what we needed! Thank you so much for taking the time to help us plan our first trip to Germany. We are planning to stay in Cochem for two days on the Mosel. Would you recommend that as a good spot? It seems like there are some neat places to stay a bit outside of town. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Then, we are headed to Alsace for three days and plan to stay in Colmar.

There are neat places to stay everywhere along the Mosel.

In Cochem, to stay with a vintner, consider Weingut Haxel...

http://haxel.de/?lang=en
http://haxel.de/?page_id=31&lang=en
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g198637-d618157-Reviews-Weingut_Winzerhof_Haxel-Cochem_Rhineland_Palatinate.html

...or Weingut Rademacher...

http://www.weingut-rademacher.de/en/
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g198637-d1017725-Reviews-Weingut_Rademacher-Cochem_Rhineland_Palatinate.html

(I am a wine novice who likes every wine he tries, pretty much. I haven't stayed in these places or tried their wines - not that my wine review would matter one little bit - so read over the reviews as the aren't personal rec's.)

Cochem has a great selection of eateries and is a lovely town to wander through. The charming old-town center, the castle, the chairlift, and the river cruises there (1 hour to Beilstein for example) make it a terrific spot. I like staying in/near the old town myself.

Again thank you so much Russ - we also, looked at Hotel Haus Lipmann in Beilstein and Hotel Villa Vinum as possiblities - are you familiar with either of these hotels? Would it be better to stay in old town Cochem rather than outside the town? Thank you Laurie