Hank Schrader

May 16, 2024

Rhine River Cruise Ports

3 Great River Cruise Excursions in Alsace, France

Hank Schrader

May 16, 2024

Rhine River Cruise Ports

3 Great River Cruise Excursions in Alsace, France

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

Alsace France is a small region of French that is well worth a visit. Most river cruise companies that sail the Rhine River visit at least one of these 3 towns.

This contested area of the world between Germany, who thought the boundary should be the Vosges Mountains, while the French thought the boundary should be the Rhine River, has led to a blended culture that is unique in Europe. This area has changed hands several times since the 1800’s during various armed conflicts.

Food and wine are the stars here, so be sure to try some during your port excursion visit.

So, let’s visit Colmar, Riquewihr and Strasbourg and learn about an area that was governed by France and Germany for more than 100 years and has developed a unique blending of these 2 cultures.

Colmar, France

Colorful half-timbered buildings are everywhere—it almost overwhelms the senses. The colorful medieval architecture, combined with mixed culture and cuisine of France and Germany makes it a fascinating place to visit.

A great cobblestone lane with unique buldings

The charming shops, cafes and restaurants just seem to constantly invite you to browse and slow down to capture the beauty of the old town area.

On the way into Colmar, a replica of the Statue of Liberty, created by the famous sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, appears in a traffic roundabout. Bartholdi lived in Colmar. There is a museum that includes an excellent collection of his works.

The Vosges Mountain still had some snow during our visit in April of 2024

The Unterlinden Museum has a very good collection of art from the Middle Ages to the present time. Might be a little hard to visit on a port excursion.

The best thing to do here is to wander and explore. Perhaps the most famous part of the old city is Petite Venice on part of the Lauch River.

There are two churches here in the old town area. The Dominican Church was built in the 1300s and has been renovated due to fire damage in 1458 and later in 1720. The second church is Saint Martin Church. This Gothic church has many intricate details with a soaring spire and can easily be seen from many locations in the old town.

Shopping and food are fun here—Anne bought a stunning blue hat here and we both love it.

Anne bought a pretzel here at the window at the right

Anne proudly wears her new hat in Baden Baden the next day after we bought it in Colmar

Riquewihr, France

This little village is a constant splash of colors, half-timbered buildings and wine shops jumbled together that just is so charming you will not know where to look next. It is a medieval walled city, with a tiny population of 1000, and it still has most of its walls. There is a watch tower that today houses a museum about the defensive structures of the city, the people who manned the defensive structures and the weapons they used.

A view of the village from the watch tower

Don’t forget to shop, enjoy the food or a snack and sample the white wines this region is so famous for and brought wealth to this village. I recently wrote a blog about Riquewihr—here is the link: Read More About Riquewihr

Here are some of my suggestion to try during your time here.

Walk the Old Town— this tiny village was the inspiration for Belle’s village in the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. It is a walled city. Ringed on one side by the Vosges Mountains and in the middle of vineyards, this village has been called by some as the most beautiful in France. The vast majority of the homes are half-timbered and stone and it seems every lane of this village has a new wonderful surprise—fountains, small courtyards, and unique architecture. .

The main lane of the village is never ending timber buildings

The Dolder Tower—the defensive gate tower that was constructed in the 13th century. In 30 minutes, you can learn about how the city was fortified, how the tower and defenses of the villages were manned and what weapons they used.

Taste some wine—this is a great place to experience the wines of Alsace.

Great painting of the wines that have made this region so famous

Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg’s old town is a wonderful stop but especially so for Christmas. After several visits to Strasbourg, it still beckons us back. Our first visit was on Bastille Day (14 July) and the floodlights on the Cathedral were breathtaking.

There are several main attractions. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame is massive, and the Cathedral square always has lots of life.

Wander down to Petite France—the home of tanners, fishermen and other artisans—the half-timbered areas are just stunning.

Try some food here—the blend of German and French food results in dishes you won’t soon forget.

