A wine (or two) on the Rhine
Wining, dining, and plenty of wandering – Trupti Biradar boards Imagery II for a trip to fairy-tale castles, medieval towns, vineyards and more.
My liver can’t take it. It’s just day two and I’m on my 12th glass of wine. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. But river cruises certainly weren’t made for those with a weak constitution.
There’s wine at 10am on a shore excursion to Neroberg mountain in Wiesbaden, another couple of glasses with lunch, an afternoon tasting session in the lounge, then a different wine paired with each of the five courses at dinner. I could get used to this.
We’re on Avalon Waterway’s Imagery II – a new vessel that will sail Europe’s River Rhine, taking travellers between Zurich and Amsterdam over eight days. She’s a beauty. At 110 metres long, she can comfortably accommodate 128 people, and 37 crew. There’s a tiny on-board gym, which is great for working off those lavish buffets, a whirlpool spa on the sky deck, a games area, a salon, and plenty of dining options.
But it’s the shore excursions that really make this experience shine. The Rhine is Europe’s busiest river, flowing from the Swiss Alps through six countries, and emptying out into the North Sea in The Netherlands. Along the way it meanders past dramatic gorges and hillsides dotted with fairy-tale castles, fortresses, and vineyards. There are small villages, medieval towns, and picturesque cities waiting to be explored.
Explore Wiesbaden
A city that’s not usually on the itinerary, Wiesbaden is well worth a visit. Surprisingly, this ‘‘home of riesling’’ doesn’t feature more prominently on Germany’s mustvisit lists, and we’re told it produces the best riesling in the world. Not one to argue, I nod and accept another glass. The vineyards cover the slopes of Neroberg Mountain (at 245m, it’s really more of a hill), and the views from the top out over the German state of Hesse are pretty special.
Worth a visit on Neroberg, is the nearby St Elizabeth’s Church.
It was built by the Duke of Nassau, in memory of the early death of his wife, Russian princess Elizabeth Mikhailovna.
Today it’s golden domes are a not-so-famous ode to love.
Also known as one of Europe’s oldest spa towns, Wiesbaden is home to 26 thermal springs, their waters renowned for their healing properties.
In the 1800s, the spring were frequented by the writers Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Fyodor Dostoevsky, as well as prominent composers Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms. Built in 1913 on the site of an ancient Roman baths, Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme, a 1500sq m bathhouse lets you experience a bit of ancient Rome in the 21st century.
Visit the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz
Across the river from Wiesbaden lies the city of Mainz. It’s most famous as the place where the movable-type printing press was invented. At the Gutenberg Museum, named after inventor Johannes Gutenberg, there’s a bit
of nerdy excitement in the air as we get to see examples of the extremely rare 15th-century Gutenberg Bibles, look into a reconstruction of Gutenberg’s workshop, and see a printing press in action. It took so much muscle power back then just to produce a document.
More information:
gutenberg-museum.de
Wander through Castle Marksburg
Of the 40 medieval castles between Bingen Am Rhein and Koblenz, only one escaped the destruction caused by two world wars, and the ravages of time over the last 800 years. Castle Marksburg is probably better described as a fortress, as it was never used as a residence.
It’s raining as we pass through the drawbridge gate and climb on to the cobbled path leading into the seemingly impenetrable castle. The tour is a fascinating walk through history.
Most memorable is the toilet in the dining room. Aside from its unusual location, it locks from the outside, thereby eliminating a potential point of entry to the castle. A clever defence strategy. The armory houses an impressive array of weaponry, armour and . . . chastity belts. Down in the stables, some rather ingenious torture devices are on display. More information: Marksburg.de
Try Rudesheim coffee
Rudesheim am Rhein is best known as a wine-making region, but this cosy little town has a lot more to offer.
There’s a nip in the air as we wander down the Drosselgasse. It’s barely 3m wide and 144m long but this narrow lane attracts three million-plus tourists a year. The unmistakeable scent of freshly baked goods draws us into No 5 for a Baumstriezel (pastry) and cup of Rudesheim coffee.
It’s a bit of a ritual here in Rudesheim. A good glug of Asbach Uralt, a Germany brandy, and three cubes of sugar are poured into a cup. It’s set alight and stirred for about a minute, until the sugar dissolves. Strong black coffee is added, then it’s all topped up with whipped cream, vanilla sugar, and dark chocolate. It’s basically heaven in a cup. Have it with a cinnamon sugartopped Baumstriezel – a sweet donut-like pastry cooked on a rotary spit.
