winery tour rudesheim

THE 5 BEST Ruedesheim am Rhein Wineries & Vineyards

Wineries & vineyards in ruedesheim am rhein.

• Wineries & Vineyards
• Wine Tours & Tastings
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Asbach GmbH

2. Rüedesheimer Sektkellerei Ohlig

3. Weingut Adolf Störzel

4. Ruedesheimer Berg "Roseneck "

5. Weingut Lill

6. R.Naegler's Weindepot

7. Weinstand Bleichstraße

What travelers are saying.

• Rhine Valley Trip from Frankfurt including Rhine River Cruise
• Small Group Rheingau Vineyards Tour with Castles and Abbeys
• Private day trip to the Romantic Rhine Valley with river cruise and wine tasting
• Grand Cruising - tatsing the best wines of the Rheinvalley
• Private Wein Genießertour UNESCO Rheintal, Weinprobe, Schifffahrt
• Asbach GmbH
• Weingut Adolf Störzel
• Rüedesheimer Sektkellerei Ohlig
• Ruedesheimer Berg "Roseneck "
• R.Naegler's Weindepot

17 Best things to do in Rudesheim Germany (2024)

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For travelers looking for iconic Upper Middle Rhine Valley charm, Rudesheim am Rhein, Germany is the perfect destination. Take a vineyard gondola ride , explore medieval castles , and indulge in delicious food.

Personally, I enjoy riding the gentle gondolas over the vineyards and hiking sections of the 320 km long Rheinsteig long distance hiking trail that goes through Rudesheim.

A mosaic of serene history, culinary and natural charms, Rudesheim is a perfect day trip from Frankfurt. The town is known for its sharp Rieslings grown within sight from medieval cobbled alleys and castle hotels, stroller and wheelchair accessible nature paths , food, and bright vineyards overlooking the Romantic Rhine river.

TL;DR: Rudesheim Germany sits at the entrance to the dramatic and varied 40 mile long UNESCO Upper Middle Rhine Gorge. It can be crowded, but it’s really cute and best during the shoulder seasons of May and October and offers wheelchair accessible hiking.

–>Read until the end where you’ll find a free download to the regions’ 40 castles located within this UNESCO site. I’ve included their history, architecture, location and contact information. 

Some castles even offer authentic castle hotel stays to indulge your inner medieval nerd. 

What You Will Learn

Top 17 Things to Do in Rüdesheim

1. taste the terroir : rüdesheim wine tasting, 2. fly over vineyards on the rudesheim cable car, 3. capture memories with castle flying dress photography, 4. dive into history, 5. meander the rüdesheim christmas market , 6. go river cruising: rudesheim rhine river cruise, 7. walk the drosselgasse rudesheim – the old town half timbered heaven, 8. sail past mäuseturm on the rüdesheim ring tour, 9. visit the rudesheim torture musuem, 10. soak in the views from niederwalddenkmal monument , 11. feel your inner goethe: adlerturm rüdesheim, 12. learn winemaking at brömserburg castle, 13. listen in at siegfried’s mechanical music cabinet , 14. taste rüdesheim restaurants & sip rüdesheim coffee, 15. hike the rheinsteig : rüdesheim to assmannshausen, 16. discover the rhine river castles near rudesheim, 17. pet the deer : wheelchair accessible hike to deer park, why you should visit rudesheim, rudesheim & rhine valley castle map, where to stay in rüdesheim, best time to travel to rüdesheim, how to get to rüdesheim am rhein germany.

Rudesheim is the heart of the region known as the Rheingau.  It is known for its amazing wines on steep vineyards facing the Romantic Rhine River. 

⛴️ Book this full day guided trip from Frankfurt includes tours of the castles, hikes, river cruise and Rudesheim wine tasting . 

This charming cable car ride takes you on an unforgettable journey to explore the origins of  Rhine romanticism  in the steps of the artist, William Turner, just as I did. Or, just a cool way to chill after vibing the super cool Rhine wine town. The Rudesheim gondola is wheelchair and stroller friendly. 

The Rudesheim cable car is also known as the “ Seilbahn Rudesheim ”.  It looks like a ski chair lift or gondola and helps people skip the hike up the steep hill to get to the top of Rüdesheim to enjoy the sweeping river views and walk within the wheelchair accessible forested history/nature park on top. 

Click here to learn all the details of the Rudesheim cable car including prices, dates open and where to park.

I love that dogs are free.

There is a lovely active “ Ring Tour ” of Rüdesheim and the hamlet of Assmannshausen that utilizes flat hiking, the Rüdesheim gondola (going up), the Assmannshausen chairlift going down and a boat cruise to return to Rüdesheim. It’s a fun and active way to explore the area taking about 2-3 hours.

Want an insider’s guide to the most instagrammable spots in Rudesheim with a private English speaking photographer?

Goddess Lens photography will help you capture truly unique vacation photography with a Castle and vineyard backed flying dress photography experience.  Contact for more information on how to book your German Flying Dress Photography Experience.  

Visit the Eagle Tower, Market Square, and the Catholic Parish Church of Saint James. See the Klunkhards Estate, Oberstrasse, and the famous Drosselgasse lane. Discover Brömserburg Castle and its wine museum, and end your tour at Brömserhof with a collection of fascinating musical instruments.

Explore the charming Old Town of Rüdesheim on a private walking tour with a professional guide .

Christmas markets are magical in Germany and the one in Rüdesheim is atmospheric and a regional favorite. You’ll be fighting some crowds because everyone wants to experience it.

Here are the most recent updates for the Rüdesheim Christmas Market .

If you want to step outside the old town and enjoy the market without crowds you can actually do a boat tour of the Christmas market!

Book this Christmas boat tour in Rudesheim and sip some Glühwein with a perfect view.

Take a day trip from Frankfurt to the Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy a bus ride along the river banks, a visit to the Niederwald Monument, and a scenic Rhine steamer ship ride. Stop at the famous Loreley Rock and enjoy a wine tasting before returning to Frankfurt.

Sip on wines and cruise through the Rhine Valley on this half or full day cruise from Frankfurt.

Visit the historical center of Rudesheim by strolling down the 150 meter long Drosselgasse boat alley. Meander by adorable half timbered buildings dating back to the 15th century on a passage home owners used to get items from boats on the river to their gorgeous homes. 

To learn more about the detailed history of the Drosselgasse and more monuments around, take this private history walking tour of Rudesheim .  

On this self guided tour utilize the cable car, ferry and your own two feet to get a view of Rudesheim and it’s highlights from land and sea including the famous Mäuseturm castle tollbooth castle in the middle of the Rhine River.

The Medieval Torture Museum illustrates the history of punishment and torture in the Middle Ages as well as the time of witch-hunting in Germany.

It sits just north of the Drosselgasse and is open year round.

The Niederwald in Rudesheim is a public forested park sitting atop the town accessed by gondola.  There’s a parking lot that costs 4 euros directly at the monument and near the Niederwaldtempel Rüdesheim am Rhein – a gorgeous pillared temple known for having artists like Beethoven visit, view the Rhine River and gain inspiration.

The famous Niederwalddenkmal statue looks over the opposing town of Bingen, towering at 125 feet high. It’s magnificent and grand, much like the statue of liberty, except she’s watching over a patchwork of perfectly lined vineyards and the Rhine River.

Her name is Germania and she was built to celebrate Germany’s unification into the German empire in 1871. 

Among the sights to see in Rudesheim Germany beyond the Niederwald monument is the 20 meter high Late Gothic Eagle Tower.

It was built in the 15th century as a part of the Rüdesheim city fortification. In the 19th century, when the Adlerturm housed an inn called “Zum Adler” (In the Eagle), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Germany’s greatest poet and literary man, frequently stayed here during his Rüdesheim visits in order to enjoy the magnificent view of the Rhine.

One of the oldest of the dozens of castles in the Rhine Gorge World Heritage site, Brömserburg Castle was originally the residence-stronghold of the bishops of Mainz built in the 10th century. 

