Rhine: classic from Mainz to Cologne with charming hotels

Castles and palaces of world renown.

Look forward to this special bike tour on the Rhine Cycle Path. You cycle through the fascinating Middle Rhine Valley, which in its upper part from Rüdesheim to Koblenz has even been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. On these 67 kilometers it represents only around five percent of the entire course of the river, but it is probably the most beautiful part of the entire Rhine between the Alps and the North Sea. You start in Mainz and cycle through the sun-drenched Rheingau with its wonderful vineyards and delicious wines, before ending the day with an evening stroll through the world-famous Drosselgasse in Rüdesheim. For the next 2 days you will cycle on the flat Rhine Cycle Path through the fascinating Upper Middle Rhine Valley. Look forward to an abundance of cultural assets, more than two thousand years of history, a section of the river peppered with ruins, castles and palaces. On the way, cable car rides, museums, cafés and restaurants as well as a varied river landscape with new experiences beckon. You can enjoy a new, special hotel on this bike tour every day. Especially because of its location, its furnishings, its character or charm. Let yourself be surprised!

1. day Arrival in Mainz

Arrive early and look forward to the beautiful old town of Mainz with its half-timbered houses and medieval market square. Marvel at the renaissance-style market fountain with its red pillars and the Romanesque Mainz Cathedral with its deep red sandstone and the striking octagonal tower. If you have a lot of time, you can visit the Gutenberg Museum, which is dedicated to the inventor of the printing press. You will stay in the middle of the Mainz city park in the Favorite Parkhotel Mainz or in the Hyatt Regency which lies directly at the riverside. 

2. day Mainz - Rüdesheim approx. 35 km / 49 km

The beautiful first cycle route takes you through gentle vineyards and well-known wine- towns. Enjoy the unique atmosphere, where the Rhine still flows slowly. The Rhine even forms small romantic islands on this section or extends its riverbed to a width of up to 800 m! Take a break in the beautiful half-timbered town of Eltville and take a detour (+ 14 km) to the Eberbach monastery. You can expect to explore the mystical legacy of the Cistercian monks, fascinating monastery tours, a large monastery shop and a vinotheque where real treasures lie dormant. Take the opportunity to join a wine tasting before cycling on to Rüdesheim. A stroll through the world-famous street `Drosselgasse’ and a relaxed cable-car ride up to the Niederwald monument beckon. Your hotel - the 4-star Breuer's Rüdesheim Castle- is located between the quiet Steingasse and the lively Drosselgasse.

3. day Rüdesheim - St. Goar approx. 34 km

In the morning, the Rhine ferry takes you from Rüdesheim to Bingen, where the well-developed Rhine cycle path awaits you again. You follow it along the banks of the Rhine to Bacharach. On this first 16 km alone you will pass the Mäuseturm, the castles Rheinstein, Reichenstein, Sooneck Castle, Hohneck Castle and the Fürstenberg ruins. A photo stop is worthwhile everywhere! Climb the city wall in Bacharach. These historical city fortifications still clearly enclose the city in a semicircle. Along with the city wall in Oberwesel, it is the best-preserved city fortification on the Middle Rhine. Now it is not far to St. Goar. You can see your hotel from afar because you spend a romantic night in the 4-star superior Hotel Schloss Rheinfels high above the Rhine.

4. day St. Goar - Koblenz approx. 36 km

Today the route continues along the narrow Rhine Valley to the well-known wine town of Boppard. It's a turbulent place here, but you can also take the chairlift (or the 5,5 km long loop trail) to the Vierseenblick viewpoint to escape to wooded, quiet heights and again enjoy a wonderful view of the Rhine Valley. Or visit the well-preserved Marksburg and Stolzenfels Castle on the way to the Deutsches Eck -a famous headland in Koblenz-, where you can end the day. Visit the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, to which you can comfortably glide over by cable car or take a boat trip around the Deutsches Eck with a beautiful view of the old town. In Koblenz you stay in the modern Hotel Kleiner Riesen or in the Hotel Mercure, both of which are located directly on the Rhine promenade.

