My trip to Germany involved getting from place to place by train. One time I went from Frankfurt to Cologne, and then to Koblenz. It was a pleasant walk from the train station to the Rhine River for a boat ride. I was really looking forward to seeing lots of castles. What I didn’t expect were some of the other sights, such as terraced hillsides and small, quaint towns along the river.
I admired the castles as the boat meandered down the river. I could forget that although the castles are charming to look at, they were mainly used for defensive purposes.
The boat was a nice place to relax and enjoy the views of the river. I tended to stay on the upper deck so I could take pictures as we went along. Every time I’d think to myself, “I have more than enough photos of castles,” we would go around another bend and there would be a castle that was even more imposing than the ones I’d already seen (and photographed)!
One of the most comfortable features of the boat was that you could get things to eat and drink at a food counter, then sit at a table and enjoy the view. One other unexpected thing was that music by the Carpenters was playing in the background! It was a good choice, blending in well with the beautiful scenery passing by.
Several hours later, the boat stopped in Bingen, where there was a train to Mainz, followed by another one to Frankfurt. The train connections were so smooth, I was back in Frankfurt faster than I would have expected. But now as I look through my pictures, I know that I really was on a leisurely boat ride admiring castles on the Rhine River.
Meg Travels 
I don’t think people realize how many beautiful castles are in the region of the Rhine and Mosel. It is a beautiful part of Germany.
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I agree with you! I took this boat ride on a crisp fall day with perfect weather. The castles were very beautiful…
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Thanks for sharing this. My family is from a village along the Rhine and I miss the Fatherland. Many of the castles are B&Bs and have wonderful restaurants. I love dining in them. I have such wonderful memories of the Rhineland.
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I can imagine that you miss being there! I thought viewing the region by boat was wonderful, and I’d like to visit the villages and castles. Thank you for sharing your memories, too!
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Doing the Danube in September. You’re getting me all lathered up!
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Seeing the countryside by boat is such a unique experience. Your trip on the Danube should really be fantastic!
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What a magical looking place, Meg! :)
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That’s a good word to describe it. The scenery was enchanting!
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I would love to tour those castles. On the photo 3rd from the bottom, were those vineyards? I was rather surprised to see the rows running vertically instead of horizon… I would think that erosion would be an issue… just sort of curious as to what that crop was.
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Good question- they were vineyards, and some of them were on extremely steep hills. They seemed to be well maintained, though!
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A boat trip down the Rhine sounds very pleasant and relaxing. You get such a different view of things from a river, and with all those castles there seems to be a lot to keep you interested. I would also take far too many pictures of them.
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You’re right! Seeing the castles from the river is really majestic, and because the boat moves slowly, there’s plenty of time to take pictures (as I found out)… :)
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I love train travel – I think it’s a great way to get around. Your trip on the boat down the river sounds excellent. There are so many different types of castles my favourite is the white one (second last image) at the river’s edge.
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I really like train travel, too! And that reminded me that as my train approached Koblenz, there were wonderful glimpses of the Rhine. It was a perfect preview to the boat ride!
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Hi,
I love castles, whenever I see a photo of an castle I wonder what it is like, and I just want to go and explore, and walk around inside, and check out every corner of it. :D
Very nice photos, looks like a lovely boat ride to take, beautiful scenery.
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That’s the way I feel about castles, too! The boat ride was like a dream come true… :)
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Seeing all of those castles along the Rhine is a really amazing experience, did you enjoy a glass or two of the local wine while you were admiring the scenery? Lovely photos :-)
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It was simply an unforgettable experience. But I was so focused on the scenery that I only stopped taking pictures long enough for a sandwich!
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My husband & I are doing a Danube River Cruise in September and I can’t wait. Something I have wanted to do for a long time. Hope we enjoy it as much as you did. The pictures are amazing!
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That should be a beautiful trip for you! It’s fascinating to see towns and castles from the water. And thank you :)
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Amazing photos. I had no idea there were so many castles in such close proximity.
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Thanks! I’d never seen so many castles at one time. But since the boat moved at a moderate pace, there was enough time to admire all of them!
