Cruising with the Castles along Rhine River

​The day was finally here when we were going to see all of the castles along the Rhine, but Mother Nature almost did not corporate.  Our day started with very very thick fog.  Marianne, the Cruise Director was thinking we may not see any castles today.  But not long after we set sail, the sun broke through the fog and cleared to be a crisp clear beautiful day.

Sooneck Castle

Sooneck Castle was part of a fortified castle system that protected the local abbey.

Mauseturm (Mouse Tower)

Mauseturm (Mouse Tower) a watchtower set on a small rocky island, built to collect customs. Mauseturm (Mouse Tower)

​Water Levels along the Rhein

The water levels on the Rhine during are sail were higher than normal. You can see in this picture that the bases of the trees are under water.

​​​Heimburg Castle near Niederheimbach, Germany

​Niederheimbach, Germany and Heimburg Castle - Niederheimbach is wine growing region which sits below the Heimburg Castle.

​Stahleck Castle

Stahleck Castle translates to “impregnable castel on a crag”. Today it is host to a youth hostel and has a rare water-filled moat.

​Pfalzgrafenstein And Gutenfels Castle

Pfalzgrafenstein - “A Stone ship, eternally swimming on the Rhine, eternally moored facing the count palatine city.” This was built for purely economic reasons to serve as a customs station. Gutenfels is a medieval castle which today features its own winery and serves as a hotel.

​Schonburg Castle

Schonburg Castle is a sprawling residence which today houses a museum and a hotel.

​
​​Lorelei Rock

​​Lorelei Rock is a jagged 420 foot outcropping that sits on a sharp corner on the narrowest part of the Rhine. Legend says that ships captains would hear the seductive songs of a beautiful golden-haired woman on the rock and lose their concentration, crashing into the rock.
​

​​Katz and Maus Castles

Maus Castles - Katz and Maus Castles share the hill high above the Rhine. Katz Castle is now a luxury hotel and Maus Castle is privately owned.

Katz Castle

​Liebenstein and Sterrenberg (“Hostile Brothers”) Castles

​Liebenstein Castle and Sterrenberg Castle are referred to as the “Hostile Brothers” Castles since the tale tells of two brothers who quarreled over an inheritance.

​​​​Wine along the Rhein

​The majority of wine grown along the Rhine River is white wine, shown her by the yellow leaves of the vines. The red leaves are the red wines and the blue netting over the vines is where they are growing “ice” wine.

​
​Sister Ship - the Viking Forseti

​"Sister ship" Another Long Ship in the Viking fleet, the Viking Forseti, passes us downstream on the Rhine.

​The scenic cruising along the Rhein River from Rudesheim to Koblenz, Germany was one of the best parts of this river cruise.