Following the 1,320-km course of the Rhine from its source in Switzerland to the river's mouth in the North Sea, the most interesting section is without doubt the Middle Rhine and the Rhine Valley between Mainz and Bonn. Here, where the Rhine carves its way through the slate mountains between Bingen and Koblenz, you'll also find part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage site, an area full of castles that embody the German Romantic tradition. Few other regions around the world are so densely packed with authentic historical attractions. The Rhine Valley, and the region between Düsseldorf and Mainz in particular, is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful destinations in Europe. You'll find impressive scenery all over the world. However, the Middle Rhine has a particularly melodramatic panorama that has provided the setting for stories of human passion and suffering, and we're not just talking about music, poetry and painting, but also real life.
The area where the river passes through the forests of the Volcanic Eifel, Siebengebirge hills, Westerwald, Hunsrück and Taunus regions - interspersed with steep vineyard slopes and overgrown medieval castles - has been the inspiration for a range of artistic creations from the music of Richard Wagner to the architectural monuments of Kaiser Wilhelm. As the place where German Romanticism originated, the Middle Rhine is a fantastic destination to explore. The region around the Rhine, Moselle, Lahn and Nahe rivers is famous for its many myths, sagas and legends. Some of these are based on real-life circumstances and truths that endure to this day, reflecting the cultural and social characteristics of the time and the place in which they were established. It is therefore no wonder that they have lost nothing of their appeal over time and that people still wish to go on a journey of discovery to learn more about the many tales and legends. The Rhine Legends Route is a remarkable themed route that runs for 586 kilometres on the trail of Germany's most famous and beautiful sagas.