The walls are 5 meters thick in parts!  15 foot walls make for a great wine cellar. 

The Rheingauer Weinmuseum Brömserbvurg houses an outstanding wine museum which informs how winemaking has evolved throughout the ages and exhibits an extensive collection of wine presses. 

It’s currently being renovated but the website above will list opening time so you can learn more about the Rheingau wine region.  

Another strange wine maker is the Eibingen Abbey in the run by benedectine nuns. Founded by St. Hildegard of Bingen in 1165 and today offers Rieselings and sparking wines. You can even arrange a stay in their guest house.  Contact by email to learn more: [email protected]

Germany’s mechanical instrument museum provides a vast collection of fascinating musical instruments dating back 3 centuries.

Listen to the carillon played every half hour in the courtyard by bells made of original Meissen porcelain.

In town for a wine festival and want to know where to eat in Rüdesheim?  There are so many choices and you almost can’t go wrong!   

Try the famous Art Cafe right on the Drosselgasse for some delicious Baumstriezel and Rüdesheimer Kaffee.  It’s a bit boozy, but delicious.

The Restaurant Rosenberger serves up a higher end white tablecloth experience with delicious Flammkuchen, Schnitzel, roasted meats and more. 

For affordable food and a fun Biergarten go to Jakobsklause and stock up on local snacks and schnitzels. 

For a funky interior, salads and great coffee check out Graf von Rüdesheim . 

Hike an easy 6 miles section hike along the Rheinsteig long distance path takes you from one magnificent historical or castle hotel to the next on this brand-new multi-day hiking path spanning 5 days in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. 

If you use the ferry to cross the river you can jump on the stunning Rhine Castles Trail and have amazing views of the castles.

Go castle spotting by river cruise, train, car or bicycle.  This guide will inform you of its history, age and location by GPS so you can understand what the history is you

Get your free download spreadsheet of the Castles of the Rhine . 

Stroller and Wheelchair Accessible Hiking

People of all mobility levels can get ALL the views and experience the heights of Rudesheim. 

After reaching the top of the gorge via the Rüdesheim cable car, you’ll walk or roll along a flat path with many historical stops marked with placards in German and English.  The path makes its way to the Jagdschloss Hotel (hunters palace hotel). Then you’ll return back along the same flat and wide path to return back to Rudesheim via the cable car. 

If you want to continue to the next village of Assmannshausen that is know for it’s red wine, there is a chair lift down to the village but it is not wheelchair accessible. 

It descends into the much less busy village of Assmannshausen or you can simply walk 20-30 min downhill, going past an enclosure with very cute deer.  There is a vending machine to purchase feed pellets that you can try to hand feed the deer through the fence. 

The glittering half-timbered gem of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley is Rudesheim Germany. It is a wine making town known for inclusivity, accessibility and sustainable travel with its train, ferry, hiking, biking and chair lift (seilbahn, gondola) systems.

Yes, you can float over perfectly lined vineyards and even sip wine at the same time!

Located in the heart of the wine-making Rheingau region, it’s not only a summer and Autumn destination. Locals flock here for its atmospheric Christmas market and year round outdoor and cultural activities. 

Rüdesheim Cable Car Opening Hours: 7 Days a Week

It is typically open April until the end of October and again during the 2 weeks of Christmas market season. For more details check their website . 

🚠 SUMMER CHAIRLIFTS An easy & relaxing Way to experience the German OUTDOORS 🚠 It doesn’t have to be HARD to explore the magnificent Outdoors. The Boppard and Assmannshausen chairlifts offer stunning views of the Rhine River, while the Cochem chairlift takes you over vineyards and the Moselle River. 1️⃣ On the Upper Middle Romantic Rhine UNESCO site: the Boppard Chairlift and Assmannshausen chairlift offer stunning views of the Rhine River. 2️⃣ Flying over the Moselle River : the Cochem chairlift takes you over vineyards and slate blue craggy mini-mountains. 3️⃣ Boat and Gondola Tour: the Rudesheim Ring Tour offers a holistic 3 hour tour with boat, gondola and gentle history hike. Just like an e-bike, a bit of technology can make exploring nature more accessible to everyone. 

Is Rudesheim Worth a Visit?

I would definitely say yes! However, it can get crowded so if you can avoid busy summer weekends you’ll enjoy your time more in this little half-timbered heaven. I actually prefer the wine villages that are a bit further away from the entrance to the Upper Middle Rhine Gorge like Boppard and Oberwesel .

Try this Google Map for your phone like a tour guide in your pocket. Open the side bar for links to hotels, restaurants and tours.

How to use this map: Use your computer mouse or fingers to zoom in and out. Click on the icons to get more information. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the written index. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your google maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open google maps, click the menu button, and go to “your places”/ “maps.”

Best Stay in the Heart of the Old Town

Have a true Rhine History and Castle Hotel Experience!  Schloss is the German word for palace. 

In the center of the old town is a four-star hotel, Breuer’s Rüdesheimer Schloss – the place to try the top cuisine and wine from this region and features a live band in the summer.

The monthly changing menu is focused around seasonal produce from the area, with favorite dishes including Hessian tapas, riesling-cheese soup and schloss (castle) duck. The building was first constructed by the archbishop of Mainz in 1729, and it’s now a Unesco World Heritage site. It’s the perfect setting to end a day of easy hiking, wine tasting and sightseeing in the historic old town.

Book the Best Hotels in Rudesheim

Most Serene Palace Hotel 

For a quieter experience you can Book the Hunter’s Palace or Jagdschloss Hotel Niederwald to have complete serenity in the middle of the Niederwald forest sitting atop the town of Rüdesheim.

Most Medieval Castle Hotel 

Fancy a hotel stay in a truly medieval fortress castle hotel?  Just across the river and serviced by the abundant ferries is the Burg Reichenstein castle hotel.  It’s located in Trechtingshausen and serves one of the most delicious breakfasts I’ve experienced with window seats overlooking the Rhine River. 

Want a Riverside Room ?

The Hotel Krone offers free breakfast and is located directly near the riverside for some peaceful moments and is a short 300 meter walk to the cable car. 

Castles & Castle Hotels Near Rudesheim Germany

One of the most interesting things about the Upper Middle Rhine Valley gorge is the abundance of castles, fully restored and luxury castle hotels and castle ruins.

Imagine waking up in a 4 poster bed with the bathroom hidden behind a fake door that’s a wall of real books!?!  Yes, this is the beauty of booking BurgHotel auf Schönburg and its secret gardens, towers and even a playful crossbow range. 

Book the Hunter’s Palace or Jagdschloss Hotel Niederwald to have complete serenity in the middle of the Niederwald forest sitting atop the Rhine River.  You’ll have easy access by car, but by foot you can easily go to both Rüdesheim and Assmannshausen by a secluded trail or the cable car system. 

My personal favorite is during the unbelievable 2 weeks in mid-October with the colors of the trees along the River gorge and its vertical vineyards in full vibrant red, orange and yellow colors! 

But it’s truly all-seasons as winter hosts one of the dreamiest Christmas markets in Germany, summer is prime hiking season for the long distance Rheinsteig and spring offers miles and miles of views of pear, apple and forsythia blossoms. 

Weather in Rüdesheim Germany

The Rhine gorge has a little bit of a microclimate where it stays wetter and warmer than the surrounding mountain ranges of the Eifel and Pfälzerwald forests.  It’s truly all-season with lows in the upper 30s in the deep winter and highs in the upper 40s.  In summer the highs are usually mid 70s and lows in lower 60s.  Rain happens in Germany, but nothing like the asian monsoons so a rain jacket usually works well and brings a jacket.

Where is Rudesheim, Germany? Located at the entrance to the UNESCO world heritage site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley in western Germany.  Perfect for a day trip from Frankfurt, Cologne or Luxembourg.  Worthy of a romantic weekend hiking, bicycling, wine tasting and antique shopping.

How do I get from Frankfurt to Rudesheim Germany?

