We spent too short a time in this beautiful part of Germany and what they call the Middle Rhine where we stopped for two nights.
Bed and breakfast
At the discretion of and research by Roydio we stayed in the hills of Bad Ems at a highly rated Bed and Breakfast called Hotel Wintersberg. What a gorgeous view!
Where in the World is Louise? The Rhine :: Hotel Wintersberg view
Strategically located at the end of a windy road at the very top of a hill overlooking Bad Ems we arrived at this beautiful and peaceful place, a contrast to the other places we have visited in Europe so far.
Apparently this hotel has been in the same family for five generations. Located in a beautiful setting of trees and nature what a wonderful way to relax. Next to the lovely patio out back is a Roman watchtower that is actually a UNESCO World Heritage site. So special!
Wine tasting
The next day we set out to find a wine tasting room and vineyards in the Koblenz area so that Roydio could try out some of his favorite :: Riesling wine.
Our GPS led us to the middle of a residential area which confused us. Tempted to just find another I insisted on knocking at the closed door of the Weingut Matthias Muller building to see if I could get more information. And I’m so glad I did!
Luckily for us the owner, Frau Muller, was still at the shop and opened the door for me. She explained that the wine tasting rooms in Germany are located apart from the vineyards and showed us on a map where we could find their vineyards.Â
But considering we had traveled so far even though it was after hours she was kind enough to do a private wine tasting for Roydio. And we walked away with a case full of wonderful German wines which made him a very happy camper.
As we got underway we passed the vineyards along the hillsides. What a beautiful sight.
Rheinanlagen Parks
At the end of our drive along the vineyards which ran along the Rhine River we came to a spot that was so picturesque that I had to pull over and get my camera out.
Where in the World is Louise? Middle Rhine :: Rheinanlagen Parks
The flowers, foliage and greenery in this stretch of parks were stunning. There appeared to be some very old castle-looking buildings and tunnels as well as beautiful gardens that compelled me to do some exploring.
When I read about this place I found out that it is called Rheinanlagen parks that stretch 3.5 km and one that the wife of Kaiser Wilhelm I commissioned a Prussian landscape architect to design between the years 1856 and 1861. An addition to this park was constructed in 1902 which gave rise to a magnificent river boulevard lined with lots of wonderful sights through which to take a stroll.
One of my favorite strips of land on this trip for sure.
Boppard
Purely by accident we found Boppard, a cute little town on the river!
Boppard we learned was one of the most important settlements on the middle Rhine and one of the best preserved fortifications in Germany. It used to be walled, the gate and portion of which remains on Bingergasse. Seriously another adorable medieval town. And apparently it’s a favorite stop for several river cruises. What a wonderful surprise to find this town.
The waterfront is lined with beautiful flowers and timber-framed houses with elaborately carved frontages. And the main square or Market Place is the town’s focal point in the center of which is a modern fountain and dominated by the striking twin towers of St. Severus Church.
St. Severus Church
The Roman Catholic St. Severus Church occupies one side of the Market Place and is one of the largest and most important churches in the Middle Rhine, dominating the town. It is built on the site of where the original Roman baths used to be.
The present building dates back to the 13th century and is a great example of late Romanesque architecture. The walls are whitewashed and the arches and ceiling ribs are all painted. And you can’t help but notice the 13th century triumphal crucifix where Christ is crowned as a King rather than the more common depiction of him on the cross.
Its five church bells ring throughout the town every day at 10am and 12 noon.
Cafe Baldeau
When we arrived in the main part of town we got out and strolled along the street.
We stopped at one restaurant Cafe Baldeau…
…where the owner, Bert Baldeau, walked out and greeted us and invited us in for lunch. His smile and friendliness drew us in and we indeed had a bit of lunch there. He sat with us as we waited for our meal and gave us a little history on this cute little town of Boppard along the Rhine.
Sauerlingsturm
The Sauerlingsturm tower although not in its original location is a part of the town’s medieval fortifications. It was dismantled between 1906 and 1908 to make way for another railway line and then reassembled a little north of where it originally stood.
Continuing our journey…
From Boppard we returned to our Bed and Breakfast for the evening.
After a pretty amazing breakfast in the morning we continued our northbound journey through Germany.
We stopped in Cologne where my cousin Robby and his wife Elke live, about a 2.5-hourdrive, and where they have a successful travel magazine called ReisenExclusive. We met them at their office. It was so good to see them!
After a tour of their office we set out to cross the Rhine on the ferry to the other side.
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral or the “Dom” is incredibly the most visited tourist attraction in all of Germany. And I can certainly see why.
Building on this impressive Gothic structure started in 1248 and houses the remains and shrine of the Three Wise Men as well as outstanding stained-glass windows and many other important works of art which deemed the Cathedral of Cologne a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
It is also the second tallest structure in Cologne, second only to the telecommunications tower.
It holds more than 20,000 people and has almost 8,000 square meters of floor space.
We spent some significant time inside admiring all the facets of its beauty and then lit a candle as is the tradition in the catholic church when praying for someone.
Cafe Reichard
After our stroll from the cathedral across the square we came to the famous Cafe Reichard, a family-owned institution since the 19th century and prime location in front of the Dom. It is a large venue with several indoor rooms and plenty of outdoor seating in nice weather which for us thankfully it was.
The cases are filled with rows and rows of cakes, pies, macarons, truffles, pralines, chocolates… OMG they really have every beautifully baked item you can possibly think of.
We took this time to enjoy a light lunch from the salad bar, a tasty cake and coffee. Cafe Reichard is impressively service oriented. My order for a pot of tea was taken as soon as I was seated and service at the luncheon buffet was friendly and efficient. I would highly recommend a stop at Cafe Reichard after visiting the Cologne Cathedral and the many attractions in this central neighborhood.
And it has the best and most amazing view of almost any other restaurant I’ve ever been to. Click here for more information about Cafe Reichard.
Read More ::
Hamburg :: An Unplanned Visit Full of Fun Facts
7 Things That Surprised Me About Vienna
10 Absolutely Incredible Sites in Prague
Budapest in 2 Days :: My Itinerary
Germany as so much to offer and I was so blessed to be able to experience this part of the Middle Rhine and to visit family north of there on our way back to The Netherlands. One day we will have to go back and see much, much more!