Christmas markets cruise—kasespatzle—tasty pasta tossed with onions and Emmentaler cheese

Flammkuchen—a traditional dish in Alsace

Here are some of my ideas during your visit.

Notre-Dame Cathedral— this amazing gothic cathedral, completed in 1439, has a 142 meter spire. It has the typical lace-fine façade and gargoyles warding off evil spirits that is the gothic style. The lively square in front of the cathedral is full of street performers and restaurants and shops line the outside of the open area.

Palais Rohan —this once opulent residence, that was called by some a miniature Versailles, is now a museum. It has 3 floors of exhibits. They include an archeological exhibit that cover from the Paleolithic period up to 800 AD (first floor), an exhibit of silverware and ceramic dinner ware from the 18th century that helps you understand the lavish lifestyle of the nobility of that period (second floor) and the third floor exhibit of fine art from the 14-19th century (artists include El Greco, Botticelli and Flemish artist.

Petite France— in a half-timbered building zone of narrow lanes, this is the area where artisans worked during the Middle Ages.

One of the many buildings in this section of town

Museum of the Cathedral—contains artifacts of the priests and church ware.

Alsatian Museum—housed in an old home, you can learn about the daily life of Alsatians. The exhibit includes how half-timbered buildings were constructed, tools used by people of times past and an exhibit about winemakers’ life and work.

Take a ride on the Ill River—this is a loop cruise around Strasbourg. It is a good way to see the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights buildings.

Our Final Thoughts.

Stunning buildings splashed with color, excellent white wine and food that is a blending of 2 cultures are good reasons to explore this region on a port excursion. There is so much to see and do, you will probably want to come back later and spend a couple of days and drive the route of vins. We hope so.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you with high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@visitdd.com . We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 53 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

January 26, 2023

Rhine River Cruise Ports

Koblenz, Germany

Hank Schrader

January 26, 2023

Rhine River Cruise Ports

Koblenz, Germany

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

This is a look at Koblenz, Germany as both a port for many river cruise ships and as a base to explore some of the best castles in the area around Koblenz on the Moselle and Middle Rhine.

Koblenz is located at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers. It is a great base to explore parts of nearby castles and quaint towns—we used it as a base of operations and enjoyed it very much during a trip in 2013.

Koblenz is one of the oldest towns in Germany and its strategic location had two different influences upon its history—it was a great place to collect tolls and both Germany and France wanted to control these valuable waterways and the land near it, so many castles were built to defend the area by the Germans. France attacked and burned these defensive positions as they vied for control of the area during the reign of Louie XIV, the Sun King.

Key sights in and near Koblenz include Deutsches Eck, Lahneck Castle, Stolzenfels Castle, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, Berg Eltz, Cochem Castle, Marksburg Castle, and the Electoral Palace.

So, let’s explore together and learn about Koblenz as a base for a couple of days or just for a port stop on a river cruise.

Castle Exploration Base

There are several ways to see some castles in the area using Koblenz as a base. In the Spring of 2013, we did just that using buses, hiking and trains to get to these sights. The 3 castles in this section allow independent tours inside the castles, which make them well worth the visit.

Schloss Stolzenfels—the castle is located approx. 5 km to the south of Koblenz, which was originally built as a customs fortress and was destroyed by the French in 1689 in the Palatine War of Succession. It was rebuilt according to the plans of the Berlin master builder Schinkel and is now open to the public. It houses a number of valuable furniture pieces and a collection of armor and weapons. Here are some pictures:

Anne took this picture from Lahneck Castle for an excellent view of the **Stolzenfels** Castle in 2021

This is a scan from a postcard we bought at the castle

Here is how we got there: Bus connection: From Koblenz Hbf (abbreviation for Hauptbahnhof in German or main train station) the bus terminal is outside the rail station building. Take Bus-Bahnsteig ‘H“, Bus-Linie „650 Boppard“bis zur Haltestation „Stolzenfels-Schlossweg” (the signs will be in German)“. Translated it means Bus Platform "H" bus line "650 Boppard" to the holding station "Stolzenfels-Schlossweg". Der Fußweg zum Schloss ist ausgeschildert (again the German words on the sign). The walk to the castle is signposted. Also, you can take a boat to Stolzenfels stop. Closed on Mondays.