5. day Koblenz - Bad Godesberg approx. 61 km

Cozy spa towns, inviting wine towns, old thermal baths and lively beer gardens await your visit. You cycle from one small highlight to the next on the flat Rhine cycle path. There are many castles and palaces along the way. Sayn, Neuwied, Andernach, Namedy, Brohl or Bad Breisig greet you with their palaces and castles. Take a break at the Bridge of Remagen, because here, where the former towers of the famous Bridge of Remagen protrude on the shore, a worth seeing Peace Museum has been set up today. On the right riverside, Bad Honnef soon beckons with its inviting pedestrian zone and the market square lined with numerous cafés. Then the Siebengebirge hill range moves into your field of vision. If you want, you can use the ferry to Königswinter to take the oldest cogwheel train in Germany up to the Drachenfels, which offers a fantastic view. From up here Bad Godesberg can already be seen on the other side of the Rhine. Look forward to your overnight stay at the Dreesen Boutique Hotel.

6. day Bad Godesberg - Köln approx. 43 km

Again, the flat Rhine Cycle Path beckons, but also the old federal capital Bonn with numerous sights and interesting museums, before the Cologne Cathedral comes into focus. Your bike route is not too long today, so you still have plenty of time for all of Cologne's attractions. In the heart of the Rhine metropolis and only a few minutes away from the historical sights, you stay at the Steigenberger Hotel Cologne.

7. day Departure from Cologne

After breakfast, your lovely cycling holiday ends at the hotel. Train departure possible. If you want to go back to Mainz, we recommend our return transfer service, which will take you directly from the hotel in Cologne back to the start

Worth knowing

Below you will find specific information about the bike trip from Mainz to Cologne. If you have further questions about this trip, you simply call us: Phone: 06421 – 886890.

Arrival by train

Mainz is easily accessible from all major cities in Germany by train. Our partner hotels in Mainz are located south of the old town near the Südbahnhof station. Current schedule information and price information can be found at:

Train schedule information

Parking at the hotel

The Favorite Parkhotel Mainz offers you free parking in front of the house or an underground car park (16,00 € per night).
The Hyatt Regency Hotel Mainz has its own underground car park (19,00 € per 24 hours, max. Vehicle height 2 m).
You will receive detailed information about the parking options with the detailed travel documents about 2 weeks before arrival.

Condition of cycle paths

The route along the Rhine runs almost exclusively on paved and secured cycle paths and dam paths or on quiet country roads. Driving directly in traffic is rare.
As part of an EU project, uniform signage with the EuroVelo 15 logo was implemented for the entire Rhine Cycle Route from Andermatt to Hoek van Holland. In Hesse, the signs are exclusively with the EuroVelo 15 logo, in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia a combination of the EV15 logo and "Rheinradler" has been chosen.

Available rental bikes

If you would like a Velociped rental bike for the tour, we will bring it to your starting hotel and pick it up at your destination ourselves. You can choose from unisex and men's bikes with either a 7-speed gear hub and coaster brake or 27-speed derailleur gears and free-wheeling. All unisex bikes have a deep step-through and men's bikes are available in different frame sizes. Our unisex bikes are suitable for all cycling enthusiasts from 150 cm height and the men's bikes from 165 cm. Simply state your bike requirements when booking.
8-speed unisex e-bikes are also available on request. This is where the high-quality, robust and well-engineered e-bikes from the Velo de Ville brand are used.
The Velociped rental bikes

Transfer back to the starting point

Every Wednesday and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. there is the possibility of getting back to Mainz with a minibus (arrival there around 2:00 p.m.). The driver comes to your hotel and has space for you, your luggage and, if necessary, your private bike. He drives you back to your starting hotel and thus ensures a perfect return service without the hassle of changing trains or lugging your suitcase.

