Boat Ride on the Rhine: Experience Germany's Magical Loreley Valley

They say that Germany is its most German here. Although they, whoever "they" are, may then find it difficult explaining to you just what it is they actually mean by that. Don't wait for a proper explanation. You can quickly get a feeling of what it could mean by simply enjoying a breathtaking boat ride through the middle Rhine Valley.

I recommend taking the entire, relatively short 65 kilometer stretch between Bingen (Rüdesheim) and Koblenz. It is here that you will find the highest density of ancient castle ruins of anywhere in this part of Europe, 27 structures in all, and all of them are proudly enthroned upon the Rhine's majestic banks. This favorite stretch along Germany's Schicksalsfluss (the river of its fate) is steeped in German Romantic mythology. And the most favorite myth among them is that of The Loreley.

Heinrich Heine, one of Germany's great Romantics, popularized the story with a famous poem in 1824 (although the original idea probably was an invention of the author Clemens Brentano). And the story of The Loreley has now become as much a part of the Rhine-valley as is its famous wine.

As the story goes… Once upon a time, there, below The Rock of The Loreley near the small town of St. Goarshausen, many a river traveler met a violent and untimely end. 132 meters higher above sat a beautiful, singing woman combing her long, golden hair. The power of her voice and music was so magical and overpowering that the sailors passing below threw all caution to the wind just to get a glimpse of her. This sealed their fates, of course - and some would say that this is where the term Schicksalsfluss may actually have come from.

But she hasn't been spotted recently, The Loreley. Part of reason may be some of the loud music you can occasionally hear echoing through the valley. The Loreley has also become a popular venue for rock concerts in the Rhineland. Or perhaps she was frightened away by all of the marking signs you'll be seeing along the river. You will continually notice large black and white kilometer marking signs as you float along. These help tourists orient themselves during their sightseeing tours - and have also helped make the Rhein a safer river for professional boats men to navigate.

Other must-sees along this beautiful stretch are the Rheinfels Castle, the Burg Katz and the Burg Maus.

The Rheinfels Castle, marker 557 by the way, is the largest ruin you will discover on your journeys along the Rhine. Constructed in 1245, it was once one of the most important points of defense in this area. It has long since ceased withstanding its attackers but has remained one of the most beautiful sights along the Rhine.

The Burg Katz (marker 556), seemingly constructed for an opulent Hollywood film, is set like a jewel in the crown of the verdant hillside overlooking St Goarshausen. A certain Count Johann von Katzenelbogem (Katz) had his castle built here at the end of the 14th century. It was destroyed at the beginning of the 19th Century but later fully restored. The scenic path leading up to the castle is worth the walk and the view to The Loreley from above is one of the most famous along the Rhine.

The Burg Maus (also marker 556) near Wellmich, the rival castle to Burg Katz so-to-speak, also offers you a fantastic view up both directions of the Rhine. It too, was a fort and this kind of visibility allowed its defenders to control the flow of traffic and even to levy taxes on the boats coming up and down the river. The Burg Maus got its name from an irate Count von Katzenelbogen of Burg Katz fame whose "cat" would someday devour that awful "mouse" further downstream. It was once one of the most finely-fortified buildings along the Rhine and, like Burg Katz, was also fully restored - only this time the restoration took place in the early twentieth century.

And there is, of course, a lot more to see when traveling through the Loreley Valley then this handful of scenic spots. But there's no hurry and you've got plenty of time to find your way around (don't you?). You could spend a good week here exploring the hillsides and neighboring villages - and that's precisely what you should do.

This place is romantic in a very real sense. And it offers a little bit of everything for the Romantic in all of us.