The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a gorge that cuts through the Rhenish-Westphalian Slate Mountains, is blessed with historic towns and cities, ancient castles and palaces and steep vineyard slopes. It extends 65km along the Rhine from the old Roman town of Koblenz to Bingen, passing the mysterious Loreley rock and Rüdesheim on its way and revealing a natural landscape shaped by the hand of man. Situated in the heart of Europe, serving both as border and bridge between cultures, it is a fine reflection of the history of western civilisation. The abundance of architectural monuments preserved here is virtually unsurpassed. With its vine-clad slopes, sprinkling of villages along the narrow banks of the river and numerous castles perched upon rocky outcrops, the valley epitomises the romance of the Rhine. This much-visited landscape has inspired countless songs, poetry and paintings.

Discover the beauty and variety of the Romantic Rhine on a virtual trip with Köln-Düsseldorfer and its nostalgic paddle steamer Goethe.