The best word to describe this town is Gemutlichkeit. It’s one of those great German words that’s pretty much untranslatable, but roughly means ‘‘cosy, cheerful and comfortable’’.
More information:
facebook.com/DrosselgasseNo5
Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum
This bizarre and fascinating museum is housed in a noble court that dates to the 16th century. Built in 1542, the Bromersburg is home to one of the world’s biggest collections of automated musical instruments – about 350 in total. Staff adorned in period costumes beckon us into the museum, which has a bit of a haunted house of horrors feel to it. However, this tour is a fascinating glimpse into the history of mechanised music.
The most famous device on display, the Phonoliszt Violina, is also known as the eighth wonder of the world. It’s a work of art – six violins and a piano, all automated, and playing together in perfect harmony. From tiny music boxes and cymbal-clanging monkeys to, an impressive self-playing piano and giant hand-cranked carnival devices, prepare to spend 45 minutes in awe.
More information:
smmk.de
Take a cable car to the Niederwald Monument
It was too cold to take photos as the cable car swayed in the breeze. My hands remained firmly jammed in my pockets on the ascent over Rudesheim’s vineyards. From our vantage point, we had panoramic views that stretched out to the Rhine.
At the top, towering over the valley, sits the imposing and majestic Niederwalddenkmal.The 10m tall majestic monument, built between 1877 and 1883 to celebrate Germany Unification, is visible for miles. Reach it by car, bicycle, cable car, or on foot.
More information:
ruedesheim.de
Eat Tarte Flambee
Tarte flambee, or flammekueche as they say in Alsation, is like pizza. Only better. The original recipe consists of thinly rolled dough covered with creme fraiche, onions, and lardons (or bacon). Many variations exist today, with the addition of different cheeses, mushrooms, or sweet versions. It quickly became our meal of choice every day we were in the Alsace region of France.
In Strasbourg, it’s particularly well made at the Academie de la Biere, a chilled out little pub, with a student-vibe.
More information:
facebook.com/aca.petite.france
Visit Strasbourg Cathedral
It’s hard not to stand there, neck craned, mouth ajar, staring. The Sagrada Familia aside, this is one of the most breathtaking examples of Gothic architecture.
At 142m, this Cathedral used to be the world’s tallest building, but after five centuries with the title, it was knocked off its perch by a church in Hamburg. Today, it’s the sixth tallest. But it’s no less impressive. Look out for the astronomical clock, a wondrous and complex creation that’s one of the largest in the world.
More information:
strasbourg.info
Explore Colmar
Nestled between Strasbourg and Base, the little city of Colmar needs no filters. It’s the prettiest stop on the Rhine. In the Alsace region of France, this medieval city has changed its nationality many times over the years, swapping from French to German and back again, countless times. It was the last French town to be freed after World War II. While the constant changing of guard must have been confusing forits inhabitants, today the city blends the best of both great nations.
Candy-coloured houses with timber accents line cobblestoned streets; spring flowers in bloom adorn the bridge over the canals of Petite Venise (Little Venice); and families bask in the last dredges of sunshine at a nearby Easter market. Colmar is a quintessential fairy-tale city: quaint, charming, and laidback. From the Quartier des Tanneurs (the Tanner’s Quarter), to the Quai de la Poissonnerie (the Fishmonger’s district), the best way to explore the city is to wander its ancient streets.
Famous 19th-century sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, best known for designing the Statue of Liberty, was a native of Colmar. Today, the Bartholdi Museum and several statues dotted throughout the city pay homage to him.
More information:
tourisme-colmar.com
Discover the Black Forest Open-Air Museum
The road zigzags through the densely wooded Black Forest, a region known the world over for its cake, its ham, and its cuckoo clocks. Sadly, on this excursion we only managed to buy a mini version of the latter. We’re on our way to Gutach, a town that’s home to the Black Forest OpenAir Museum – a collection of farmhouses dating to the 1600s, and one of the most visited openair museums in Germany.
Vogtsbauernhof, the most famous farmhouse, was built in 1612. The buildings are immaculately preserved, and exploring them is a great way to experience rural life between the 16th and 18th centuries.