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The Rhine curving around the Loreley between steep wooded slopes, seen from a viewpoint high above

Things to see

Things to see and do in Sankt Goarshausen and the Loreley

The Loreley rock and its siren, Burg Katz above the town, the ruins of Burg Rheinfels across the river, the Marksburg, the island castle at Kaub and the wine towns of Bacharach, Oberwesel and Rüdesheim. Here are the places worth your time.

Sankt Goarshausen and the Loreley

The town sits on a narrow strip between the river and the slate cliffs, with Burg Katz above the rooftops. A riverside path leads south to the Loreley statue, and the rock itself rises just upstream, with a park and an open-air stage on top.

The Loreley, a steep rocky hill covered in trees, rising from the Rhine under a blue sky Landmark

The Loreley

The Rhine’s most famous rock

A slate cliff about 130 metres high at the narrowest bend of the Rhine, home of the legendary siren, with a park, viewpoints and an open-air stage on the plateau.

The bronze Loreley statue, a seated woman with long hair, on a stone plinth against the sky Statue

Loreley statue

The siren on the harbour wall

A bronze statue of the Loreley from 1983, sitting at the tip of the long harbour wall below the rock, about 30 minutes’ walk upstream from the town along the river.

Burg Katz, a stone castle with a round keep and pointed turrets, on a wooded hill Castle

Burg Katz

The Cat above the town

The castle above Sankt Goarshausen, built in the 1370s by the Counts of Katzenelnbogen, destroyed in 1806 and rebuilt around 1900. It is privately owned, but it is the classic view of the town.

Stone terraces of the open-air amphitheatre on the Loreley, curving down to a stage under a white tent roof Venue

Loreley open-air stage

Concerts on top of the rock

An amphitheatre on the Loreley plateau, built in the 1930s and now one of Germany’s best-known open-air venues, with rock concerts and festivals in summer.

Across the river and downstream

There are no bridges across the Rhine between Mainz and Koblenz, so a ferry links Sankt Goarshausen with St. Goar and Burg Rheinfels on the opposite bank. Downstream are Burg Maus above Wellmich and, half an hour away by train, the Marksburg.

The rooftops and church spire of St. Goar beside the Rhine, with wooded hills and boats on the river Town

St. Goar

The town across the river

Sankt Goarshausen’s twin town on the left bank, a few minutes away by ferry, with riverside cafés, a promenade, wine shops and Burg Rheinfels on the hill above.

The large ruined castle of Rheinfels on a green hillside above St. Goar Castle ruin

Burg Rheinfels

Tunnels, towers and views

Once the largest castle on the Rhine, founded in 1245 and blown up by French troops in 1797. Its huge ruins, towers and dark tunnels are open to explore above St. Goar.

Burg Maus on a wooded hill above the village of Wellmich, with passenger boats on the Rhine Castle

Burg Maus

The Mouse that faced the Cat

A 14th-century castle above the village of Wellmich, just downstream, built by the Archbishops of Trier and nicknamed the Mouse in mockery of Burg Katz. It is privately owned.

The white walls and tall keep of the Marksburg on its hilltop above Braubach Castle

Marksburg

The castle never destroyed

The only hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine that was never destroyed, above the town of Braubach, about 30 minutes downstream by train. Visits are by guided tour.

Upstream: Kaub, Oberwesel, Bacharach and Rüdesheim

South of the Loreley, the valley is lined with wine towns and castles: the island toll castle at Kaub, the walled town of Oberwesel, half-timbered Bacharach and, at the southern gate of the valley, Rüdesheim.

Pfalzgrafenstein Castle, white with red trim and a tall tower, on its island in the Rhine Castle

Kaub and Pfalzgrafenstein

A toll castle in the river

A small wine town on the right bank, about 10 minutes upstream by train, with Pfalzgrafenstein, a 14th-century toll castle on an island in the Rhine, and Burg Gutenfels above.

The red Gothic church of Oberwesel among the town’s rooftops beside the Rhine Town

Oberwesel

The town of towers and wine

A wine town on the left bank with one of the best-preserved town walls in Germany, more than a dozen towers, the red Liebfrauenkirche and the Schönburg castle above.

Bacharach and its church below wooded hills and vineyards, beside a wide bend of the Rhine Wine town

Bacharach

Half-timbered houses and Riesling

One of the prettiest towns on the Rhine, with half-timbered houses inside its old walls, the ruined Wernerkapelle, wine taverns and Burg Stahleck on the hill above.

Colourful half-timbered wine taverns with flowers along a cobbled lane in Rüdesheim Wine town

Rüdesheim am Rhein

Wine taverns and a cable car

The lively wine town at the southern end of the valley, with the Drosselgasse, a cable car over the vineyards to the Niederwald Monument, and boats to the Loreley.

Planning your route

Sankt Goarshausen is small, and the Loreley rises just upstream. With the ferry, the boats and the trains on both banks, you can reach a different castle or wine town every day without a car.

Around the town

  1. Walk the riverside path upstream to the Loreley statue at the end of the harbour wall.
  2. Climb to the Loreley plateau for the view down on the river.
  3. Look up at Burg Katz, or climb to the Dreiburgenblick viewpoint.
  4. Take the ferry to St. Goar and walk up to Burg Rheinfels.

Downstream

Burg Maus stands above Wellmich, a short walk or bus ride downstream. Further on, the Marksburg above Braubach is about 30 minutes by train, and Koblenz about 40.

Upstream

Kaub and Pfalzgrafenstein are 10 minutes by train. On the left bank, Oberwesel and Bacharach are a short train ride from St. Goar, and boats continue to Rüdesheim.

Good to know

Many sights, boats and hotels have shorter hours or close from November to March. Check opening times before you travel, and read our one-day itinerary.

Plan your Loreley trip

Castles, cruises and Riesling on the Rhine

Sail past the Loreley rock, climb to Burg Rheinfels, walk the Rheinsteig above the river or watch the Rhine in Flames fireworks from the deck of a boat. Compare tours and book in a couple of taps.

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