I'll be travelling from Paris in late April. Would like to find the base for river cruise, Marksburg and Burz-Elz Castle, then heading to Munich. Appreciate all suggestions of where I could spend 2 nights as a base. Thank you very much.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
I spent five nights in Boppard a few years ago. It was nice. However, my focus was on the entire Rhine from Koblenz and Braubach to Bacharach and St. Goar. From Boppard, you are on the wrong side of the river for the Marksburg (Braubach). Perhaps you should consider staying in Braubach (www.braubach.de).
Posted by
Newport Beach, CA, USA
769 posts
Try the smaller towns - as they may be more affordable than the bigger city. If youre pressed for time - then closer is better (but the trains all run frequently!). You will love the tour - its a great castle. Combined with Eltz and StGoar you get a great idea of what it was like there early to late middelages - up to 17-1800s!
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
Hello Natalie. I think Boppard is a more pleasant place to be at for overnight accomodation. Train transportation to the places that you want to go to is quick. To go from Boppard to Marksburg castle (Braubach) you would change trains at Koblenz. The trains going from Boppard to Koblenz on Saturday mornings can be very crowded. (I had to stand in the train most of the way to Koblenz from St. Goar). For your visit to Burg Eltz castle, if you do not want to walk more than three miles each direction, ask a question about that. For a boat ride on the Rhine, I recommend ride on a big boat from Bingen to St. Goar. For transportation between Koblenz and Braubach (Marksburg) ride in either a train or bus.
When I was there, there were no busses on Sundays. Travelers going to both Marksburg and Burg Eltz need to be at that area for more than two nights. I recommend one day for Marksburg, one day for the boat ride, and one day for Burg Eltz. (See my next posting here)...
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
...I guess it is possible to go on a boat ride on the Rhine River and visit Marksburg castle in the same day. Sleep at Bacharach, early in the morning ride on a boat from Bacharach to St. Goar, ride in trains from St. Goar to Braubach (Marksburg)(change trains at Koblenz). A ticket for the Marksburg tour has a time on it (the time your tour begins). Is it possible to reserve your ticket in advance ? (before the day you go there). In Marksburg I think being in a tour group with a guide talking in the English language is not necessary. I think the book "Rick Steves' Germany and Austria" has a map of the floors in Marksburg castle. And ask for an English language map of the castle (free) at the ticket office.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
From the official website of The Marksburg, www.marksburg.de, "The castle only can be visited in the course of a guided tour taking about 50 minutes."
If you spend the night in Boppard, you can take the ship from there to Braubach for the tour.