The Top 10 Things to See and Do in Boppard, Germany

Boppard is a great spot to embark on a leisurely cruise down the Rhine. This cruise is sure to be the highlight of your Boppard trip, especially for lovers of castles and cute towns. Cruise boats from Boppard go all the way up to Mainz, rewarding travellers with views of a series of romantic castles atop rugged mountains, lush vineyards and valleys en route. The most popular towns to stop and explore along the way are St. Goar, Bacharach, Bingen and Rüdesheim.

Electorial Castle (or Alte Burg, meaning Old Castle) is a 13th-century relic that enjoys a picture-perfect location by the river. The castle, originally responsible for collecting taxes from the boats passing through, has also served as a hospital, a prison and a police station over the later centuries. Today, visitors can tour the interiors of the castle and check out the interesting Boppard Museum and Thonet Museum housed inside.

The Rhine region happens to be one of the most important wine-producing areas in the country, and Boppard proudly houses the largest vineyard in the Middle Rhine valley, Boppard Hamm. Visitors are welcome to tour the aromatic vineyards and sample local specialties like müller-thurgau and pinot noir. The Boppard Tourism Board even hosts a guided tour through the vineyards. If you are a true wine connoisseur, don’t miss the 200-year-old Weinhaus Heilig Grab tavern in town. Also, if you happen to find yourself in Boppard in Autumn, make sure to attend the wine festival.

Visiting the archeological site of Römer-Kastell should be on the itinerary of anyone interested in history and architecture. This 4th-century fortress happens to one of the best preserved Roman fortresses in the continent. Though much of it is in ruins, the romance of its 28 ancient towers and thick, high walls is palpable.

For a few euros, you get to enjoy a short but incredibly scenic train ride on the Hunsrückbahn, and also mingle with locals as they go about their daily business. The most popular tourist stretch is the 15km from Boppard to Emmelshausen via Buchholz, when it passes through two viaducts, five tunnels and dense forests. The train also takes hikers to the starting points for great hiking and biking trails, such as Ehrbach Gorge and the Schinderhannes.

The skyline of Boppard is dominated by the twin towers of St. Severus Church. This 13-century church is considered an admirable specimen of late Romanesque architecture. You don’t need to be a believer to admire its intricate frescoes and the massive cross and Jesus from the year 1220. The five bells housed in the church resonate across town every day at 10am and 12 noon.

What most travellers love about traditional German towns is how ancient structures never go out of fashion! They actually blend seamlessly with the modern infrastructure. Boppard is no exception. Several sections of Boppard’s medieval town walls are still around in near-original condition, adding old-world charm and lots of character to the town. It’s interesting to see how parts of the walls and gates have been modified to make room for modern structures.

A fun thing for the entire family to do in Boppard is to explore the town in a cute train – the Rhein Express. The train chugs contemplatively through the tourist attractions in town, past the medieval walls, along the river and the market place. The entire journey takes around 30 minutes.