For those wanting a more active way to see this castle, you can hike part of the Rhine Castles Trail to Stozenfels Castle and then take the train or bus back.

We used trains and some hiking to visit Marksburg Castle and Burg Eltz from Koblenz.

Marksburg Castle is the only castle that never was sacked or ruined among the 40 some odd castles along the Rhine Gorge stretch from Koblenz to Rüdesheim. It is above the town of Braubach. Marksburg was built and served as primarily a fort and often these countryside castles lacked the grandeur of royal palaces. The construction of Marksburg was intended to defend the town and after entering the castle the first area is the Great Battery with its firing positions designed to protect the Rhine and town from enemies.

This photo shows the fields of fire for the battery to protect the town and approaching enemy on the Rhine River.

The next area on the tour is the wine cellar.

The gothic Hall was the kitchen area of the castle fort.

The next area was the sleeping area.

Next is the Chapel

Now the Armory Museum.

Finally, the Horse Stables, which also was used as a prison complete with torture devices.

Burg Eltz, Moselkern, near Cochem: Its multiple turrets and towers, which rise amid a thick forest near the Mosel River, evoke the chivalry and poetry of the Middle Ages. This is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Germany. Trains stop at Moselkern hourly from Koblenz or from Cochem/Trier. It is a 3 mile hike to the castle. Here are some photos of the burg:

This was the first view of the castle after our 3 mile hike.

This is a scan from a postcard we bought at the castle, as no pictures are allowed during the tours.

This is also a scanned post card. This the Knight’s Hall Room

We could take pictures at the treasury room of the burg.

Sights in Koblenz

Deutsches Eck (the German Corner)—is a monument built where the Rhine and the Mosel join. Kaiser Wilhelm I equestrian statue is featured here. It was first erected in 1987, 9 years afte the death of the Kaiser to honor his role in unifying Germany. It was damaged during WW II and in 1993 was reconstructed with a replica statue and now is proudly on display.

This picture taken in 2021 for our rivership gives you a good look at how large this monument is. It is 37 meters high (over 111 feet)

St Castor’s Basilica is on the backside of the triangular Deutsches Eck. The Basilica was consecrated in 836 and is the oldest surviving church in Koblenz. The Treaty of Verdun was signed here and this treaty help create the countries of Germany and France, as the aftermath of Charlemagne’s death and the war between his 3 sons..

Fortress Ehrenbreitstein--The Fortress rises 118 meters above the Rhine and dates back to the year 1000. Over the centuries the building was extended by the Electors of Trier. After its destruction by the French, the Prussians rebuilt the fortifications and the result, one of Germany's strongest fortresses, is today open to the public. It is the second largest fortress in Europe (Gibraltar is larger). (www.diefestungehrenbreitstein.de )

Directly across the Rhine from Koblenz, the fortress is on the right bank of the Rhine. To reach the fortress, make the 3.50€ one-way passage across the river from the main Rhine dock. Ferries operate mid-March to late November daily 9am to 5:15pm.

This sign tells you about the distances to important hiking sites around Koblenz. Rheinburgenweg tells us that the distance to the Rhine Castle Trail which is on the left bank of the Rhine is 5.1 km. Rheinsteig (Brucke) is the bridge and Fahre is the Ferry. This is part of the 21 sections or stages of the Rhinesteig—the part around Koblenz is section 10

You can also take the Koblenz Cable Car, and get a ride that takes you 367 feet above the Rhine and the ride is about 3000 feet in total distance and takes about 5 minutes to cross the river. The aerial cable was built in 2011 and connects Koblenz near St Kastor Basilica to a plateau in front of the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. The more adventurous might want a car with a glass bottom. The chairlift operates daily from April to October from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Round-trip tickets cost 8€ for adults, 5€ for children 13 and under.

One of the towers of the Koblenz Cable Car. According to the tourist information site, the cable car can transport up to 7,600 people per hour.

