Photo by Aoi on Unsplash
The 6-day plan, rearranged for 4 days: the best-ranked places stay, and each day keeps to one part of town.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A great red sandstone cathedral that has stood in the old center of Mainz for about a thousand years. Walk around it and step inside to feel its size.
Go when Morning, when the square outside is quiet.
Local tip Walk all the way around the outside first. The six towers and the warm red stone are as much of the sight as the inside.
A medieval castle on a hill above the Rhine at Braubach, one of very few castles on the river that was never ruined. Visits are usually with a guide, so check ahead.
Go when Morning, with a visit planned ahead.
Local tip Check ahead for guided tours and languages, because the castle is usually seen with a guide.
Crisp potato pancakes, a Rhineland favorite, often served with apple sauce or smoked fish. A casual lunch in Koblenz.
Local tip Eat them hot, standing up, by the river.
A small white castle built on a rock island in the middle of the river, like a ship made of stone. You see it from the bank, and a small ferry may cross to it, so check ahead.
Go when Midday, when the light is good on the water.
Local tip The best view is from the bank in Kaub or from a passing boat. Check ahead for the ferry across to the island.
The steep rock above a narrow, bending stretch of the river, the subject of an old German legend. Walk up to the viewpoint on top for the view down the gorge.
Go when Afternoon, on a clear day.
Local tip Walk to the viewpoint on top of the rock and look down on the sharp bend in the river. Boat services stop below it, so check ahead.
The point of land where the Moselle flows into the Rhine, with a tall monument and flags along the water. Stand at the very end and watch the two rivers meet.
Go when Afternoon, when the light is soft on the water.
Local tip Walk to the very end of the point and watch the two rivers run side by side before they mix.
A narrow, lively lane in Ruedesheim lined with wine taverns and courtyards. Walk it slowly and stop for a glass.
Go when Afternoon, before the evening crowd arrives.
Local tip Try the coffee with brandy and cream that Ruedesheim is known for, or just a glass of Riesling in a courtyard off the lane.
Back in the wine town, sit down for a hearty plate of roast meat or river fish and a glass of Riesling from the hills you just walked through.
Local tip Ask for a wine from the local slopes, and let the staff suggest a dry or a sweeter one.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A huge Roman city gate built of dark stone, still standing at the north edge of the old town. Walk through it and look up.
Go when Morning, when the stone is cool.
Local tip Walk through the gate and then step back to see its full height. Check ahead if you want to climb inside.
A small walled town of timbered houses on the river, with a castle on the hill above it. A good place to start the day on foot.
Go when Morning, before the day boats arrive.
Local tip Walk along the old town wall for a view over the roofs and the river, then wander the lanes under the castle.
Buy bread, cheese and cured meats from a shop in the old town and eat them by the river. A light lunch before the long afternoon.
Local tip Bring a small blanket or a bag for the river bank, and keep the bottle for the evening.
One of the oldest churches in Germany, with parts that go back to Roman times. Step inside and look at the mix of old and newer styles.
Go when Afternoon, after a walk in the old center.
Local tip Look for the places where Roman brick shows in the old walls, and walk through to the neighboring church.
The ruins of a huge castle above the town of St. Goar, with tunnels and ramparts to explore. Check ahead for the way in, and bring good shoes.
Go when Afternoon, with time to climb around.
Local tip Take a flashlight or use your phone for the tunnels, and keep the view over the river for the end.
The ruins of huge Roman baths, with high brick walls and tunnels below. Walk the ruins to picture what the baths once were.
Go when Afternoon, when the walls throw long shadows.
Local tip The size is the surprise. Stand in the middle of the ruins and look at the height of the walls.
End the trip with a table near the river in Trier, a plate of regional food and a final glass of Riesling.
Local tip Raise a glass to the two rivers, and ask the staff for a last recommendation from the valley.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A turreted castle in a green valley, in the same family for centuries and still full of its old rooms. The last stretch is on foot or by a seasonal shuttle, so check ahead.
Go when Early morning, before the day visitors.
Local tip Walk the last stretch through the woods and see the castle appear between the trees. Check ahead for the way in and for seasons.
A tidy old town on the Moselle with narrow lanes, a market square and a town gate. Wander the lanes and walk along the river.
Go when Midday, then a slow lunch near the river.
Local tip Walk from the market square to the town gate and out to the river path for the view of the castle.
A Moselle lunch is often a plate of local cheeses and cured meats with a glass of Riesling, in a courtyard in the old town.
Local tip Ask for a dry Riesling, and let the glass show you how crisp the local style is.
A castle on a steep hill above the town, rebuilt in the nineteenth century, with the vineyards falling away below it. Walk up through the lanes, and check ahead for tours inside.
Go when Afternoon, when the stone turns golden.
Local tip You can enjoy the castle from the lanes below even if you do not go in. Check ahead for tours inside.
A few small places in the village serve regional dishes in a courtyard. A soft, unhurried evening after a day of castles.
Local tip Book ahead if you are staying in the village, because there are only a few tables.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A town on both banks of the Moselle, linked by a bridge, with a number of grand early twentieth century houses. Walk across the bridge and back.
Go when Midday, with lunch by the water.
Local tip Walk over the bridge to the far bank and look back at the town from the other side.
A town of timbered houses around a small market square, with vineyards on all sides. A classic stop on the Moselle.
Go when Afternoon, then a tasting before dinner.
Local tip Stand in the market square and look at the timbered houses. Then walk to the river for the view from the bridge.
A plate of river fish or roast pork and a glass of the local Riesling, served at a table in the market square. A calm end to the river day.
Local tip Choose a table outdoors if the evening is mild, and ask the staff which wine they like with the dish.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, May to October are the most comfortable months for walking around Rhine and Moselle. This plan is built for late September, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 4 days in Rhine and Moselle, planned for late September. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 14.1 to 350.6 kilometers between its stops, and 546.2 kilometers in all across 4 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
7 days in the Black ForestAbout 210 km awayAn easy add-on
7 days in Amsterdam and the Dutch citiesAbout 300 km away
5 days in the Swiss AlpsAbout 370 km awayOther guides with a page about Rhine and Moselle. Each one opens in a new tab.
Photo: Moguntiner, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Thomas Wolf , www.foto-tw…, CC BY-SA 3.0 de on Wikimedia Commons
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
.jpg){kind=link}
_en_allemagne_(cropped).jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}