Page 154 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Germany

152 BACK ROADS GERMANY

Right Burg Stahleck towering over the
town of Bacharach Below Cannons facing
the Rhine Valley, Burg Rheinstein

WHERE TO STAY
BACHARACH
Burg Stahleck/Jugendherberge
Bacharach inexpensive
The budget alternative to Auf
Schönburg in Oberwesel, Burg Stahleck
is a 12th-century castle that once served
as the seat of the Count-Palatinate of
the Rhine and is now a stunning youth
hostel. One does not need to
be a member to stay, and most of
the basic rooms are en suite and 7 Burg Pfalzgrafenstein ª Turn right out of the Bacharach
sleep between one and six people. Rhineland-Palatinate; 56349 car park on to the B9. Park at the
Bacharach, 55422; 06743 12 66; One of the most beautifully situated signed car park beside the B9 in
www.diejugendherbergen.de castles in Europe, the mighty fortress Trechtingshausen.
Rhein Hotel moderate of Burg Pfalzgrafenstein (Jan, Feb & Nov:
This family-run half-timbered hotel open Sat & Sun; Mar–Oct: open Tue–Sun; 9 Burg Rheinstein
beside the town walls has spotless, closed Dec) stands in the middle of the Rhineland-Palatinate; 55413
plain and compact rooms.
Langstrasse 50, 55422; 06743 12 43; Rhine river. With its unusual island The compact castle of Burg Rheinstein
www.rhein-hotel-bacharach.de perch, the castle was built to levy tolls (mid-Mar–mid-Nov: open daily; mid-Nov–
on Rhine shipping. Construc ted in 1325 mid-Mar: open Sat & Sun; www.burg-
RÜDESHEIM
by Ludwig the Bavarian, the castle’s rheinstein.de) sits in a spectacular
Central Hotel moderate gun bastions and its present shape are location 82 m (270 ft) above the
A smart family-run place in the the result of Baroque refurbish ments Rhine. After falling into ruin, the 13th-
centre of Rüdesheim with bright,
immaculate rooms and bathrooms in the 17th and 18th centuries. century castle was acquired by Prince
and an excellent buffet breakfast. ª Exit the ferry terminal car park and Friedrich Ludwig of Prussia and given
Kirchstrasse 6, 65385; 06722 91 20; turn left on to the B9. In Bacharach, a com plete makeover in 1820. This
www.centralhotel.net park in the riverside car park. helped begin a Romantic architec-
Hotel Felsenkeller moderate tural trend, which swept across
A charming hotel in the town centre 8 Bacharach Germany and saw many medieval
with a good restaurant; some of the Rhineland-Palatinate; 55422 ruins rebuilt as castles in an age in
rooms offer views of the Rhine.
Oberstrasse 39/41, 65385; 06722 942 The pretty town of Bacharach which fortifica tions no longer served
50; www.felsenkeller-ruedesheim.de; has a unique complex of historic a practical purpose. Here, the pastel-
closed Dec–Mar buildings, with fortified town walls, col oured interior rooms seem out of
the church of St Peter, the ruins of place in a castle, but con vey a good
the Gothic chapel of St Werner, sense of early 19th-century taste.
and Burg Stahleck – the 12th- ª Continue south on the B9, turn
cen tury castle towering over the left over a bridge into Fruchtmarkt,
town. Once the seat of the Count- then Vorstadt and Espenschiedstrasse/
Palatinate of the Rhine, today it is Mainzer Strasse. Follow ferry signs
an impressive youth hostel. left down Hafenstrasse. Take the
A gate in the town wall, opposite ferry across the Rhine. Turn right to
Bacharach’s main car park, provides Rüdesheim, then left down Burgstrasse
access to its 14th-century fortifica- to the roadside car park opposite the
tions, with views of the huddle of Rheingauer Weinmuseum.
half-timbered buildings. Among
these is the celebrated old house, 0 Rüdesheim
Altes Haus on Oberstrasse 61, Hesse; 65385
which is so wonky that it seems to Enjoying a picturesque location on
lean in all directions at once. This the banks of the Rhine, Rüdesheim
building and many others house has a long history going back to
wine taverns, which serve up local Roman times. The town is famous
wines such as Hahnenhof Riesling. for its main street, the Drosselgasse,
Where to Stay: inexpensive under €70; moderate €70–€150; expensive over €150

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