Germany's Rhine River: Raging with history
While the town of St. Goar itself isn't much more than a few hotels and restaurants, it still makes a good base for hiking or biking the region. A tiny ferry will shuttle you back and forth across the busy Rhine from here. For a fun little jaunt, take a quick round trip with some time to explore the other side.
The Rhine Valley is storybook Germany, a fairy-tale world of legends and medieval castles. Through it all, the quiet, deep-gray power of the river flows as steadily as time itself, a dance floor where ferries, barges, and sightseeing boats do their lumbering do-si-do past fabled and treacherous rocks.
IF YOU VISIT:
SLEEPING: St. Goar's Hotel am Markt is rustic and a good deal with all the modern comforts (moderate, www.hotel-am-markt-sankt-goar.de). Frau Kurz offers St. Goar's best bed and breakfast, renting three delightful rooms (budget, www.gaestehaus-kurz.de).
EATING: In St. Goar, the Schlosshotel Rheinfels dining room is your Rhine splurge, with an incredible, enclosed view terrace (tel. 06741/8020). Gasthaus Zur Krone is the local choice for traditional German food (tel. 06741/1515).
GETTING AROUND: The Koeln-Duesseldorfer (K-D) Line runs often, and the boat is never full (www.k-d.com). The less expensive Bingen-Ruedesheimer Line makes three trips daily (www.bingen-ruedesheimer.de ).
TOURIST INFORMATION: www.st-goar.de.
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Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.
(c)2012 RICK STEVES DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.