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As I looked out the window of the train I was riding to Frankfurt from Holland I noticed a few castles. Oh little did I know what I was missing. Thank you for the beautiful post.
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You’re welcome :) And although you can see some Rhine river scenes from the train, seeing the castles from the water is really breathtaking!
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It’s interesting that all the castles look so different! Great post and beautiful photos!
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Thanks! The castles were all very different, weren’t they?
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Those castles really amazing. Thanks for sharing.
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You’re welcome! And the castles were even more beautiful in person… :)
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Wow, I’ve seen the travel shows on tv about that area but your pictures are magnificent compared to an arial view you get from the travel logs-thanks for sharing-it is breathtaking and must have been a true adventure
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Thank you Sharon! It was definitely an adventure to remember. I tried (somewhat successfully) to balance taking pictures with putting the camera away and just taking in the view… :)
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What an interesting mode of travel, Meg. I love all the castles. Thanks for the reminder that they were primarily bastions of defense. Of course I knew that, but I had practically forgotten that…I just stand in awe of the architecture and admire the fact that they’ve survived time and wars and the elements! Great photos, and I’m sure, an amazing time of travel! Debra
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Hi Debra! You’re right about their history, and they’re still here after all this time. And now we can admire them for their beauty!
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I never get fed up of looking at castles, I could look at your pictures all day. :-)
Thanks.
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You’re welcome :) Castles are really fascinating places and each one is so different!
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Your photos are gorgeous. I love Rhine and Mosel and we have been driving alongside them few times. Your lovely photos brought memories to my mind. Thank You.
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Thank you. It’s such a beautiful region, I think that it’s unforgettable whether you saw it by land or water!
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WOW! Your photos took me away. My imagination is running wild! Thanks!
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Thank you! Even for me, these pictures have become almost dreamlike… :)
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Thank you, for these wonderful photos. I wonder how warm it is in those castles? :)
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That’s a great question! They could be really chilly… And I’m glad you liked the pictures :)
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What a lovely landscape!
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I think so, too- it was both beautiful and unique!
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You are one major traveler. I love these castle photos and can close my eyes and imagine crossing a moat on a misty morning. Lovely.
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Thank you Teresa! And I really like your description of the castle scene. It sounds like the start of an exciting adventure… :)
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Your photos are amazing. Thank you for visiting my blog. Hope you come again.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
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Thank you! And I really enjoy visiting your blog… :)
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Beautiful sights, train rides through the countryside are wonderful!
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I really enjoyed the trains in Germany. And they provided such beautiful views!
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This must have been a magnificent trip to have been on. I especially love the castles. I can only image being there in person to capture these shots. Thanks for sharing. ;)
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It really was a trip to remember. Everywhere you looked there was a castle, and they were all beautiful!
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Yes, it *is* a fantastic way to get a ‘snapshot’ of the Rhine and its towns. We did take such a boat tour about a decade ago (much too long ago!) and also spent some time staying in some of the lovely towns along the river’s banks. Both absolutely wonderful, full of great people, good food, incredible countryside. Ohhh, you’re making me want to go back!!
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I’d like to go back too! I didn’t get the chance to visit the towns the way you did, so next time for sure… :)
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Beautiful photos – the castles look amazing.
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Thanks. And you’re right, the castles were just spectacular!
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Watching the castles along the river while cruising is so relaxing and romantic. We did it once and wish to go back again. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos.
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You’re welcome. I thought that seeing the castles from the river was so lovely that I’d like to go back again, too!
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That looks so fun! I never realized how much I would like castles until I actually saw one in person – they have so much of a life to them, don’t they?
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I think that they do, too. And castles really get my imagination going, because they’re beautiful and mysterious at the same time!
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We did a similar boat trip a couple of years back Meg – we stayed at Koblenz for 4 nights and did a day trip on the Rhine down to a little place called Bacharach. It was idyllic! We went past all the castles and the vines (plus the Lorelei Rock too). Definitely a place we’d like to go back to! Beautiful photos too! :)
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Thank you and it sounds like you had a marvelous trip! It’s so beautiful to see from the river and I’d like to go back too… :)
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