If you can visit only one castle in the Rhine Valley, make it Rheinfels Castle (Burg Rheinfels in German). This was once the mightiest of the Rhine River castles and is easy to visit by train or riverboat.
I visited as part of a Rhine Valley itinerary and loved every minute of it. Here’s everything you need to know.
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A Short History of Burg Rheinfels
Built in 1245 by Count Diether V. von Katzenelnbogen, Rheinfels Castle ruled the Rhine for over 500 years. Like most Rhine castles, it guarded a medieval toll station, extracting levies from passing boats.
The castle was expanded and fortified over the centuries, eventually covering five times its current area. When the House of Katzenelnbogen died out in 1479, it passed to the House of Hesse.
Rheinfels withstood a two-year siege by a coalition of local towns (hacked off by toll price hikes) and a later assault by 28,000 of Louis XIV’s troops during the Nine Years War in 1692. It finally fell to the French in 1794, who made sure it could never be used as a fortress again, and it lay abandoned until restoration work began in the 20th century.
Opening Hours, Ticket Prices & Tours
Opening hours: The castle is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm. Reduced opening times apply in the winter months. Check here for current information.
Admission fee applies. In 2026, it costs €6 for an adult ticket.
Guided or self-guided? The choice is yours. I went self-guided, which I’d recommend (there’s something to be said for roaming these evocative ruins at your own pace). Pick up a map at the entrance.
Guided tours in German run three times daily on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (no pre-booking needed). The big advantage is access to areas closed to independent visitors, including the castle cellar – a vast pantry, with an arch at the rear leading to what would have been the wine cellar.
What to See at Burg Rheinfels
Much of the joy of Rheinfels is simply wandering its ruins and letting your imagination do the work. That said, don’t miss these highlights:
Rheinfels Castle Museum
Housed in the only finished room of the castle, this absorbing museum covers the history of Rheinfels. There are well-presented exhibits with good English descriptions, including a model of the castle as it was before Louis XIV’s troops had their way with it.
As a pharmacist, I was particularly taken with the lower level, which houses the castle pharmacy.
Inner Castle Courtyard
Once upon a time, the castle encircled this courtyard. It held everything needed to survive a siege: bakery, pharmacy, herb garden, brewery and livestock.
From there, there are sensational views across the Gründelbach valley.
High Battery and Clock Tower
Walk along the High Battery — a defensive gallery with wide openings for gunners — to reach the Clock Tower, still standing at its original height of 21 metres. This is the best viewpoint over the Loreley Valley.
Getting to Burg Rheinfels
Rheinfels Castle is perched on a hilltop above the village of St Goar (Sankt Goar) on the western side (left bank) of Germany’s Rhine River. The regional hubs are Koblenz to the north and Mainz to the south.
By train: St. Goar is on the scenic Koblenz–Mainz line with connections to Cologne and Frankfurt. Check train times and prices here.
By boat: I travelled from Boppard to St Goar on the scheduled KD Rhine riverboat service, a superb leisurely journey of 90 minutes upstream and around an hour back. Highly recommended.
By car: Approach via the autobahn from Frankfurt or Cologne, then the B9 road along the river. There’s limited paid parking at the castle.
From St Goar to the castle: It’s a 15-minute walk via the nature route (follow the white-on-red “Burg Rheinfels” signs through terraced woodland) or take shuttle bus #699, which leaves the town centre every 30 minutes.
Where to Eat
Eating options near the castle are limited, but there are a couple of decent ones.
For coffee or a drink with a view, the Schlosshotel Rheinfels, next door to the castle, is hard to beat. It also has three restaurants if you want a full meal. Back in St Goar, Café St Goar on Heerstrasse is a reliable option for a casual bite.
For a wider choice, Boppard and Bacharach are both a short train or boat ride away.
What Else is Nearby
St Goar is a pleasant enough base, but Boppard, Bacharach and Oberwesel are all more rewarding places to spend time, and each is easily reached by train or boat.
From a Rhine river cruise, you’ll get great views of Burg Maus and Burg Katz on the opposite bank. These are two of the most picturesque castles on the Rhine, immortalised by JMW Turner, though neither is open to visitors.
Just downstream, the Hostile Brothers castles of Liebenstein and Sterrenberg are visible from the water. Their name comes from a 16th-century legend: two brothers fell for the same woman, the bad blood between them doomed their castles, and the woman left them to it.
The Loreley Rock is just over a mile south of St Goar. Legend has it that a lovelorn siren lured fishermen to their doom from here.
Enjoyed this? Here are my other Rhine Valley guides:
- 12 Best Things to Do in Boppard, Germany
- 16 Unmissable Things to Do in Bacharach, Germany & Beyond
- 12 Wonderful Things to Do in Oberwesel, Germany & Beyond
- How to Explore Germany’s Romantic Rhine Valley: Itinerary & Planning Tips
Finally, for planning further afield, I’ve written this Germany solo travel guide.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.