This region is about 45 minutes from Frankfurt international airport by car. The best way to access the hike is by train. This region is served by the MittelRheinBahn Train.  Download the DB Bahn app and you’ll find the best timetables. The train runs typically 1-2 times per hour. You can purchase tickets on app or at the local kiosk at every train station. There are toilets onboard. If you get caught not paying for a ticket there is a 60 euro fine.

How far is Rüdesheim from Stuttgart?

Approximately 3 hours by car or 2.5 hours by train. 

How far is Rüdesheim from the KMC?

Rudesheim is a 1.5 hour drive from the KMC, or Kaiserslautern Military Community.  It can be made a bit shorter with the ferry, but that depends upon when you arrive as it runs only every 20 minutes. 

How far is Rüdesheim from Wiesbaden?

It is 30 minutes from Rudesheim to Wiesbaden by car or train.

Rudesheim Ferry and Public Transportation

Public Transportation :  www.bahn.de for train service on both sides of the river. For boat trips that make much more sense than driving around (very long rides at times) there are many options.  During the high summer season multiple operators act like hop-on, hop-off boat cruises.

This ferry service operates hospitality cruises and the regular car ferries.  Hospitality is from early April to the end of October and they offer tables and drink services. 

If you’re hiking during the off-season, it’s still a great way to cross the Rhine on a predictable schedule to take in some of the best sights. The car ferry is labeled “auto-fahren” and you simply drive on or walk on to cross the Rhine.  Cost are around 2 euros per person or 5 euros per car. There are benches to sit and take in the gorgeous scenery as you cross the Rhine. 

The ferries generally run from 5:30 am until 7 or 8 pm depending upon time of year. Check their website for updated information.

Facts About Rüdesheim am Rhein

State : Hesse Region : Rheingau Closest Large City : Frankfurt Germany Population : 9,683 Famous For : Wine, Festivals, Christmas Markets, Hiking and Rhine River Valley Gorge Gatekeeper.  The first wine town welcoming visitors into the UNESCO world heritage site lined with vertical vineyards and dotted with castles or castle ruins every 2.5 km along a steep and wooded river valley. Check out these top selling Germany Guidebooks to prepare for your trip. Or if you are curious about German Castles this Castle Book really helps understand the history. 

About Rudesheim Germany

Rüdesheim Altstadt is a quaint medieval town at the southern end of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley gorge that is designated a UNESCO world heritage site. 

The Rhine’s more relaxing neighbor is the less well-known Mosel River just an hour away. 

For the steepest vineyard in Europe and more privacy check out the Calmont Klettersteig for amazing views and wine in a more chill relaxed experience.  Some sections of the walk have metal ladders, so bring good shoes.  And it’s not wheelchair or stroller accessible. 

More German Cultural Travel

Before you go…. If you are curious about more German fairytale hikes and travel tips check out the beautiful Moselle River hidden Gems: 📍 My post on wine tasting and hiking in Urzig 🍷 The Best Things to do in Beilstein on the Moselle 🏰 And… the best things to do in Cochem Germany

Author profile :  Morgan Fielder is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and passionate hiker who believes in exploring the world on foot with good food. Follow her journey as she shares science-based hiking tips and advocates for sustainable tourism.

Well, there you have it: the answers to your burning Rudesheim Germany questions. May you feel strong in knowing the best things to do in Rudesheim and your trip be an unforgettable one!

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The Enchanting Rhine - From Zurich to Amsterdam

• Enjoy panoramic views of Zürich
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• Visit the iconic Heidelberg Castle
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Castles along the Rhine

• Tour the Kaysersberg village
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The Romantic Rhine Valley and the Rock of Lorelei

• Explore the Stolzenfels Castle
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Christmas on the romantic rhine, the enhancement of the Lorelei Rock

• Discover Lorelei Rock
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Rhine & moselle fairytales.

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• Join a city tour of Zurich
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THE 5 BEST Ruedesheim am Rhein Wineries & Vineyards

Wineries & vineyards in ruedesheim am rhein.

• Wineries & Vineyards
• Wine Tours & Tastings
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Asbach GmbH

2. Rüedesheimer Sektkellerei Ohlig

3. Weingut Adolf Störzel

4. Ruedesheimer Berg "Roseneck "

5. Weingut Lill

6. R.Naegler's Weindepot

7. Weinstand Bleichstraße

What travellers are saying.

• Rhine Valley Trip from Frankfurt including Rhine River Cruise
• Small Group Rheingau Vineyards Tour with Castles and Abbeys
• Grand Cruising - tatsing the best wines of the Rheinvalley
• Private day trip to the Romantic Rhine Valley with river cruise and wine tasting
• Private Wein Genießertour UNESCO Rheintal, Weinprobe, Schifffahrt
• Asbach GmbH
• Weingut Adolf Störzel
• Rüedesheimer Sektkellerei Ohlig
• Ruedesheimer Berg "Roseneck "
• R.Naegler's Weindepot

Winegrowing in the Rheingau region and in Rüdesheim

Wine experts reach for superlatives. The English writer Hugh Johnson speaks of the “best winegrowing region on the Rhine”. And Frank Schoonmaker’s “Encyclopaedia of Wine” states: “In the opinion of many experts, this is the most important winegrowing area in the world”. They are talking about the Rheingau which, with a cultivation area of only about 3,000 hectares, is one of the smallest winegrowing areas in Germany.

In geographical terms, the Rheingau winegrowing area is a strip of land along the Rhine extending from Flörsheim to Lorchhausen, with a length of 38 kilometres and a width of two to three kilometres. The area offers the perfect climate for growing wine, as brotherhoods of winemaking monks discovered here many centuries ago. This section of the Rhine is broad, almost resembling a lake in places, and reflects the sunlight. To the rear, the woods of the Taunus hills offer protection against the cold northerly winds.

The average climate values in the Rheingau region guarantee excellent growth of the vines: 9.9°C average annual temperature, 1643 hours of sunlight and annual precipitation of only 536 mm. In addition, there is a remarkable variety of soils with slate, quartzite, sandstone, gravel and loess, which adds to the rich nuances of Rheingau wines. The Rheingau vintners have a high level of education. Almost all independent winegrowers in the Rheingau have completed training as a winemaker’s assistant, master winemaker or viticultural engineer. They are vintners who preserve necessary traditions (as is evident in the retention of the classic grape varieties Riesling and pinot noir, in particular), but are also open to progress in cellar management. The far above-average ecological awareness of the Rheingau winegrowers is also worthy of recognition.

There are approximately 380 self-marketing wineries in total. Most of these are family companies with cultivation areas of four to eight hectares. In addition, there are three local cooperatives and about two dozen larger wineries (cultivation areas of between 10 and approx. 50 hectares), some of which are heavily involved in exports and thus make the good reputation of Rheingau Riesling known throughout the world.

The history of winegrowing in Rüdesheim can be traced back to Roman times: In 1900, a crescent-shaped Roman vine pruning knife was found in an excavation pit near Brömserburg Castle in Rüdesheim. This means that wine was harvested by residents back in the third century AC, as recommended at the time by the Late Roman Emperor Probus. More archaeological evidence was found in Merovingian-Frankish graves in the Oberstraße street in Rüdesheim, namely wine glasses as burial gifts. Also, Emperor Charlemagne, who frequently resided in his Ingelheim Palace and knew the Rheingau region well, is said to have recommended planting the nobler Orleans vines here due to the favourable climate. However, the Archbishops of Mainz between the 10th and 14th centuries were responsible for the growth of the winegrowing culture to its current level. The church dignitaries encouraged the clearing of the forests along the Rhine in order to plant vineyards. Winegrowing in Rüdesheim has only been documented since 1074. The numerous monasteries and noble families were also involved in expanding the wine industry, for example. They demonstrated an absolute commitment to quality and an impressive interest in the development of new and improved methods in winegrowing, cellar management and marketing.

All German wine predicates originate in the Rheingau and were only used for wines of exceptional quality. For example, the term “Cabinet” was already used over 250 years ago for valuable harvests of good vintages that were stored in “Cabinet” cellars. The German wine terms Spätlese , Auslese and their higher-grade varieties Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese were also discovered in the Rheingau. They are still considered specialities here which cannot be grown in large quantities every year.