Your hotels

Favorite Parkhotel Mainz: Enjoy this unique location near the Mainz rose garden. After a first tour of the city, you will find peace and relaxation in the extensive grounds of the city park. In the evening you can enjoy an aperitif on the outside terrace and dinner in the restaurant. The rooftop spa and the in-house wine bar offer you the opportunity to end the evening very relaxed.
Favorite Parkhotel Mainz

Hyatt Regency Mainz: In the Hyatt Regency, modern design is tastefully combined with historical charm. Experience regional cuisine with international influences in the Bellpepper restaurant with open show kitchen or enjoy homemade cakes or trendy cocktails in the lounge and bar. In summer, take a seat on the Rheintöchter terrace or in the Rheinkanzel beer garden directly on the lively Rhine promenade.
Hyatt Regency

Breuer's Rüdesheim Castle: The hotel is located between the quiet Steingasse and the lively Drosselgasse. The 4-star wine hotel in the former Zehnthof is characterized by wine, art and design. The 26 individual hotel rooms are modern and lovingly furnished. And the next morning you can have breakfast in the winter garden or in the castle garden, depending on the weather.
Breuer's Rüdesheim Castle

Hotel Schloss Rheinfels, St. Goar: You spend a romantic night in the 4-star superior Hotel Schloss Rheinfels high above the Rhine. What was once the mightiest fortress on the Rhine offers a unique panoramic view of the Loreley valley. Poets and thinkers of German Romanticism were once inspired by the splendor of nature and culture. Today you can enjoy traditional hospitality in a historical ambience. Look forward to a comfortable room with exquisite antiques and the spacious wellness area with swimming pool, saunas and fitness room.
Hotel Rheinfels Castle

Hotel Kleiner Riesen Koblenz: The family-run 3-star hotel with lovingly furnished rooms is located on the Rhine promenade near the Deutsches Eck. Relax in the bistro and enjoy excellent Italian ice cream, cakes or homemade delicacies with a wonderful view of the Rhine.
Hotel Kleiner RIesen

Mercure Hotel Koblenz: This hotel is located directly on the Rhine near the Electoral Palace. The old town, the Deutsches Eck and the cable car to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress are just a short walk away. Relax in the sauna area after the bike tour and a short sightseeing tour. The Finesse restaurant has regional specialties ready for you. End the day in style on the Rhine terrace or in the piano bar.
Mercure Hotel Koblenz

Boutique Hotel Dreesen Bad Godesberg: You can stay in an elegantly and modern styled, charming Art Nouveau villa in the middle of the Bad Godesberg villa district. There are two Art Nouveau villas that are connected by a glass bridge. If you want to pamper yourself with culinary delights in the evening, visit the "Halbedels Gasthaus", which is 5 minutes' walk away. The star chef Rainer Maria Halbedel cooks here. However you spend the evening, you can have breakfast in the light-flooded winter garden with plenty of space and direct access to the garden.
Boutique Hotel Dreesen

Steigenberger Hotel Köln: The modern rooms offer more than just accommodation. Comfortable furnishings include air conditioning, satellite TV, a desk, safe, minibar as well as a Nespresso coffee machine and a kettle for making tea. The unique summer terrace in the garden invites you to relax during the summer months. A cozy lounge atmosphere and delicious cocktails in the 19NullZwo bar offer the perfect place for a cool drink and a cozy end to your bike tour.
Steigenberger Hotel Cologne

Cycle & Ride

Along the entire route between Mainz and Cologne there are good train connections parallel to the cycle path, so that you can bridge sections by train at any time.

Cycle & Cruise

A trip by ship is a delightful addition to a bike tour, especially in the Middle Rhine Valley. Most of the passenger traffic on the Rhine route is carried out by the Köln-Düsseldorfer Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (KD-Line). Bicycles are accepted on all ships.
Timetable KD-Line

Extra costs which are not included

A possibly applicable city tax is not included and has to be paid at the hotel locally.

7 days hotline service

Just in case the bike chain is broken, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any other nasty surprise: you can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help you as fast as possible.

