Rhineland-Palatinate

Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate)

Rhineland-Palatinate, the German Federal State furthest west in the country offers an extraordinarily rich and diversified vacation. It is the Rhine river which gives this region its special character. On its long way from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea the mighty river meanders along a distance of 300 kilometres through Rhineland-Palatinate. The climate in the Rhine valley is mild and sunny, ideal for the cultivation of wine. Two thirds of the German wine production comes from the six growing regions in Rhineland-Palatinate: Moselle-Saar-Ruwer, Middle Rhine, Ahr Valley, Nahe, Rheinhessen and Rheinpfalz. The German Wine Road links these regions and invites for delightful wine tastings. If you travel between August and October you will encouter many wine festivals run by the towns and villages. The region holds more than a thousand festivals in celebration of winegrowing, beer, local traditions and Carnival (the “fifth season”).

Rhineland-Palatinate is proud of its rich historical heritage. There are over 1,500 castles, castle ruins and palaces across the state, making tours of discovery especially exciting. There are also many fascinating historical towns and cities, some with a history going back more than 2,000 years. To mention just a few, these include Mainz, the state capital, Trier, with its formidable Roman ruins, Worms, a town with a splendid Romanesque cathedral, Koblenz, at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle, and the cathedral city of Speyer. There are high-class exhibitions on offer all year round at Rhineland-Palatinate’s highly regarded museums.

Rhineland-Palatinate offers spectacular scenery with romantic river valleys, crystal-clear lakes, endless forests, and famous wine-growing areas as well as numerous historical towns and villages. All this makes the state a prime vacation destination. The Unesco declared the region 2002 a World Heritage Site.

Highlights

Mainz
The state capital at the confluence of the Rhine and the Main rivers looks back to a 2000 year old history. The town was founded in 12 BC by the Romans and has a distinct Mediterranean air, a legacy of the Italian, French and Spanish troops who made up the Roman garrison in Mainz for close to 500 years. The skyline is dominated by the impressive St. Martins Cathedral. The university is named after Mainz’ most famous son – Johannes Gutenberg – who invented book printing in Germany. In the Gutenberg Museum copies of the oldest printed Bibles are conserved.

Worms
Worms is one of Germay’s oldest towns with a long and proud history, to which many old buildings and monuments still bear witness. Today Worms is a modern town on the Rhine in which you can enjoy the rich heritage of the Middle Ages and the great saga of the Nibelungen. There is a Nibelungen Museum and an annual Nibelungen Festival in August.

German Wine Road
The “Deutsche Weinstrasse” is one of the most famous touristic wine-routes in the world. It runs right through the heart of Palatinate, starting in Bockenheim and ending in Schweigen-Rechterbach, with many beautiful towns and villages on the way. This southwestern section of Germany, adjacent to France, enjoys 1800 hours of sunshine a year and has a Mediterranean flair. There are wine festivals from late summer to autumn. Expect lovely scenery, castles, wine and excellent cuisine and hospitality.

Romantic Middle Rhine Valley
Travelling south from Koblenz the river Rhine carves its way through the Rhenish slate mountains, creating some of the most dramatic landscape. You will encounter majestic castles on the hills, terraced vineyards on steep slopes and idyllic villages right at the river with lovingly restored half-timbered houses.

Koblenz
Koblenz, the gateway to the Middle Rhine lies on two world-famous rivers – the Rhine and the Moselle – and is surrounded by beautiful upland regions. Two thousand years of historical heritage are documented at the city’s numerous excellent museums.

Moselle Valley
For wine lovers all over the world the Moselle region is a true treasure. Only a few areas produce so many different wines whose flavours reflect the splendour of the region. The Moselle Valley offers wonderful countryside and charming villages with famous names such as Cochem, Traben-Trarbach or Bernkaste-Kues.