Old Town Koblenz—one of the oldest towns in Germany, the old town area is the charming and romantic streets between the St. Castor’s Basilica and "Liebfrauenkirche" (Church of Our Beloved Lady). The next 3 pictures are the buildings surrounding Jesuit Square.

Here is an interesting weinstube that caught Anne’s eye.

The exterior of the Hotel and Weinstube Kornpfort

Winniger wrought sign—it is a weinstube.

Goerresplaz Square—known today as Goerres Square, it is the central square of the old town. The fountain in the middle of the square with its 10m high historical columns is worth seeing. The artist Jürgen Weber tells the story of the town of Koblenz in 10 overlapping scenes presented three-dimensionally. It covers 2000 years of the history of Koblenz.

Liebfrauenkirche—beautiful Baroque church with onion shaped domes. This basilica with five-axis pillars was built between 1180 and 1250. The new construction of the Gothic chancel (an inside area of the church near the altar) began in 1404, while the baroque onion towers date back to 1693.

Schängel Fountain--The Schängel fountain is a monument to the city’s eternal “bad boy” who spits water from his mouth. Designed by Carl Burger in 1941, the fountain stands between the Renaissance and Baroque structures of the present Town Hall and the former Jesuit monastery.

Electoral Palace--The Elector Clemens Wenzeslaus built this palace from 1777-1786. Prince Wilhelm, later known as German Emperor Wilhelm I, officiated here as the Prussian military governor from 1850 – 1857. The palace now houses the administrative offices and is not open to the public. Located on Neustadt Street.

Bundesgartenschau--The “Empress-Augusta-Gardens” located on the Rhine banks are some of the most beautiful gardens between Basel and Rotterdam. On the tree-lined, grassy bank you will find the monument of Joseph Görres, as well as little treasures such as the Luise Temple.

Eat at the Altes Brauhaus, If you want some excellent German food try this fun place, Here are some pictures:

Our Final Thoughts

Koblenz is a good port stop or a good base. We hope you enjoyed this report. Please enjoy Koblenz—we did!

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

November 15, 2019

Rhine River Cruise Ports

Riquewihr, France--A Fascinating Rhine River Cruise Port Village

Hank Schrader

November 15, 2019

Rhine River Cruise Ports

Riquewihr, France—A Fascinating Rhine River Cruise Port Village

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I write all the time about Europe river cruising and its value. These wonderful trips take you to unique places. One place, along the Rhine River, includes Riquewihr, France—a fascinating port village just a few miles from the Rhine River.

I had never visited this awesome place, or even known about it, until I was introduced to it while on a Europe River Cruise.

Riquewihr is located in the Alsace region of France.

One of my favorite regions of France is the Alsace. This is an area that has deep French and German roots. No wonder—it was controlled by Germany for about 700 years and France for 200 before the end of WW I.

It is this wonderful mix of German and French lifestyles that makes it so special to me—it seems the region has taken the best of the culture of these 2 wonderful countries and blended them into a unique place.

The 3 key port stops along the Rhine in France (all are in the Alsace region) are Strasbourg, Colmar and Riquewihr. While all are great port stops, the gem of the 3 has to be Riquewihr, in my opinion.

So, let me defend my thoughts—Why is Riquewihr the gem of these 3 stops?

A Little History of Alsace

France and Germany have coveted the wine growing region of Alsace for about 1000 years. The land dispute is a difference in the border boundaries each side chose to define who should control the region. France believed the dividing line should be the Rhine River. Germany decided the Vosges Mountains were the natural border.

As far back as the Holy Roman Empire, France has seen the Alsace-Lorraine region as their territory, while Germany saw it as its’ territory.

Historically, the area at first was at the center of Charlemagne’s Frankish empire in the 9th century.

But for most of its history, it has been controlled by Germany, as part of the German Holy Roman Empire under various Kings. German control continued until the 30 Year’s War when it lost Alsace by the 1684 treaty—known as the Peace of Westphalia—which gave control of this area back to France.