Passport and visa requirements, health regulations

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Corona travel information:
Before booking your trip, please inform yourself about the measures in place to contain the Corona pandemic.

Information on current decisions of the German Federal Government can be found here:
https://www.bundesregierung.de/corona-these-rules-and-restrictions-apply

Current information on entry requirements to Germany can be found here:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus

You can also find more information on our website at:
Corona virus and holiday planning

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Mainz Cathedral

The High Cathedral in Mainz is the episcopal church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mainz and is under the patronage of St. Martin of Tours. The east choir is dedicated to St. Stephen. The building, which is one of the imperial domes, is in its current form a three-aisled Romanesque columned basilica, which has both Gothic and Baroque elements in its extensions.

Mainz Cathedral

Drosselgasse

The Drosselgasse is a three meter wide and about 144 meter long cobblestone street in Rüdesheim am Rhein, which is visited by about three million people every year. The numerous wine houses, some of which are half-timbered, shape the image of the world-famous Drosselgasse, along with gift and souvenir shops. It is one of six connecting streets between Rüdesheimer Oberstrasse and the Rhine promenade.

Drosselgasse

Ehrenfels castle ruins

Ehrenfels Castle is located halfway above the Rhine on a mountain ledge made of solid quartzite and is one of the most imposing buildings on the Rhine. It once extended with its outbuildings down to the banks of the Rhine, where the customs house was located. It offers a wonderful view of the Rhine. Together with the Mouse Tower and Klopp Castle, Ehrenfels Castle was of great strategic importance for the Archbishops of Mainz, as they were able to defend their property against attacks from the north. The Mainz cathedral treasure was stored here in times of war.

Ehrenfels Castle remained a customs post for centuries. The income first went to the Archbishop of Mainz and later to the Mainz Cathedral Chapter. To collect customs, extensive buildings were built on the banks of the Rhine, of which no remains have survived today. With the advent of Rhine romanticism in the 19th century, Ehrenfels Castle became a popular destination for travelers from all over the world. The picturesque ruin shaped the romantic ideas of the people. Goethe also visited the castle in 1814.

Ehrenfels castle ruins

Parish and pilgrimage church of St. Hildegard in Eibingen

Hildegard von Bingen founded two monasteries: the Rupertsberg monastery near Bingen and the Eibingen monastery not far from Rüdesheim. There, the noblewoman Marka von Rüdesheim founded an Augustinian double monastery in 1148, which was already abandoned by 1165 due to the turmoil of war caused by Emperor Barbarossa. The growth of the Rupertsberg convent moved Hildegard to purchase the damaged buildings in 1165. She had them renovated to accommodate 30 Benedictine nuns and drove twice a week from Rupertsberg Monastery across the Rhine to her new monastery community.
Parish and pilgrimage church of St. Hildegard in Eibingen

Rheinfels Castle

Rheinfels Castle is a hilltop castle which was built on a ledge between the left bank of the Rhine and the Gründelbach valley above St. Goar. After its expansion into a fortress, it was the largest defense system in the Middle Rhine Valley between Koblenz and Bingen and was only surpassed as a fortress by the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, which is located in the Middle Rhine Valley between Bonn and Koblenz.

Rheinfels Castle

The Deutsches Eck

The Deutsches Eck ( translating to 'German Corner') is a headland at the confluence of the Moselle and the Rhine in Koblenz. A monumental equestrian statue of Emperor Wilhelm I was erected here in 1897. The monument base served as a memorial to German unity from 1953 to 1990. On the left bank of the Rhine, the Rheinanlagen branch off from the Deutsches Eck, on the right bank of the Moselle the Peter-Altmeier-Ufer.

The Deutsches Eck

Basilica of St. Castor

The St. Kastor Basilica (also: Kastorkirche) is the oldest church in Koblenz. It is located behind the Deutsches Eck. On the forecourt of the basilica is the so-called castor fountain from Napoleonic times. On July 30, 1991, Pope John Paul II elevated the Castor Church to a "basilica minor". This church, in which German history was made, is worth seeing because of its extensively preserved Romanesque building stock and the largely traditional furnishings.