Asbach – The spirit of wine

Asbach’s home is Rüdesheim on the romantic Rhine, with its many attractions and outstanding vineyards. Asbach, the famous German speciality from Rüdesheim am Rhein, has been in existence since Hugo Asbach founded his company here in 1892. Generations of connoisseurs have enjoyed the special taste of this unique distillate made from selected wines. The “spirit of wine” can be found in Asbach – and this has many qualities. It stands for enjoyment, trust, competence and top quality. All Asbach products are characterised by the selected base wines, special care in production, and refinement by means of the secret Asbach maturing and finishing process. The classic, Asbach Uralt, impresses with its well-rounded taste and harmonious bouquet. In addition, there are special products such as the tempting praline liqueur Madame D’Or – an absolute world first. For connoisseurs, the Asbach treasure trove contains additional top-quality products of distillation art, e.g. the Asbach private brandy matured for 8 years, which was awarded the “Worldwide Brandy Trophy” at the “International Wine & Spirit Competition” in 2013. The most valuable rarity from Asbach is the limited special edition of the luxury distillate Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Vintage Reserve 1952. Experience the world of Asbach and the variety of all Asbach qualities in the Asbach Visitor Centre.

Rüdesheim Coffee

The name Rüdesheim is associated not only with the romantic Rhine and the famous German speciality Asbach, but also with the Rüdesheim coffee specialities. Rüdesheim Coffee was developed specially for Asbach in 1957 by Hans Karl Adam, who was a famous German TV chef in the 50s. It tastes best from the original Rüdesheim Coffee cups. Add three cubes of sugar to 4 cl heated Asbach Uralt, ignite and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then fill with hot coffee, top with sweetened whipped cream, and sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings. Rüdesheim espresso and Rüdesheim iced coffee are also specialities! You can purchase the original Rüdesheim Coffee accessories in the Asbach Visitor Centre.

Asbach pralines

The invention of Asbach pralines in the 20s is thanks to the fact that the idea of women and alcohol in public was inconceivable at that time. This inspired company founder Hugo Asbach to create the Asbach praline. The globally protected cold-casting process, developed by Asbach, took not only the ladies’ world by storm. Asbach pralines are small but impressive masterpieces of praline art. Today, they are produced under license by the Reber family company Rüdesheimer Confiserie-Pralinen GmbH & Co. KG. The pralines have experienced an astounding renaissance in recent years. The latest product innovations are the Asbach Minis and the Asbach Cream Minis. The largest range of Asbach pralines can be found in the Asbach Visitor Centre.

The first report of the growth of “secrant vines” originates from the Rheingau in 1435. Since then, this variety has been cultivated with special care in the small area on the Rhine.

Today, the Rheingau has the highest proportion of Riesling of all winegrowing areas in the world, with 84%. Other grape varieties would certainly provide a higher yield, but they have never been able to establish a firm hold in the Rheingau. After all, Riesling is considered perhaps the best white wine variety in the world due to its fine breeding and elegance, its characteristic bouquet with delicate peach scent, and its distinctive, crisp acidity. The perfect soil and climate conditions for Riesling exist here in the northerly winegrowing region at approximately the 50th degree of latitude. The long ripening season allows the grapes plenty of time to absorb many mineral substances from the soil, which are important conditions for the fruitiness and fullness of the wine. The wine harvest rarely begins before 15 October in Rheingau, and often continues until late November. A warm autumn is important for the ripening of the Riesling and ensures the required sugar formation in the grapes.

A special feature here can be the infestation of the grapes with the Botrytis Cinerea fungus. If the infestation occurs, as desired, with ripe grapes, water evaporates and the other constituents of the grapes are concentrated so that high-quality predicate wines can be obtained from the harvest. However, even if this “noble rot” does not occur, Rheingau Riesling impresses with its pure, well-bred and fruity nature. The wines have many extract substances. Their alcohol content is usually not very high (between 9 and 11.5% vol.). Particularly the dry and semi-dry quality wines and cabinet wines, with their distinctive taste and crisp lightness, are increasingly preferred as an accompaniment to food.

The Ultimate Guide to Rudesheim Am Rhein, Germany

If you love wine tastings, romantic landscapes, and outdoor activities, plan your next weekend trip to Rüdesheim am Rhein, a lovely town in Hesse State, Germany.

Like many other picturesque towns and villages on the Rhine River, it has a historic old town, some traditional half-timbered buildings, and plenty of typical restaurants and cafés. Moreover, you’ll have the chance to explore the most iconic places of German Romanticism by ferry!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means I will receive a small commission if you click on certain links and  subsequently purchase a product .

Table of Contents

When to visit Rüdesheim am Rhein

The best time to plan a trip to Rüdesheim is summer, and you can easily spend 3 or 4 days in town since there are many attractions to visit, and you can organize several day trips from there. Rüdesheim is also a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts, wine lovers, couples, and families with kids.

How to get to Rüdesheim am Rhein

• By plane : if you plan to fly to Germany, choose Frankfurt as your base.
• By train: Rüdesheim is well connected to the main cities nearby. The journey takes 2h from Frankfurt, 1h40 from Koblenz, 1h30 from Wiesbaden, 1h10 from Mainz, and 45 minutes from Bingen.
• By car: just rent a car and explore the Rhine River Valley at your own pace! You can also plan a trip involving both a car and a ferry ride.
• By ferry: check the schedule here .

Where to stay in Rüdesheim am Rhein

Hotel Felsenkeller – 3 stars: it also has a typical restaurant offering a wide selection of local wines, and it’s located in the picturesque old town in central Oberstrasse. Click here for more information and to check the latest prices. Hotel Rüdesheimer Hof – Superior: 3 stars: close to the old town, but in a quieter area, it also has a restaurant and plenty of parking lots nearby. Click here for more information and to check the latest prices.

Things to do in Rüdesheim am Rhein

Enjoy the view from the niederwald monument..

Take the best view of the Rhine River from the Niederwald Monument, the most famous landmark of Rüdesheim. It was built between 1877 and 1883 to celebrate the victorious German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War.

The central statue represents Germany holding the imperial crown and sword. This place can be easily reached by a pleasant walk among the vineyards, and the trail starts right in Oberstrasse.

Otherwise, if you don’t feel like walking uphill, take the cable car at the Oberstrasse station! For more information, click here.

Have a walk in the Niederwald forest

Once on top of the hill, you’ll be able to choose among several trekking trails perfect for a day trip in nature. The best one is a 15 km loop offering some fantastic views. This trail starts at the railway station of Rüdesheim.

Enjoy a night out in Drosselgasse.

The most picturesque street in this town is just 144m long and 2m wide, but it’s worth a visit! It’s full of wineries, wine bars, and restaurants, and it’s the perfect place to enjoy a night out and listen to traditional live music too!

Take a picture of the best Rüdesheimer Adelshöfe.

Several elegant and traditional aristocratic houses can be found all over the old town. You can start your visit from the central Oberstrasse to get a glimpse of the ancient local nobility. The most beautiful ones are Frankensteiner Hof, Ritter’sche Hof, and Bassenheimer Hof.

Don’t miss Brömserhof, too: it houses the interesting Siegfried’s Mechanisches Musikkabinett, displaying a collection of mechanical musical instruments that will surely please both adults and kids! For more information, click here .

Taste some Rüdesheimer Kaffee

In addition to wine, there’s another drink you shall taste once in Rüdesheim: a local specialty made of coffee, whipped cream and brandy. It was created in 1957 by a famous brandy producer and it soon became very popular among locals. It can be found in any café, and its recipe involves a flambé sugar cube soaked in brandy, some coffee, and a generous amount of whipped cream.

Find the Klunkhardshof

This large half-timbered house is built in traditional style, and it belonged to a wealthy family (the Klunkhards) living in the XV century in Rüdesheim. It’s much bigger that the other similar buildings in town, and its four floors make it look like a sort of ancient apartment building! It’s still privately owned, so it cannot be visited.

