Koblenz Invites Exploration

If you plan to start your Rhine tour in Koblenz, don't just head from the train station to the Köln-Düsseldorfer dock. The city itself is worth a visit. If you've just landed in Frankfurt from the United States, consider taking an hour's train ride from the airport up the Rhine to Koblenz. Stash your bags at your hotel, walk around town, grab an early dinner and regain strength for the coming days' explorations.

Much of the Koblenz was destroyed during World War II, and most buildings were rebuilt to support service industries and shopping both for its 109,000 residents and for the Rhine region. Thus, the city's alive and active, with enough pockets of discovery to satisfy history buffs. Pick up a map at the tourist office on the plaza immediately outside the train station. The main shopping street, the Löhrstrasse, is just a few blocks away, and it will lead you to the Old City. From the Löhrstrasse you can also catch a view of the stunning 19th-century, Neo-classical Palace of the Prince Electors (closed to the public).

The city's churches give snapshots in time: the Romanesque St. Castor's Church consecrated in 836, St. Florin's Church with its Romanesque triple nave and Gothic chancel, and the Church of our Lady with its mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque features.

The most relaxing walk is along the city's 8-kilometer (5-mile) promenade. Traveling clockwise from the Mosel to the Rhine, you'll pass the Old Castle and a collection of medieval buildings around the Old Mosel Bridge. In a few moments, you'll reach the Deutsches Eck - or German Corner - the park where the Rhine and Mosel meet. Standing at the tip of the park, you can watch the tea-colored waters of the Mosel swirl into the coffee-colored Rhine.

A monument of Kaiser Wilhelm I dominates the park. Originally erected in 1897, it was destroyed at the end of World War II. In 1953, a flag and flagpole were mounted on the base as a memorial to German unity. It was rebuilt in 1993 based on original plans. Today, unity is marked by a ring of flags from every state of the reunited Germany.

As you walk along the Rhine promenade, you may be tempted to stop at the Weindorf, an ersatz "wine village" built in 1925. By all means do. Four houses built in different traditional styles surround a central courtyard profuse with flowers. In good weather, dining is in the courtyard, a taste of what lies upstream. Lighter appetites will be more than satisfied with a plate of cheese, sausage or ham with dark bread. Heartier appetites might enjoy the sausage platter with a variety of warm sausages served with dumplings and sauerkraut. For more "formal" dining, choices include grilled salmon, grilled pork and beef braised in wine sauce.

Across the Rhine, the Ehrenbreitstein continues its watch over the city and rivers, an imposing fortress first built stages from the 11th century through the 17th and 18th centuries. The Prussians rebuilt it to its current neo-classical form in the 19th century. The fortress is reached easily by ferry from the Rhine boat docks. From the ferry landing, a 30-minute hike or scenic chairlift ride will get you to the top. The view, especially over coffee and pastries at the terrace restaurants, is stunning: down both the Rhine and Mosel and across to Koblenz.

This article appeared in its original form in Gemütlichkeit Travel Newsletter.