The charming little town of Rüdesheim am Rhein is the perfect tip, regardless of whether you are traveling from the Rhine-Main region or taking a longer drive. We didn’t discover this special corner ourselves until later, even though it’s only an hour away from us and the Drosselgasse is world-famous. What started out as a short detour got us so excited that we returned with friends. You will be surprised how wonderful and entertaining a 24-hour stay here can be. Rüdesheim offers a romantic old town with historic half-timbered houses, impressive buildings on the adjacent hill and the picturesque backdrop of the Rhine Valley in a very small area. Before we start the tour: You can find all the important places and useful links in this PDF document. It also contains our hotel recommendations for Rüdesheim.
Old town flair and the world-famous Drosselgasse
Our exploration begins at a free parking lot directly on the banks of the Rhine. From there, we walk along the riverside promenade towards the old town. Here you can immediately feel the maritime flair: on the left, the Rhine glides past with its moorings for tourist ships, while on the right, numerous restaurants, cafés and wine bars invite you to linger. The ambience is very reminiscent of a stroll along the shores of Lake Garda in Italy. In the old town itself, Rüdesheim presents itself in all its glory: beautifully maintained half-timbered houses characterize the picture. If you are traveling in August, it is worth combining the tour with the traditional wine festival on the third weekend. Before heading to the cable car, let’s take a look at Drosselgasse, the town’s real landmark. This romantic alleyway is only 144 meters long and has been a popular destination since the 19th century. Its special feature: it consists almost exclusively of wine taverns, where life pulsates in the evenings.
The Ringtour: the perfect experience package
Now that we have been captivated by the charm of the city, it’s time for the main highlight: the Ringtour. This combined ticket is a comprehensive all-round experience and currently costs 22 euros. The Ringtour combines a cable car ride up, a hike, another ride on the chairlift to Assmannshausen and finally a boat trip back to Rüdesheim via Bingen. Tickets can be purchased easily and spontaneously from the ticket machine in front of the cable car station. The view from the cable car’s two-person gondolas is spectacular. You float in peace over the vineyards that cover the hillside like green carpets. You can watch as the Rhine meanders through the valley and Rüdesheim becomes smaller below you. The trip is estimated to take between 10 and 15 minutes.
Germania and historic buildings at Niederwald
Once you reach the top, the first thing you could do is head for the beer garden. Just a few meters away is the Niederwald Temple, which offers a perfect postcard motif with its view of the vineyards and the Rhine. From here, it is just a short walk through the forest to the Niederwalddenkmal. At over 38 meters high, this monumental building is truly impressive. It is crowned by the giant Germania, the national allegory, which watches over the Rhine Valley. The monument was built after the Franco-Prussian War to celebrate the unification of Germany. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley since 2002. Lovers of such monumental buildings should also take a look at the Völkerschlachtdenkmal in Leipzig or the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz.
Hiking, viewpoints and a secret wine tip
After you have enjoyed the view from the Niederwalddenkmal, you have two options: Either take the direct route through the forest to the Assmannshausen cable car station (approx. 25 minutes). Or you can follow our personal recommendation and choose the hiking trail through the forest. This takes you past ruins and other viewpoints and is the best way to enjoy nature and the vineyards. On this route, you will come across our insider tip: the Altenkirch Laadhütt wine depot, located on the edge of the forest near the Ehrenfels castle ruins. The Altenkirch winery sells wines, sparkling wines and spritzers here via a self-service system on a trust basis – payment is made via PayPal or bank transfer. A special place for a break is the large concrete plinth, which offers a great view of the Rhine and Bingen. By the way: there are a total of four of these wine depots between Rüdesheim and Assmannshausen.
The red wine town of Assmannshausen
From the wine depot, you can reach the Assmannshausen cable car station in around 20 minutes. Shortly before your destination is the Niederwald wildlife park, a good stop if you are traveling with children. At the mountain station, you have a choice: either take the chairlift (like our comfortable fellow travelers) or take the hiking trail down, which will take you around 30 to 40 minutes. The small, well-kept town of Assmannshausen with its half-timbered houses and restaurants awaits you at the bottom. This is the perfect time for a lunch break. We can warmly recommend the restaurant Speisen bei Dorota. Not only do they serve excellent pierogi (stuffed dumplings from Polish cuisine), but also excellent cheese spaetzle. Important: Be sure to check the timetable for the boat service before ordering your next glass of wine, as the journey times vary greatly (30 minutes to 1.5 hours).
The finale: boat trip back to Rüdesheim
The last part of the Ringtour is the boat trip back to Rüdesheim. Look out for the Bingen-Rüdesheim landing stage on the riverside promenade. The ship on our trip was relatively large, modern and offered plenty of seating, including on deck. There was also catering on board, although we decided not to have any more wine as the wine festival in Rüdesheim was waiting for us in the evening. The 45-minute return journey is the ideal end to the day. Sit back and enjoy the scenery. You pass the Ehrenfels castle ruins, the Mäuseturm tower in Bingen and the countless vineyards. The boat makes a short stopover in Bingen – a good opportunity for anyone who was fast on the Ringtour to explore the area.
Conclusion and practical tips
Rüdesheim really does feel like a short vacation and we would return here at any time. The Ringtour is highly recommended and worth every euro as it offers so many different experiences. The tourist infrastructure is excellent and the price-performance ratio is right. The only tip: you should act quickly when it comes to accommodation. The number of hotels in Rüdesheim* is limited and it is advisable to book as early as possible to get a fair price.