Remember the town’s glorious past in front of the Eagle Tower (Adlerturm)

This Gothic tower dates back to the XV century and was once part of the city walls. During the XIX century, it housed an inn where Goethe loved to stay! Now it’s privately owned by a banking group.

Learn more about wine-making and wine history at the Brömserburg Castle

This castle was inhabited by the Archbishops of Mainz until the XIX century, and it was conceived as a fortress being able to resist any attack. It was used until 1937, but it’s now owned by the town of Rüdesheim, and it was turned into the Rheingau Wine Museum.

The exhibition aims at illustrating the history of wine through drinking vessels, wine bottles, paintings, old machinery, and barrels. For more information, click here .

Listen to the Glockenspiele

Rüdesheim has two chimes: one can be seen on the tower of the Breuer’s Rüdesheimer Schloss in Drosselgasse (now a 4-star hotel), and it rings every hour, while the other one is located in the Siegfried’s Mechanisches Musikkabinett and it rings every 30 minutes. The first one represents the main wine vintages of the XXth century, while the latter is made of some precious porcelain bells.

Visit the Zauberhöhle

The so-called “Enchanted Grotto” is an old hunting lodge in the former hunting reserve of the Niederwald forest. It was built between 1760 and 1790, and it consists of a long and dark corridor giving access to a large round room that was once covered in mirrors it also featured the statue of a magician. You can easily reach this weird place with a short walk from the Niederwald Monument.

Reach Ehrenfels Castle

It’s a ruined castle standing on top of a hill just outside Rüdesheim. It was built around 1200 by the Archbishop of Mainz, and its location was so strategic it had a major role in the Thirty Years’ War. It was burnt down in 1689, and it was never rebuilt. Its ruins can be easily reached with a scenic walk among the vineyards, offering a great view too!

Reach Eibingen Abbey

Despite its old look, this beautiful abbey in the countryside dates back to the XX century. It houses the relics of St. Hildegard, a winery, and a shop selling local specialties and souvenirs!

Enjoy some wine

Wine is all over the Rhine River Valley! One of the best wine tours you can enjoy (and one of the cheapest ones, too!) is the Wine Experience organized by the local Tourist Office: you can have three wine tastings, including snacks and a guided tour, at the cost of 12 euros.

For more information, click here . If you’re planning to visit the Rhine River Valley in the summer, stop in Rüdesheim around mid-August to attend the local wine festival!

Join a river cruise

You cannot visit the Rhine River Valley without spending a few hours on a ferry watching the river banks and the medieval castles on the hills! Take this to discover the most iconic places of German Romanticism: From Rüdesheim: 1.5-Hour Boat Cruise with Wine Tasting . Rüdesheim am Rhein is also one of the main stops of every KD ferry cruise.

Plan a day trip to Assmanshausen

This small village is on the other side of the Niederwald hill, and it’s easily reachable by cable car or by a trail winding through the forest. You can also go back to Rüdesheim by ferry.

Planning a trip on the Rhine? You might also like the following: Ultimate Guide to Bacharach, Germany Ultimate Guide to Braubach, Germany Ultimate Guide to Boppard Germany The Best Rhine River Castles and Towns to Visit

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Home » Travel Guides » Germany » 15 Best Things to Do in Rüdesheim am Rhein (Germany)

15 Best Things to Do in Rüdesheim am Rhein (Germany)

In the Rhine Gorge, Rüdesheim am Rhein is a wine-making town under lofty Riesling vineyards. The landscapes are full of drama, where the high gorge walls plunge to the broad, island-studded river.  And guarding the banks are Medieval castles inscribed in UNESCO’s Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Site.

This part of the Rhine, not far from the Lorelei Rock, has long had a special place in German hearts: In the 1870s it was chosen for a magisterial monument to German unification and victory in the Franco-Prussian War. You can walk up to the Niederwald Monument through vines and beech forest, or catch a cable car for views of the Rheingau you won’t soon forget.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Rüdesheim am Rhein :

1. Niederwald Monument

Up on the namesake hill the Niederwald Monument arrived in the wake of the German defeat of France in the Franco-PrussianWar in 1871. Planning began as soon was the war was over, and it would be more than a decade before this immense celebration of unification would be unveiled, in 1883. High on a pedestal and visible from some distance is the allegorical figure of Germania, on her throne and raising the Holy Roman crown in her right hand, and holding the Imperial Sword in her left.

Beneath her, at the top of a twin staircase is a relief of Kaiser Wilhelm I on horseback along with military leaders, soldiers and members of the nobility.

On four stone panels are the lyrics to the “Wacht am Rhein” (Guard on the Rhine), a patriotic song from the mid-19th century.

2. Cable Car to the Niederwald Monument

You can walk, but the easiest way to get to the monument is to catch the cable car from Oberstraße for a 15-minute ride over the old town and the vineyards beside the Rhine.

On the way in these open-air, two-seater gondolas there are dreamy views over the Rhine and the string of narrow, wooded islands in the river in front of Rüdesheim.

In the summer you could make a special night-time journey to see the moon reflected in the river, while there’s also a restaurant at the upper station giving you an excuse to spend some more time under the spell of the Rhine Gorge’s scenery.

3. Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet

Automatic music instruments in many shapes and forms are the stars of the show at this whimsical museum.

These date from the 18th century to the 20th century and range from music boxes to organs on wheels, to a small orchestra of 15 instruments.

Whether they’re manually operated, charged with a winding key or electrical, the intricacy of these instruments almost beggars belief.

You’ll get some idea of how they were manufactured, viewing the equipment required to make organ pipes, as well as their individual components like music rolls, perforated disks and sheet music on cardboard.

4. Drosselgasse

Only two metres wide and 144 metres long, Drosselgasse is the alley along which Rüdesheim’s boat-owners would haul their equipment and goods from the riverside up to the old town.

Perpendicular to the Rhine, it is one of the six parallel streets rolling down the slope from Oberstraße.

When it was first mentioned in the 15th century Drosselgasse was a quarter for sailors, who would carry their oars, sails and rigging back to their apartments through narrow passageways, and leave their stripped boats moored on the water.

Nowadays the street is quaint as can be, lined with half-timbered houses for souvenir shops, artisan specialty shops and wine taverns often wreathed with vines.

5. Eibingen Abbey

Included in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World UNESCO World Heritage Site, Eibingen Abbey still has a community of Benedictine nuns.

Apart from during the 19th century, when the monasteries were dissolved, the nuns have been here since the abbey was founded by Hildegard of Bingen in 1165. She was a real polymath, as a writer, composer, philosopher and early natural scientist.

Her story is told in the abbey church’s frescoes, painted in the style of the Beuron Art School in the 19th century.

The nuns run a vineyard and sell the wine alongside other artisanal items at the abbey’s shop.

In the evening you can come to hear them singing vespers, while there are also concerts at the abbey for the Rheingau Music Festival in the summer.

6. Brömserburg

Originating in the 11th and 12th centuries, Brömserburg was probably the first of the many strongholds that now make up the Upper Middle Rhine World Heritage Site.

The castle was in the hands of the Archbishops of Mainz from its inception through to the 18th century.

And it has come through in good condition, apart from losing its southeastern wing to an attack by the Duke of Longueville in the Thirty Years’ War in 1640. Brömserburg has been in the town’s hands since the Second World War and has a wine museum charting the history of production in the Rhine Gorge.

There are ancient amphorae, barrels, wine presses, historic bottles and glasses, all explained via a multi-lingual audio-guide.

7. Asbach Besucher Center

The Asbach brandy label dates to 1892 when the Cologne native Hugo Asbach brought the secrets of brandy distillation back from a trip to Cognac in France.

In those days, Asbach brandy was known as “Rüdesheim Cognac”, before Hugo Asbach came up with the German word “Weinbrand” after “Cognac” could only be applied to French products.

The visitor centre in Rüdesheim screens a movie telling you everything you need to know about the company.