The Franco-Prussian War put the region firmly back into German control in 1871.

The Alsace region had been under French control since the end of WW I. confirmed by the famous Treaty of Versailles. WW II put it under German control again.

From 1871 to 1945—a period of about 74 years--Alsace had changed rulers between Germany and France 4 times!

A little dizzy yet?—you can see it was a region that changed hands often and resulted in its dual cultural influences.

But Alsace has not, or never will, lose its dual roots that include food, wine production, and cultural traditions. Most who live here speak both German and the French language.

The symbol of Alsace is the white stork. They return each year from Africa in the spring, letting the residents of Alsace know that a new season is here.

**The symbol of Alsace—the white stork**

As you can see, it is a unique blending of two cultures, a result of two countries that wanted this region to be part of the territory it controlled and ruled.

The Wine Road (Route du Vin) of Alsace

Riquewihr is on the Route du Vin, which is about 106 miles long from start to finish. It starts a little north of Strasbourg; Colmar is about the midpoint; and ends near Mulhouse.

You can drive, bike or take a tour, or see part of the route, as we did, by rivership. We visited Strasbourg and Riquewihr—both really hit the flavor and special nature of the Alsace region of France.

Strasbourg (population is over 450,000) is much larger than Colmar (about 91,000) and Riquewihr (about 1,100). While Strasbourg and Colmar have scenic canals, both have much more modern buildings that make up the majority of the total town. There are only part of sections of the old town areas that the most interesting areas to visit.

In contrast, Riquewihr is almost totally an old town area.

It is the small, quaintness of Riquewihr that sets it apart—small eye popping half-timbered homes that never stop and just invite you to get a glass of wine and perhaps a special meal.

Alsace’s Wines

The key grapes grown in the region of Alsace are Riesling, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. According to wine experts, although these grapes are also grown in Germany, the Alsace wines have more flavor and are much drier than those produced across on the eastern side of the Rhine River in Germany. These robust white wines are also named for the grapes—a common practice in Germany but much less common in France.

**Alsace vineyard with Vosges Mountains in the background—picture by Mark Thomas**

Since 1983, the official gran cru appellation status has been awarded to about 50 terroirs. Most of these gran cru appellation wines are dry whites.

Gran cru in French means great growth. This classification of wines is a regional designation of the vineyards that produces very good wines.

Trust me, they are excellent!

Riquewihr

A village with a population of just over 1,100, it would be hard to find a more beautiful village in all of France. It actually is on the official list of most beautify cities in France.

So, what is so unique about Riquewihr?

It was part of the inspiration for the animation Disney film Beauty and the Beast. It doesn’t take much imagination to be transmitted to times past since the old style buildings evoke the feeling of being in a fairy tale.

Roaming this small village, it is easy to see why the animators were inspired by Riquewihr.

**One of our tour groups, on our AmaWaterways cruise, with the guide explaining a little history of the town**

Here are my other reasons it is special:

This medieval walled city still has most of its walls—I have always liked walled cities.

Riquewihr is a constant splash of colors, half-timbered buildings and wine shops jumbled together that just is so charming you will not know where to look next.

There is a watch tower that today houses a museum about the defensive structures of the city, the people who manned the defensive structures and the weapons they used.

The main watch tower—there is a museum inside

Don’t forget to shop, enjoy the food or a snack and sample the white wines this region is so famous for and brought wealth to this village, as explained above in this blog.

But don’t take my description as my defense—let’s see these final photos and you judge for yourselves!

**Even the side streets are wonderful!**

**Great Wrought Iron Sign—Photo from Mark Thomas, our Travel Chum!**

My Final Thoughts

Riquewihr is just one of the many places we have been to visit because of a European River cruise. This is just one of the many port guides we have developed in our travels, to help you not miss the key sights in each port.

Why not visit our website and get your own guide—just go to www.dreamdestinations.com and click on the menu to find out about river cruises—you’ll be glad you did!

It is also easy to order this port guide or others like it—fill out the short request form and we will be happy to send all the guides you desire.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise experts, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 48 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

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