Castle Ruins- Rheinfels or Ehrenberg?

Nicole, I'm not sure why you must choose, but let me see if I can help. I would say Rheinfels. There is a lot to see. One of the best memories of our last trip is my husband and son making their way through the underground passages with small flashlights (using Ricks directions). One of the coolest things for me was going through one of the upper / outer buildings and climbing up a spiral staircase in almost total darkness. We had the place to ourselves and I could imagine what it must have been like hundreds of years previous. Rheinfels is easy to get to also.

Ehrenberg is also very cool. It is quite a hike to the first set of ruins, but it's worth it. It is a lot smaller and more rundown than Rheinfels, but it's fun to climb into the old window ledges, check out the amazing view and think of what it must have been like to defend it. It's a little more out of the way / off the beaten path.

I have to say I really enjoyed both! Good luck deciding!!

I would go with Rheinfels. It's a more "complete" castle ruin with lots of dark spaces, rooms to explore, stairs to climb and views of the Rhine.

Ehrenberg is a steep climb and is more of a total ruin. What's left only hints at what it once was.

I liked both and am glad I've seen both but Rheinfels will be better if you have to pick one. Make sure to bring a small flashlight.

Okay, I am going to figure out a way to see Rheinfels- how much time should I plan for the stop? I know my guys will want to do the tunnel thing... so I will definitely take the advice of both of you and bring flashlights!

I just looked at the times on the pictures I took at Rheinfels, and I was surprised at how little time I spent there. I took the little trolley from town up to the castle and arrived, as I remember, a little after 10:30 I remember the driver going around and telling everyone that he would return at "halb zwölf" (11:30) and wondering if I could see everything in less than one hour. I took my first picture at 10:48, after entering the castle. I took my last picture at 12:04 of an unusual (for me) bird as I was waiting in the parking lot for the trolly to return. So I spent an hour and a half, maybe a little less. I could have spent a little more time in the museum at the far riverside end of the castle, but I think I managed to see about everything. Your kids might want a little more time; two hours should be enough. Remember, it will take a few minutes from town to the castle and back.

Nicole, Unlike Lee I don't have evidence of how long we spent there, but I would guess it was something like 2 hours. Don't forget to take the section of the guidebook on Rheinfels. It was really helpful, and I don't think you could figure out the underground stuff without it.

Rheinfels was one of the best experiences for castle-goers. The flashlight is a must for underground. We used candles and it was a bit tricky. If you make a wrong turn there is not enough room to turn around so you must back out. The flash lights will make it very easy to see what ways not to go. Not recommended if you are not good in tight spaces. The entire underground walk you will be in a "baseball catchers crouch" the whole time. Dont forget the directions from Rick. The underground is not marked, if it was we did not see it. Some very interesting rooms in the castle. Enjoy!!

We went with self, spouse, 16 and 12 yr old boys and 8 yr old girl. We went in October, it was cold and foggy in the morning - cool and clear later. We arrived about 5-10 minutes before it opened. Ourselves and two other couples in line. It was nice to have the castle pretty much to ourselves early. We explored for the entire morning, checked out the gift shop and museum, then went for a late lunch. The kids loved it. It was definitely one of the highlights of their trip.

We stayed in nearby Burg Stahleck. A castle turned into a hostel. It's very clean, quiet and well run. They gave us a nice room with a great view. Although it was bunk beds, we had our own room and bathroom. I would highly recommend it. It's always full so reservations are needed.