Upper Middle Rhine Valley - sailing through UNESCO world heritage site and visiting Ruedesheim

In recognition of its status as one of the world's oldest and most magnificent cultural landscapes, UNESCO included the Upper Middle Rhine Valley in its list of World Cultural Heritage sites in 2002. The romantic river valley is lined with castles and palaces. 

It extends from the old Roman town of Koblenz, via the myth - enshrouded Loreley rock, to Bingen and Ruedesheim, and includes the steep vineyards that are home to the famous Rhine wines. In the Romantic era, the Rhine began to be associated with Germany's fate. It carried not only goods and people from many different countries, but was also a channel for a wealth of cultural influences and ideas - the religious buildings along the river, in particular, bear eloquent testimony to this.

Drosselgasse in Ruedesheim

Since the beginning of the last century, Ruedesheim has been an attraction for English and German romantic writers, and considering the modest number of its residents, is today one of the most visited towns in Germany. Historical buildings, such as the Klunkhardshof, the fortified Adlerhof, the thousand year old Broemser Castle and the ruin of Ehrenfels Castle offer world class sightseeing. Don't forget to enjoy a glass of the world famous Ruedesheim Riesling in one of the many wine taverns in the Drosselgasse, the heart of Ruedesheim's old town. Built in the 15th century, the Drosselgasse was for boat owners to move items from the river to homes in the town.