LORELEI AND THE RHINE VALLEY

By Anne Treur

Ich weiss nicht, was soll es bedeuten, das ich so traurig bin…”

(Heinrich Heine)

These dramatic sentences are from Die Lorelei, a poem by Heinrich Heine. It’s about a beautiful enchanting mermaid, sitting on a rock overlooking the Rhine, where she sings her song. Skippers who aren’t aware of her dangers have eyes for the mermaid only, until the ships hit the cliffs and that’s the end of another poor skipper. The Lorelei still exists, a large rock in the middle of the river Rhine in Germany. It’s worth visiting and so is the rest of the Rhine valley.

The Rhine valley has a lot to offer, apart from the Lorelei. Beautiful nature scenes, old castles, villages and vineyards all make for a great time away from home. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful areas in Germany. Growing up, we often went to this area for our family holidays and I remember lovely towns with half-timbered houses and quiet village squares. We visited old ruins, swam in cool lakes and went on walks through the forests.

Siebengebirge and Drachenfels

I love the place called Koningswinter, looking like it’s come straight from some fairytale. There is an old ruin on top of the Drachenfels, a huge rock. The castle was strategically placed, as you can see for miles along the Rhine valley. The Dragon Rock is named after the dreadful dragon that was eventually sorted out by a young knight. There’s not much left of the dragon and even the castle, Sloss Drachenburg is fast disappearing. The views are spectacular as ever though.

Did you know, Heinrich Heine not only had a poem about the Lorelei, but he also wrote one about the Dragon Rock. The Siebengebirge, which has seven mountains surprisingly, is a beautiful area for walking, as well as visiting its many lovely towns.

Boppard, another interesting town.

Just south of Koblenz, which is a much larger city, you will find Boppard. It’s again a place with a view. There is a chairlift to take you to a vantage point called Vierseenblick, where you can see the Rhine, snaking through the valley.

But even just sitting on one of the many terraces with a cold drink is enough to make you feel like you’re on holiday. The slow river, quaint church spire across the valley and the green slopes, are beautiful and enough to make you feel relaxed.

Boppard used to be part of the huge Roman Empire and went by the name Baudobriga, which was watered down to Boppard. Roman remains can still be found around Boppard although a lot has disappeared over time. The folk museum has a splendid home in the old castle of the Elector of Trier, who was in charge of the area. The medieval building is easily found on the river bank.

Lorelei

By simply following the route, we soon pass the Lorelei. Local people are making the rock pay, so there is a Lorelei Visitors centre, a Lorelei Inn, a summer toboggan run and plenty of restaurants and campsites with names like Lorelei View. But the rock itself is spectacular and the area is stunning.

By just following the river, you will pass so many beauty spots and many strategically placed castles, and simply seeing the river wind and twist through the green valley is a joy to experience.

If you want to see the Rhine from a different angle, a boat trip is a good way. Koblenz is great for a day out. It’s a lovely city with plenty to see and do. A boat trip is a relaxed way to see the area and castles. Just watch out near the Lorelei and keep an eye out to make sure the captain isn’t distracted by mermaids!

For the full article, visit Anne Treur’s website : https://www.ditisanne.nl/anne-reist-travel-blog/europa/duitsland/romantisch-rijndaldrachenfels-lorelei/

Anne Treur is Dutch, living in the east of the Netherlands. She works as PA, but spends her free time travelling, writing, taking photos and blogging about it all! Come and travel along with her, through her website: https://www.ditisanne.nl/annereist-travel-blog/europa/duitsland/romantisch-rijndaldrachenfels-lorelei/