Baccarat Germany – Ever since we first read about Bacharach in our Rick Steves travel guide, Marty and I knew we had to visit this charming little town on the banks of the Rhine River.
I mean, Bacharach seemed like a good place to focus while exploring the castles and vineyards of the beautiful Rhine River, and we were right! This city definitely checked a few things off our couple’s bucket list.
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We fell in love with Bacharach and decided to write this guide to Bacharach, Germany, so you can too!
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Bacharach lies along the UNESCO World Heritage-listed section of the Rhine River, which runs from Bingen and Rudesheim north to the city of Koblenz. Since its inception, Bacharach has been an important center of the wine industry, so it immediately caught my attention.
It is said that all the kings of the area drank only Bacharach wine. All this business, together with the fact that Bacharach also collected taxes, made it a very wealthy city.
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After leaving Munich, Marty and I boarded the train and headed to the beautiful town of Bacharach, on the banks of the Rhine. Walking along cobblestone streets lined with half-timbered houses
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The houses made my heart skip a beat. If you look up, Stahleck Castle can be seen on the hill above the town as if it is protecting it. I closed my eyes and imagined this place before technology, before cars, before life took us to this place of constant entertainment and information overload.
When I looked at the endless vineyards that dot the hillside, I envisioned a more relaxed and simple life. A rhythm where it is acceptable to sit for hours drinking wine while watching the world go by on the banks of the Rhine River.
A speed I can easily get used to if I can convince my brain to escape the fast world for a while!
We recommend visiting Bacharach in summer. The summer months (June-September) are the best time to be in the Rhine Valley.
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Depending on how far you want to go from your visit will determine how long you will stay. Marty and I planned 2 nights in Bacharach, but I wish we had planned 3 because we really wanted to visit more castles and explore other small towns along the Rhine.
In 2 nights you can explore the town of Bacharach, cruise along the best part of the Rhine (from Bacharach to St. Goar) and take the train to small towns to visit the castle or two. In time, you can also include a trip to the Moselle River Valley.
You will not find famous hotels in this beautiful city. What you will find are affordable bed and breakfasts and charming individual accommodations.
On this trip we paid about 60 euros per night (the cheapest price on this trip to Europe) for a bed and breakfast at Bistro Rene.
Bacharach, Germany And A Rhine River Cruise
Bistro Rene had three rooms, ours was the smallest, but we had a private bathroom and a balcony facing the castle! Our hosts were knowledgeable, friendly, and made excellent coffee. You can’t beat that!
Find your perfect hotel in Bacharach, Germany. We like to book on Hotels.com. Not only will you get a great rate, but with every stay you’ll get free nights.
By train: Bacharach can be easily reached by train. It is a pleasant 50-minute journey on the non-stop train connecting Koblenz and Mainz.
There are hourly local trains serving all towns along the Rhine (Bacharach-St. Goar in both directions). The smaller stations are not staffed, so you will have to buy your ticket from the machine. The Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket seemed to be the best option for us.
Bacharach, Germany, August 16, 2018: View Of A Street In The Center Of Bacharach, Germany Stock Photo, Picture And Royalty Free Image. Image 121522485
In the Rheinland-Pfalz ticket, one person costs 24 euros and one person costs 5 euros, which is much cheaper than buying separate tickets.
By boat: While some people choose to travel the entire Rhine by boat, we choose to travel only the “lovely” part of the Rhine from St. Goar to Bacharach. We bought our Koln-Dusseldorfer (K-D) tickets.
Get in line right at the Bacharach cruise and proceed to enjoy our cruise. Get your Rhine River Cruise Pass today!
By bike: We saw a lot of cyclists during our stay in Bacharach. There is a 35-kilometer cycle path that runs between Koblenz and Bingen, and the six-mile stretch between Bacharach and Bingen is flat, smooth, and beautiful.
Bacharach Germany: Your Guide To This Enchanting Village
As we walked around Bacharach, we saw several places to rent bikes, including the Hillen Hotel. It seems that many people cycle in one direction and take a ferry or train to return in the other direction.
As I said before, Bacharach is like entering an 11th century village. Sure, they have modern amenities like wi-fi, cell service and cars, but this small town has managed to keep its quaint charm.
We had a great time exploring this beautiful town including the castle, churches, old wall and towers, vineyards and SOME wine tasting.
Seeing half-timbered houses on quiet cobblestone streets is a great introduction to Bacharach. The city is easily accessible on foot, so just walk and get used to it.
Bacharach, Germany, Romantic Town On Rhine River Stock Image
The town church is next to the square. Although it is not as impressive as many churches we have visited in Europe, it is worth a visit. Inside you will find beautifully painted walls and Gothic arches.
Be sure to notice the blue and white sign hanging outside the door warning that this building is not to be attacked in times of war.
Below the church is the Posthof, symbolized by the golden horn hanging above its head. In the old days, the postman would ring a bell and traffic would stop as mail passed through town. When you enter, notice the beautiful entrance.
A steep staircase near the church leads to the town’s castle. Hungry and ready to burn off some of the German food we’d been eating, Marty and I laced up our tennis shoes and started for Stahleck Castle. .
Guide To Bacharach, Germany
On the way to the castle you will pass the ruins of the Wernerkapelle. What is left of this huge prayer house is of incredible beauty.
After taking a break to see the ruins, we continued up the stairs to the fort. I admit I had to stop a few times to catch my breath.
I think all those pretzels were getting to me. However, walking was good. We really enjoyed exploring the castle grounds. Since it’s a hostel, we acted like we owned the place and walked around.
Be sure to grab a glass of wine and sit on the terrace to enjoy the beautiful view. You got it on that trip!
The 9 Best Things To Do In Bacharach, Germany
In Bacharach you can walk along the old wall in several places. We enjoyed walking the part of the wall near the river.
To find this section, enter the city from Riverfront Park, with the Catholic Church on your left, cross under the railroad tracks, and climb the stairs to the city wall.
At the top of the stairs we turned left to see an old well 30 meters away on the left. Continue along the wall to see a tower crane.
This is where they would take their amazing wine on boats to send down the river. After the crane tower you will reach the Market Tower. The Market Tower was one of the first gates to the city from the 14th century.
The Beautiful German Town Of Bacharach
We also enjoyed walking through the vineyards to Torre Alta. To get to the High Tower, go up Rosenstrasse, just after the fountain, and follow the small sign that leads to the vineyards.
Since Bacharach is famous for its wine, you should not miss to try it. A Weinstube, or wine room, is a great place to do that. We chose to do our tasting at Weingut Karl Heidrich.
This cute little winery had a great outdoor dining area right on the town’s main street. They offered three different types of tasting flights to choose from, dry, sweet or mixed for around 15 euros for six wines.
The pours were large and the wine delicious. Marty and I chose to pair our wine with a meat and cheese plate which was amazing! We ended up sitting for hours drinking wine, laughing and eating food.
The Pretty Town Of Bacharach, Germany
Deciding what to eat in Germany is easy for us and Bacharach was no exception. They had amazing German food to choose from!
We found the food at Bacharach to be very affordable and generally very good. Altes Haus, the oldest building in town, serves traditional German cuisine in a historic setting.
The Posthof Restaurant and Cafe