You can also go on a whirlwind tour of the distillery to view the century-old stills and fermentation vats, and taste some brandy for a small fee.

If this meets your fancy, call in at the shop, selling Asbach’s award-winning Privatbrand, aged eight years.

8. Assmannshausen Chairlift

The village of Assmannshausen around the bend on the Rhine, was incorporated into Rüdesheim in 1977. You may already know the name from the local red wine, made from Pinot Noir grapes.

A chairlift will carry you from the riverside up to Jagdschloss Niederwald, a former hunting lodge, now a hotel bordering a wildlife reserve.

On the way up and at the upper station you can contemplate the high right bank of the Rhine and look down at Assmannshausen, which is packed tightly into the fold of an adjoining valley.

A favourite excursion is to hike through forest for 30 minutes to reach the Niederwald Monument on the way back to Rüdesheim.

9. Klunkhardshof

On the namesake side-street leading away from St. Jakobus church is one of the oldest and most photogenic half-timbered houses in the town.

Klunkhardshof, with a slightly concave facade, was built for the Klunkhard merchant family in the middle of the 15th century and is one of the best stops on a walking tour of the city.

The three-storey house has a large inscription summing up its history on the first floor and has been in the same family since 1906.

10. Burg Ehrenfels

Walkers trailing through the vineyard path between Rüdesheim and Assmannhausen will be met by this Medieval castle ruin on the steep hillside.

The origins of the building go back to the Dark Ages, while the current architecture is from the early 13th century.

Burg Ehrenfels was ordered by the Archbishop of Mainz as a customs station and a bulwark against the hostile Counts Palatine of the Rhine.

The castle was damaged in the Thirty Years’ War and then partially demolished by the French in the Nine Years’ War at the end of the 17th century.

Since then it has been allowed to deteriorate, though the two 30-metre towers of its shield wall are in excellent condition.

Across the water on a river island, the Binger Mäuseturm (Mouse Tower) is from the old customs station and was restored in the mid-19th century.

11. Wine Culture

The Romans were the first to make the most of the Rhine Gorge’s supreme wine-growing conditions 1,900 years ago.

The beverage is so integral to Rüdesheim’s past that wine glasses have been recovered from graves in the city from the Early Middle Ages.

The Rhine’s great breadth here reflects the sunlight onto the south-facing slopes, where rows of Riesling vines are nourished by more than 1,640 hours of sun a year.

The soil on this 38-kilometre stretch of the Rhine is incredibly diverse (slate, sandstone, quartzite), creating nuances in flavour from one vineyard to the next.

Rüdesheim is devoted to Riesling, which flows at the many cellars and wine taverns in the town.

And mid-August is the time for the annual Weinfest, taking place under the plane trees on the market square.

12. Niederwaldtempel

This Classical temple in the English landscape park may be the best of all the vantage points at the Niederwald.

One person who would agree was Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who looked across the Rhine Gorge from this exact place on 3 September 1814. From then on the temple, built in 1790, became known as the Goethe-Tempel.

The original was destroyed in the Second World War but rebuilt soon after, with seven Doric columns around a rotunda.

13. Rüdesheim’s Carillons

A stroll around Rüdesheim will be sound-tracked by chiming bells on the stroke of hour and half-hour.

On Drosselgasse there are 14 bells on the tower of the Rüdesheimer Schloss hotel and restaurant, playing tunes like Die Lorelei (more on that later) every hour and with wooden automatons representing each of Rüdesheim’s four great wine vintages in the 20th century.

Then on the facade of Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet are bells fashioned from Meissen porcelain that ring every half-hour, beginning at 09:30.

14. River Trips

In the summer the Rheingau is a highway for tourist cruises, and in this season you can pick from three different companies four your voyage: Bingen-Rüdesheim Riverboat Tours, Rössler Line Riverboat Tours and KD Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt AG. In the high season they’ll all make at least three departures a day, and the most common destination is the Lorelei, a rock 25 kilometres down the Rhine and steeped in legend.

Romantic poets like Heinrich Heine and Eichendorff waxed lyrical about this 132-metre colossus, while Clara Schumann (adapting the Heine poem), Felix Mendelssohn and Johann Strauss I all composed music in homage.

15. Rhein in Flammen

On the first Saturday in July there’s a coordinated boat trip and fireworks event on the Rhine.

In the Rüdesheim area this runs between the Niederheimbach about 15 kilometres downriver and Brömserburg.

Rhein in Flammen (Rhine in Flames) is as stirring as it sounds: A convoy of 50 cruise ships journeys up the Rhine, and fireworks light up the night sky as the boats pass Burg Ehrenfels and the vineyards of Assmannshausen.

The event is now in its fifth decade and there’s about 90 minutes between the first and the last firework.

15 Best Things to Do in Rüdesheim am Rhein (Germany):

• Niederwald Monument
• Cable Car to the Niederwald Monument
• Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet
• Drosselgasse
• Eibingen Abbey
• Brömserburg
• Asbach Besucher Center
• Assmannshausen Chairlift
• Klunkhardshof
• Burg Ehrenfels
• Wine Culture
• Niederwaldtempel
• Rüdesheim's Carillons
• River Trips
• Rhein in Flammen

Rudesheim Germany: 14 Best Things to see and do

Centuries-old taverns, medieval houses, castles, cable cars and quirky museums – time for some wine by the Rhine in Rudesheim.

About the author: David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian with 30+years experience exploring Europe. His work regularly appears in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, and The Guardian.

Welcome to my guide to Rudesheim Germany, the largest and liveliest of the towns along the Rhine Gorge, and a great base for exploring this World Heritage area. If you’re looking for a taste of traditional Germany, Rüdesheim am Rhein is one of the best places to go.

It has it all – three castles, some outstanding half-timbered houses, and miles of vineyards in the hills above the town. You’ll also find one of the most famous monuments in Germany. And fantastic cable car rides and Rhine river cruises take you through this gorgeous landscape.

All this and there’s still the Drosselgasse, a narrow lane crammed with taverns, restaurants and cafes that is one of the most famous streets in Germany. 

I’ll point you in the direction of everywhere worth seeing, and cover the practicalities of getting to Rudesheim, where to stay and eat, and trips onward from there.

I hope you enjoy discovering it as much as I did returning there after almost 40 years.  

Table of Contents

Why Visit Rudesheim Germany

Visiting Rudesheim is like stepping back in time, with fairytale medieval architecture, castles, vineyards, wine restaurants and a few quirky museums to see.

Rudesheim is the most popular – and by far the liveliest – of the Rhine river towns, packed with traditional restaurants, wine taverns and pubs, especially along the famous Drosselgasse.

Rudesheim is the gateway to the most famous and popular stretch of the Rhine Valley, at the entrance to the 40-mile (65 km) World Heritage section, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley , also known as the Rhine Gorge.

Rudesheim is a great base for exploring the Rhine Valley, with several Rhine river castles and villages just a few miles downstream, and all of the Rhine Gorge within easy reach via train and/or ferry.

Things To Do In Rudesheim Germany – Our Top 14

1. take a walk on the drosselgasse.

The Drosselgasse is one of the most famous streets in Germany, a narrow lane packed with half-timbered wine taverns, bars, restaurants and shops.  

It is all the elements of traditional Germany packed into one tiny street – half-timbered buildings, wine taverns, plenty of wine and beer flowing, accordion music and even the sound of an oompah band at one point.

It’s the Rhineland I remembered from my first visit as a teenager, and the first time we really encountered it having stayed further down the valley for much of our time there.

It’s quite – but not overwhelmingly – crowded, and you pay a bit of a premium if you stop by for something to eat or drink. We tend to avoid the crowds whenever possible, but this was one time I was happy to wander among them, delighted to be back after nearly four decades.

2. Eat At One Of The Historic Rudesheim Restaurants

Two of the most famous Rudesheim restaurants are on the Drosselgasse. The older of the two, the Drosselhof , was first built in 1727, was once the haunt of Rhine sailors, and is now an atmospheric old inn, beautifully decorated outside and in, with murals adorning the dining room walls.

