ATTRACTIONS TO VISIT
A popular cruise stop on the Rhine River, in the Rhine Gorge, is the picturesque town of Rüdesheim am Rhein, which was part of our European cruise itinerary. This gorgeous little town resembles a fairytale land and was one of my favourite small towns of Germany. The town’s historic character with medieval towers, half-timbered houses, and bustling cobblestoned streets make it a charming place to visit and spend a day.
The area is famous for wineries, with vineyards a huge feature of the landscape here, on the hill slopes along the Rhine, which are popular for its riesling wine production.
Here I’ll detail the attractions I enjoyed visiting in this enchanting town located in the State of Hesse.
Old Town Streets
The old town is famous for its delightful cobblestoned streets and alleys, filled with interesting shops, cute cafes, and cosy taverns, making it one of the most charming towns of Germany.
I wandered around the beautiful streets with colourfully painted buildings, vine covered alleys, pretty planter boxes and decorative iron signs, which give it a truly romantic feel. Exploring the old town is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours, taking it all in.
Drosselgasse street is the most iconic place to go for a vibrant atmosphere, historical inns and regional specialities, but all of the streets are filled with charm.
Medieval Half-Timbered Houses
The most characteristic feature of the old town are the traditional half-timbered houses, dating hundreds of years, many from medieval times, which have been well-preserved.
Many of the old towns throughout Germany are renowned for this style architecture. I have enjoyed exploring half-timbered houses in the towns of Miltenberg, Bamberg, Wertheim and Nuremberg as well.
Mini Train Ride
We took a ride on the Winzerexpress, a cute blue and white mini train for sightseeing. We jumped on at the riverbank and were wizzed around town. Even though the town is small enough to walk, the train also takes people to wineries on the outskirts of town.
Taverns and Beer Gardens
For a small town, there are certainly plenty of places to choose from for a relaxing meal, drinks and music, with bars and beer gardens everywhere. Sample the local produce and German hospitality in traditional establishments.
Note: Many locations only take cash!
Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments
Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet is a very unique museum showcasing hundreds of vintage mechanical musical instruments.
It’s another world, full of eccentric music boxes, hand-cranked carnival machines, self-playing instruments, and vintage jukeboxes, with musical demonstrations of the various contraptions. The place is a little quirky and a bit bizarre, to be honest.
In the vast collection of music paraphernalia we saw violins playing on their own, monkeys playing lutes, gramophones, barrel organs, and huge orchestrions which imitate a full orchestra of musicians, all of which play music from by-gone eras. The most interesting piece of equipment was the Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina, a complex self-playing instrument from 1910, which combines a piano and 6 violins housed inside a tall wooden cabinet.
These mechanical music cabinets were popular in dance halls and homes of the elite, as far back as the 1800’s, before electricity, and were like the first boom boxes. They were very expensive and were the only way to enjoy music, other than live musicians.
In my opinion the tour was weird and wonderful at the same time. I have definitely never seen anything like this before.
You can only visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet museum on a tour.
Knight’s Manor
The curious museum is housed inside a historic knight’s manor from the 15th century called Brömserhof. I found the medieval building to be a highlight and was mesmerised walking through an authentic noble’s residence.
Rooms had vaulted ceilings, decorated with alfresco paintings from mid-1500’s, and there was an old chapel in the premises. The manor is one of the most impressive buildings in town.
Cable Car Ride
The Rüdesheim cable car offers a scenic ride over the beautiful vineyards, up to the Niederwalddenkmal monument on the hill, perched high above the town. The cable car ride is a slow and pleasant trip of about 15 minutes and the views are spectacular, one of the highlights of the visit. You can see the towns across the river called Bingen and Kempten.
The cable car station is located in the town itself at Oberstraße 37 and functions every day.
Niederwald Monument
The huge Niederwald Monument is located on top of the hill and is of great significance, commemorating the foundation of the German empire, built in the 1870’s. A very elaborate and impressive size, at 38 metres high and topped by the lady warrior, Germania, the landmark is unmissable and a popular tourist attraction in the region.
The Niederwald Monument backs onto the Niederwald Park where the forest provides a lovely walk through nature.
The view from the whole park and monument is absolutely stunning and worth venturing up here, either by walking up the hill or by cable car.
Castles
A fortification tower called Adlerturm (also known as Eagle Tower) is an old medieval structure, which stands at the town cruise dock to greet people.
The Boosenburg castle (also called Oberburg) on the Rhine riverbank stands out on the landscape with a 38 metre tall Romanesque keep, the tallest building in town. Surrounded by vineyards and a villa, it was built in the 12th century for a lord, and since then it has been owned by various noble families.
The castle is one of the many medieval castles in the Rhine Valley area. Others nearby include Ehrenfels Castle and Brömser Castle.
Useful Links For Visiting Rüdesheim
- Get the German Rail Pass here.
- Book a rental car here.
- Check out cruises in the Rhine Valley here.
- Browse Hotel accommodation here.
Wine Tours
There are many wine tours and samplings to be enjoyed if you so desire, at various wineries:
Events
Cultural events are held for locals and visitors, such as festivals:
- Rüdesheim Wine Festival – August
- Magic MotorBike Rüdesheim – June
- Rhine in Flames – March
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