Basilica of St. Castor

Electoral palace

The Electoral Palace in Koblenz was the residence of the last Archbishop and Elector of Trier, Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony, who had the palace built at the end of the 18th century. The Prussian Crown Prince (later Emperor Wilhelm I) resided here as the Rhenish-Westphalian military governor for a few years.

Electoral palace

Empress Augusta parks

The Rheinanlagen are the promenades on the left bank of the Rhine in Koblenz. They are 3.5 km long and consist of the Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer and the Kaiserin-Augusta-Anlagen. They were designed by the Prussian horticultural master Peter Lenné between 1856 and 1861 on behalf of Augusta von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, the wife of Emperor Wilhelm I.

Empress Augusta parks

Breisiger thermal springs

The Middle Rhine Valley is best known for its numerous sights such as castles, palaces, churches and other cultural monuments. Bad Breisig also plays its part with a lot of things to see and its Römer-Thermen health center. Bad Breisig am Rhein goes back to a Celtic-Roman foundation. The place has been inhabited for 2500 years. With the drilling of the first of a total of six thermal springs, the rise to a spa town began in 1914. The title "Bad" was awarded on May 6, 1958.

Breisiger thermal springs

Bad Breisig old customs house

The old customs house, which was built around 1500, is located on the banks of the Rhine at the corner of Eulengasse. Its existence goes back to the rule of the women's monastery in Essen over the Breisig region.

Bad Breisig old customs house

The Bonn Art Museum

Since 1992, the Kunstmuseum Bonn has shown works of Rhenish Expressionism, mainly works by German artists from the period after the Second World War. It has an exhibition area of ​​4700 m² and is part of the "Museum Mile" in Bonn.

The Bonn Art Museum

Art and exhibition hall of the FRG

As a house for temporary exhibitions, the art and exhibition hall of the Federal Republic of Germany has offered a varied program of international importance since 1992. In the first fifteen years, over 143 exhibitions from the fields of art and cultural history, science and technology were presented on the exhibition area of ​​5,600 m².

Art and exhibition hall of the FRG

The house of the history of the FRG

The House of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn is a museum on German contemporary history. With 850,000 visitors annually (as of 2008) it is one of the most visited museums in Germany.

The house of the history of the FRG

The Beethoven House

The Beethoven House in Bonn is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven. It is located at Bonngasse 20 and is now a museum. The world's largest Beethoven collection is housed in its rooms and in the rooms of the neighboring house "Im Mohren" - Bonngasse 18.

The Beethoven House

Bonn Südstadt

The Südstadt is a district in the Bonn city- area. Located south of the city center, it is bounded by Regina-Pacis-Weg, Poppelsdorfer Allee, Reuterstraße, Kaiserstraße, Weberstraße and the Rhine. Together with Bonn's Weststadt, it is often referred to as the largest contiguous (and preserved) Wilhelminian-style district in Germany. Many families with children and students live in the southern part of the city. There are also many fraternity houses.

The old City Hall in Bonn

The old city hall on Bonn's market square was built from 1737 to 1738 by the electoral court architect Michel Leveilly; However, it was not fully completed until around 1780. The three-story building has seven window axes and a mansard roof with dormers.

The old City Hall

Cologne cathedral

The Cologne Cathedral is not only one of the largest and most important cathedrals in the world, its furnishings include works of art that have been known and famous far beyond the borders of Cologne for centuries. With a height of 157.38m, Cologne Cathedral is the second tallest church building in Europe after the Ulm Minster and the third tallest in the world.

Cologne cathedral

Roman-Germanic Museum Cologne

The museum was completed in 1974 over the site of the Dionysus mosaic. The collection conveys a lively picture of Roman culture on the Rhine on three floors. Everyday objects such as vessels, coins and toys, a valuable Roman glass collection and other finds from the early days of settlement in the Rhineland can be seen.

Roman-Germanic Museum