The menu is full of classics including schnitzels, steaks and sauerbraten, and there’s also a great selection of wine and beer.

The Lindenwirt, just across the street from the Drosselhof, has two restaurants. When we visited, the older one was very quiet, with everyone dining outside in the sun. The restaurant was darkened and cosy, wonderful on autumn and winter evenings, with wonderful decoration including sculptures and stained-glass windows.

3. Discover Some Medieval Rudesheim Architecture

One of my abiding memories of my first visit to Rudesheim (back in the 1980s) is the medieval architecture, particularly the many half-timbered houses around the town.

It won’t take you long to find examples, just turn off the riverfront Rheinstrasse and explore the side streets and lanes. The Drosselgasse has some of these buildings, but one the best we found on this visit is the Brömserhof on Oberstrasse, 100 metres or so left from the top of Drosselgasse.

We also loved the slightly crooked Klunkhardshof building on the street of the same name. This hugely impressive, wonderfully wonky house is named after the Klunkhard family that built it in the early 15 th century. Unfortunately you can only admire it from the outside as it’s privately owned.

The half-timbered building and tunnel pictured above can be found next to the Klunkhardshof, leading to Löhrstrasse.

4. Rudesheim Cable Car

The cable car from Rüdesheim is a brilliant way to see the town and surrounding countryside. It’s on a par with the one in Boppard, taking you out of the town and above the many vineyards on the hillside above. You enjoy great views over the town, the Rhine, Bingen and St Hildegard’s Abbey, before stopping at the top of the hill close to the Niederwald Monument (see below).

Return tickets for adults cost €10, and kids aged 5-15 €5.

It may also be worthwhile considering some of the other Rüdesheim cable car options, including the Ring Tour . This entails a walk to a castle ruin and a magic cave (Zauberhöhle), a tunnel decorated with shiny glass stones. From there the second Rüdesheim chairlift takes you down to the wine village of Assmannshausen, from where you can catch the boat back to Rüdesheim.

Another option – which I’d recommend if you have time – is their Romantic Tour , which also includes a trip across the river to Burg Rheinstein , in our opinion one of the best three Rhine River Castles to visit. It’s a short uphill hike up a zig-zag path to the Castle from there, and a boat picks you up and takes you back to Rüdesheim 90 minutes later.

5. Niederwald Monument

This vast monument, the centrepiece of which is the 10-metre statue of Germania , is one of the most famous landmarks in Germany.

It’s on a hilltop ridge high above Rüdesheim, reached by cable car or footpath. It was built between 1871 and 1883 to commemorate the Unification of Germany and the founding of the German Empire. It was commissioned by Kaiser Wilhelm I, who is the central figure in the bronze relief below the statue.

The architect of the Monument was Karl Weissbach, and the sculptor was Johannes Schilling. The figure of Germania holds the Imperial Crown in her raised right hand and the Imperial Sword in her left hand.

6. Niederwald Temple

If you visit the Niederwald Monument it is impossible to miss the beautiful circular Temple overlooking Rüdesheim and the river.  This predates the Monument by about 90 years, having been built in 1790 by Count Karl Maximilian von Ostein as part of his English-style landscape park.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited the Temple in 1814 and was mightily impressed by the view.  The pillars of the original Rotunda were built from red sandstone – the white stone pillars replaced them during post-war restoration.

7. Try a Rüdesheim Coffee

A Rüdesheimer Kaffee is a local drink invented in 1957 by popular German chef Hans Karl Adam. In Rüdesheim it’s served in a special cup (as pictured above) with flambeed locally produced Asbach Uralt brandy, sugar cubes, coffee, whipped cream, chocolate flakes and vanilla sugar.

I didn’t try it as I don’t drink spirits and liqueurs, but sampling it is one of the popular Rüdesheim things to do.  It costs around €9-10 in most cafes and restaurants in the town.

8. Enjoy a Rüdesheim River Cruise

A Rhine cruise is a great way to appreciate the stunning scenery of the Valley.  Regular cruises depart from the pier at Rüdesheim, taking between 90 minutes and two hours to explore the upper section of the Rhine Gorge.

From the wide-open countryside around Rüdesheim and Bingen, you enter the narrows of the Rhine Gorge, with its classic landscape of hilltop castles, steep vineyards and small riverside towns with quaint half-timbered buildings.

These river cruises from Rüdesheim are a great appetiser for further exploration of the Rhine. You pass the Mouse Tower, an island sentinel built to collect tolls, and the ruined Burg Ehrenfels, now home to a pair of nesting falcons.

You then continue around the river bend to Rheinstein Castle , one of the best of the restored Romantic Rhine castles, and Reichenstein Castle before turning, passing the wine village of Assmannshausen and heading back to Rüdesheim.

9. Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet

Siegfried Wendel began collecting mechanical musical instruments, eventually moving his collection to Rüdesheim in 1974.  It’s now housed in the stunning Brömserhof, and has everything fromminiature music boxes to fairground organs and music machines.

Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet is a wondrous nostalgic trip back in time, with around 400 of these amazing instruments. I visited in my teens, and the undoubted highlight is the Hupfeld Violina Phonoliszt from 1909, which plays both piano and violin parts.

You need to book your guided tour in advance, either via the website or in person.

10. Take A Ride On The Rudesheim Tourist Train

The Rüdesheimer Winzerexpress is a road train taking visitors on a tour of the town and surrounding vineyards. It’s a great option for parents with kids who might want to get a quick overview of the town and countryside around.

The trip takes 30 minutes in all, and departs from outside the Brömserhof onOberstrasse, a minute’s walk from the top of the Drosselgasse. It’s €10 for adults, €5 for kids or €21 for a family ticket which allows up to two children.

11. Visit St Hildegard’s Abbey in Eibingen

St Hildegard of Bingen was one of the most remarkable women of the Middle Ages.  She was from the town across the river from Rudesheim, but established a convent in the countryside above the town which was rebuilt in the early 20 th century.

Hildegard was a visionary, abbess, theologian, composer, scientist, preacher and more – incredible accomplishments at a time when women were traditionally held back.  Her music is still recorded almost 850 years after her death, and she has become one of the most inspirational figures of her time.

Her relics are still held in the modern neo-Romanesque convent church.  You can walk up to the Abbey or catch the 183 or 187 buses there from the town.

12. Visit The Bromserburg Wine Museum

The Brömserburg Wine Museum , in one of the riverside Rudesheim castles, was closed when we visited in August 2022 due to ongoing remodelling and refurbishment.

This was a pity, as it’s a beautiful Castle and setting for a museum, which would have been useful to visit to get a better overview of wine-growing in the Rheingau area. The Museum website doesn’t specify an opening date as yet, but it’s worth keeping an eye on it if you’re planning to visit Rüdesheim in the near future.  

13. Rudesheim Torture Museum

There are numerous other medieval torture museums across Europe (Rothenburg ob der Tauber, San Gimignano, Cesky Krumlov , among others), all of which tell the same story – how viciously cruel humans can be to each other, and how much effort they must have put in to inflict such agonies.

This small Rüdesheim museum tells the tale with over a hundred instruments of torture and a few mannequins, some illustrating the history of the persecution of ‘witches’ in the Middle Ages. 

One for adults only, definitely not for kids under the age of 12 .

14. Hike To Burg Ehrenfels Castle

Another walk among the Rudesheim vineyards takes you to one of the most picturesque Rhine ruins, Burg Ehrenfels Castle. You can reach it in around 20 minutes from the Niederwald Denkmal, and admire the view of the Binger Loch stretch of water and the Mouse Tower below.

The one thing you can’t do is enter the ruins, which are closed off as the Castle is home to a pair of nesting falcons.

Where Is Rüdesheim Am Rhein

Rüdesheim – officially called Rüdesheim am Rhein – is on the right bank of the River Rhine, in the Rheingau region of the state of Hesse .

