Vineyards on the slopes of the Moselle and Rhine, monumental structures from the Roman Empire in Germany's oldest city Trier: the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is ideal for culture buffs and epicures.
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10 reasons to love Rhineland-Palatinate
The western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate offers plenty to see and do. It boasts beautiful countryside, charming valleys, great wine, a rich history and lots of culture.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Frank Kleefeldt
Panoramic hikes
The 320-kilometer (198-mile) Rheinsteig hiking trail follows the Rhine River and offers spectacular views. If you're looking for a shorter but equally enjoyable hike, consider one of the many paths leading up and down Rhineland-Palatinate's beautiful hills and through its many vineyards. Be sure also to visit Lorelei rock (pictured).
Image: Volker Preußer/IMAGO
Travel back in time
The Middle Rhine Valley is perfect for history buffs. Here, you can find no less then 40 castles perched among the hills between Koblenz and Bingen. Imposing Sooneck castle (pictured) is a real standout and once helped knights keep a watchful eye on the river below. UNESCO declared this region a World Heritage Site in 2002.
Image: Peter Schickert/picture alliance
Picturesque scenery
Travelers have been drawn to the region's picturesque scenery for hundreds of years. One of the best ways to explore this part of Germany is by boat. Cruises toward the famous Lorelei rock and charming Moselle Valley leave from the town of Koblenz. From here, you can also catch a cable car to the impressive Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, offering stunning views of the surrounding area.
Image: Stefan Ziese/imageBROKER/picture alliance
One of Germany's premier wine-growing regions
Rhineland-Palatinate is home to many wine-growing regions. The Moselle area, for example, is known for its steep vineyards (pictured) and exquisite Riesling wines. It was the ancient Romans who first began cultivating wine in this region.
Image: Harald Tittel/dpa/picture alliance
Porta Nigra
This impressive city gate was once built by the Romans as a sign of power. It has become a Trier landmark. The structure stands almost 30 meters (98 feet) tall and is built from sandstone slabs weighing up to 6 tons each. The material originally had a grayish hue, but grew progressively darker over the centuries.
Image: Augst / Eibner-Pressefoto/picture alliance
Paleolithic rock art
In 2014, a hiker discovered unusual rocking carvings in Germany's Hunsruck region. Archaeologists were delighted by the rare find, deemed to be the northernmost Paleolithic rock art in Europe. The carvings, which are believed to be over 20,000 years old, are thought to depict horses.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Thomas Frey
Worms cathedral
Each summer, Worms cathedral plays host to the Nibelungen theater festival. Die Nibelungen is a famous Germanic heroic legend. Since parts of the saga are set in and around Worms, the town is the ideal place for this festival.
Image: Rudolf Uhrig/dpa/picture alliance
A climber's paradise
The Palatinate Forest and northern Vosges Mountains in France form an extended and unique biosphere reserve. It's home to lynxes, wild cats, peregrine falcons, kingfishers and many more species. Climbers are especially drawn to the region near the town of Dahn, where they can test their abilities on steep sandstone rocks.
Image: Reinhard Kaufhold/dpa/picture alliance
Carnival
The Rhineland-Palatinate state capital, Mainz, is a carnival hot spot. The festive tradition dates back to the 16th century. One of the annual carnival highlights is the colorful Rose Monday procession (pictured), usually staged in February each year.
Image: Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images
Eltz Castle
The stunning Eltz castle is not to be missed! Located in the Eifel region, it dates back some 900 years. It's not for nothing this imposing edifice is among Germany's most visited castles and a true Rhineland-Palatinate landmark.
The German Wine Route is a themed tourist route that runs through south-western Rhineland-Palatinate. From almond blossoms in the spring to the grape harvest in the autumn, the multifaceted countryside is always enchanting. Good wine, delicious food, romantic wine-growing villages and castles —Check-in host Nicole Frölich finds the right mixture for a relaxing autumn vacation. She went there in 2019.
Intoxicating – the German Wine Route
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Villa Ludwigshöhe
The Villa Ludwigshöhe lies on a hill overlooking the vineyards near Edenkoben. It's a small palace from the time when the Palatinate belonged to Bavaria. Nowadays the former summer residence of King Ludwig I is devoted to art: from concerts by young classical musicians to exhibitions of paintings by the Palatinate impressionist Max Slevogt.
#DailyDrone: Villa Ludwigshöhe
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Upper Middle Rhine Valley
The Upper Middle Rhine Valley between Koblenz and Bingen in northern Rhineland-Palatinate has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002. With its picturesque castles and steep, vine-covered slopes, it's considered one of the most beautiful sections along the entire river. Such artists asJoseph Mallord William Turner stylized the romantic lure of the Middle Rhine Valley.
Upper Middle Rhine Valley
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Jerusalem on the Rhine
For more than 900 years, Jewish life shaped the three cities of Mainz, Worms and Speyer. Among Jews all over the world they are known as Shum cities. The metropolises on the Rhine were the center of Jewish scholarship and later were of similar importance as Jerusalem. Join Check-in presenter Lukas Stege on his journey to the cradle of European Jewry.
Jerusalem on the Rhine
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Trier
Amphitheater, city gate, baths — 2000 years ago, the Romans lived in Trier in the far west of Rhineland-Palatinate. They built a town for themselves with every conceivable comfort — and with it, important structures that now have UNESCO World Heritage status.
Roman monuments, St. Peter's Cathedral and Liebfrauen Church at Trier
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The Moselle Valley
The Moselle is the longest tributary of the Rhine and one of the most charming river valleys in Germany. The Moselle meanders in narrow bends, flanked by vineyards, past the town of Perl in the Saarland, via Trier to Koblenz, where it flows into the Rhine. Check-in presenter Lukas Stege went along the Moselle cycle path. He plunged into the underworlds of Traben-Trarbach, found castle ruins and a winegrower on the Calmont, who introduced him to the secrets of the Moselle Riesling.
Cycling along the Moselle
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A Highlight in a 360-degree video
The Moselle river winds its way for over 200 serpentine kilometers between Trier and the Middle Rhine Valley, past green vineyards and idyllic towns such as Bernkastel-Kues.
Use the mouse on your computer or your finger on your smartphone to choose what you want to see. Click on the video and drag the image sections wherever you want. If you are using a PC, use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as a browser. And if you have VR glasses, you can watch the video in virtual reality.
Your trip to Germany
Are you looking for recommendations for your visit to Germany? We've got them: Tips for Germany — state by state.