It is 55 km (34 miles) from Frankfurt-am-Main , 38 km (23 miles) from Mainz and 127 km (79 miles) from Cologne .

How To Get To Rudesheim

Rudesheim is on the Koblenz to Frankfurt train line which runs along the east side of the Rhine Valley. The RB10 service calls at Rudesheim once an hour in each direction – it takes exactly 1 hour top Koblenz in one direction , and 1 hour and 2 minutes to Frankfurt in the other.

For train times check the Deutsche Bahn site.

If you’re driving, Rudesheim is on the B42 road that connects Wiesbaden (to the east) with Bonn (to the north) via Koblenz.

If you’re travelling from the opposite side of the river Rhine, the ferry runs from Hafen Bingen to the wharf at Rudesheim, 200 metres west of the train station there.

If you’re flying long haul to Germany, Frankfurt is by far the most convenient arrival point, as the Frankfurt to Rudesheim journey only takes a little over an hour. Cologne-Bonn is an alternative, around two hours’ travel time from Rudesheim.

Otherwise, several European budget carriers fly to Frankfurt-Hahn, nearly an hour to the west of the Rhine Valley in the Mosel region. The Mainz bus from there stops at Bingen, from where you can catch the ferry to Rudesheim. Otherwise it’s a 45-minute drive from Hahn to Bingen.

Places To Visit Near Rudesheim Germany

Rudesheim is an ideal starting point for exploring the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. Bingen, just across the river, is worth a couple of hours of your time, with Burg Klopp and St Martin’s Church the standout things to see.

Before you reach the outskirts of Bingen you reach the Binger Mauseturm (Mouse Tower), the toll castle on an island named after the legendary mice which ate the cruel owner. Heading downriver, you soon reach Rheinstein and Reichenstein Castles, then passing the village of Trechtingshausen and Burg Sooneck soon afterwards.

After passing gorgeous Bacharach – for us the prettiest of the Rhine River towns – continue downriver to Pfalzgrafenstein Castle , the striking white island castle next to the one-street town of Kaub, before reaching Oberwesel , one of the best Rhine towns to visit with a splendid Castle, Schonburg, that is now a luxury hotel overlooking it.

We also recommend venturing downstream to the Loreley cliff, the source of one of the most enduring Rhine legends, a spurned woman throwing herself from the cliff and returning as a mermaid to lure sailors into the treacherous waters and rocks below.

Just around the corner from there, you reach one of the most scenic stretches of the Rhine Gorge, with Burg Katz and Rheinfels Castle overlooking the towns of St Goarshausen and St Goar respectively.

Two of the highlights of the Rhine Valley are at the opposite end of the Gorge from Rüdesheim, and just a few miles south of Koblenz.  Marksburg Castle is possibly the greatest of all Rhine Castles,  and the best-preserved, having withstood many attacks and never been captured during its medieval lifetime.

It stands on a hill high above the quiet half-timbered village of Braubach , which is incredibly picturesque but seems to be bypassed by the coach tours that only call at the Castle.  

Rüdesheim Germany – Final Thoughts

I first visited Rüdesheim in the mid-1980s, and was always keen to return at some point.  It has some stunning architecture but isn’t the prettiest of the Rhine river towns – that would have to be Bacharach .

We visited all of the towns and most of the villages along the Rhine Gorge, and some were surprisingly quiet. Not so Rüdesheim: it’s the liveliest of the lot, but (at least when we visited) not overly busy.  So if you like a bit of a buzz about a place, and a bit of German gemütlichkeit (bonhomie and warmth), it’s a great place to visit, indeed stay.

David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times.  David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.

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Dinner in Rudesheim am Rhein on a River Cruise: Worth It?

Places to stay.

Viking River Cruises cleverly planned most of our traveling for nighttime so we could spend our days in port. Today though, we had two cities on the itinerary: Heidelberg and Rudesheim am Rhein.

We might be spending much of today on the boat, but our cruise schedule guaranteed that we wouldn’t be bored.

As we returned from our morning tour of Heidelberg Castle, we were greeted with the sound of German music coming from the sundeck.

The crew had put together a fabulous lunch buffet, with stations offering an incredible assortment of various German items. We saw bratwursts, German meatball sliders, pulled pork sliders, German potato salad, and some other things that I don’t know the name of.

Of course, German beer was flowing and there was plenty of Black Forest cake!

Cruising the Rhine to Rudesheim

This afternoon our ship was cruising the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our destination was Rüdesheim am Rhein, a typical wine-making town in the area. Of course the scenery was beautiful but we could do a lot more than just sit by the window and watch the passing landscape.

• Related story: Rhine Valley Cruising, Castles and Wine

Viking also kept us entertained with on-board events, including wheelhouse and galley tours, a history lecture about travelers along the Rhine, and a demonstration of how to make a Rüdesheimer Kaffee. This spiked coffee is actually one of the main Rudesheim attractions.

We might have skipped the ship’s tours in favor of an afternoon nap (yay, downtime!), but we got up in plenty of time for the lecture, which was interesting and fun.

Most passengers stayed for the demonstration on how to make Rudesheim’s famous coffee. At first glance, it appears to be similar to Irish coffee (which we learned to make in Ireland), but its taste is different. This version is made with Asbach Uralt, a special local brandy. Good stuff.

Traditionally, they serve “Rudesheim Kaffe“ in a special cup and saucer.

Dinner in Rudesheim am Rhein

As evening approached, we joined a group of shipmates who had also signed up for an optional dinner in town, with authentic local food.

ⓘ Where to eat in Rudesheim: We ate at Breuer’s Rudesheimer Schloss, a wine restaurant and wine hotel located at Steingasse 10, 65385 Rudesheim am Rhein. Learn more at their website: www.ruedesheimer-schloss.com/en/ .

It was a short walk down the Drosselgasse to get there. The town was quiet apart from us Viking passengers, but there were enough of us that the narrow, pedestrian-only cobblestone street still seemed crowded.

The sounds of an oom-pah band greeted us before we arrived. We snapped a shot before everyone was seated. This restaurant sure is full of traditional German ambiance!

Rudesheim is a pretty German winemaking town in the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is known for winemaking, particularly Riesling wines.

Thus, the best part of the meal was the generous half-bottle of local wine for each person. As to what they served, it was clearly traditional German food – pork and sauerkraut. Germans sure love their swine. If you don’t, let your cruise director know ahead of time and they will prepare something else for you.

The musical entertainment continued through our dinner, and at the end of the meal I got drafted into the audience participation event: playing Edelweiss on cowbells. Being one of the youngest in the group, Dan and I were prime targets. Our tablemates tried to get us both to participate, but he opted out, claiming he needed to take photos of our fun.

Yeah, right.

After we entertained everyone with our talent on the bells, the emcee called five people to the front and told us that it was time for an after-dinner shot of kirsch.

Next thing we knew, we were being lined up and handed a long wooden board that had five metal shot glasses attached. After all, he told us, this cherry liqueur is best enjoyed with friends. So the audience counted out in German, “Eins, zwei, drei!” and watched as the board and cups went bottoms up.

As they say in Germany, Prost!

Here’s what I found out: When everyone else is taller than I am, my lips have a harder time reaching the glass. Thankfully though, I managed to get most of it in my mouth.

Is the optional Viking Rudesheim dinner worth it?

While we were in town chugging kirsch shots, the passengers who had remained on board were being treated to sauerbraten for dinner. This beef dish takes days to make and is one of Dan’s favorite foods. Had we known they were going to serve that deliciousness, we would have stayed on board.

What’s even more disappointing was that we had such a good time in town that we got back to the ship late and missed the glass blowing demonstration that Viking had set up. Rats. I enjoy watching that sort of stuff.

ⓘ NEXT STOP: Koblenz, Germany

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Written by Linda

Linda is multilingual and has been to over 50 countries. Her insatiable love of travel, cuisine, and foreign languages inspired her to create As We Saw It, where she documents her trips, shares practical itineraries, and offers insider tips. She’s passionate about helping fellow travelers save time, money, and hassle, and loves to discover new places to explore.

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