Rhine Valley Rhapsody: Culture and Beer Gardens Galore

Must-See Sights

• Römerberg Historic Landmarks
  Amidst the glass and steel of commercial Frankfurt, the Old Town Square of Römerberg is an oasis of half-timbered houses, fountains, and old statues. These are made all the more miraculous when you learn everything in Römerberg is entirely a product of German reconstruction. The only house in the square that survived the storms of history is Haus Wertheym, a restaurant that has been serving food since 1479. The rest of the Römerberg was destroyed by bombs in WWII. Deemed too important for Frankfurt to leave in the past, Römerberg was reconstructed, piece by piece, anchoring Frankfurt to its history. The Römerberg is a must-see on your tour of the city.
• Frankfurt CathedralChurches & Monasteries
  St. Bartholomew's Cathedral is an endearing Gothic heap of a church, much adored by Frankfurters, as it is one of the city's few remaining pieces of pre-war architecture - with a few rebuildings here and there. The cathedral was established in the 7th century and evolved many times across the centuries. The current neo-Gothic style emerged after the building suffered extensive fire damage in 1867. After the cathedral was bombed to pieces in WWII, it was rebuilt to rectify its former glory in 1953. One of the cathedral's big drawcards is its tower, which you can ascend if you can stomach climbing some 330 steps to the top. The views across Frankfurt and the river Main are truly spectacular.
• Eiserner Steg BridgeArchitecture
  The Eiserner Steg is the 170m iron footbridge that connects Frankfurt's north and south banks: the Römerberg area to the north, and the Sachsenhausen to the south. The bridge offers scenic views of both sides of the river - and undoubtedly the best view of Frankfurt's famous skyline. Literally 'Iron Bridge' in German, the Eiserner Steg was first built in 1868 and has since been replaced multiple times. As the curtain closed on WWII, the Wehrmacht destroyed the bridge to disable it from the encroaching Allies. Today the bridge hangs with 'lovelocks' - padlocks fastened by two lovers who fling the keys into the river below.
• Heidelberg CastleCastles & Chateaux
  From the moment you arrive in Heidelberg, the tumbledown turrets and red stone walls of the city's castle beckon from the hillside above the Old Town. Once a grand palace of the Renaissance and home to the Rhine's nobility, over time, Heidelberg Castle was ravaged by fires, twice struck by lightning, and beset upon by townspeople, who used the stones and wood to build their houses. Somehow this has all served in the castle's favor. Inspecting the remains of the castle in 1880, Mark Twain wrote that the castle 'tumbled in such a way as to establish itself in a picturesque attitude… misfortune has done for this old tower what it has done for the human character sometimes — improved it.'
• Church of the Holy Spirit Churches & Monasteries
  Like everything in Heidelberg, the Church of the Holy Spirit has seen some history. Holy Spirit's foundation stones were laid in in 1398, on the base of another even earlier church. Although its main structure is late Gothic, after the French set it on fire during the War of the Palatine Succession, Holy Spirit received a new baroque spire in 1709. Architecture isn't the only thing the church has switched throughout the ages. Holy Spirit has served both Protestants and Catholics, at times simultaneously, with a partition wall between them. Now fully Protestant, the church interior is plain, but still worthy of a look-in for unique details such as the 'Physics Window', a stained glass interpretation of Einstein's e = mc2.
• Old BridgeArchitecture
  For reasons best known to the good people of Heidelberg, since the 15th century, there has always been a statue of a monkey on the city's main bridge. The earliest iteration of the monkey clutched his bare behind, mocking newcomers as they crossed the Neckar River and entered the town. The bridge the monkey stands on has been replaced eight times and is 250 years old. The current monkey, made of bronze, doesn't show his rear end, but instead makes the horned sign of the evil eye, intended to ward off bad fortune. He also holds a mirror, which local legend says will bring wealth to anyone who touches it - a popular activity for visitors as they cross the river.
• Cologne CathedralUNESCO World Heritage
  The Cologne Cathedral is one of the most unforgettable sights you’ll see in Germany, if not your entire trip to Europe. The 13th-century cathedral, affectionately dubbed Kölner Dom by locals, is a towering stone colossus, with twin spires that stretch dramatically toward the sky. The face of the cathedral is adorned with tracery, pinnacles, and other lacey hallmarks of Gothic architecture. Especially at sunset, the effect is dazzling. Something about the cathedral seems otherworldly, almost too majestic to have been made by human hands alone. Inside, the cavernous space is flooded with light filtering through stained glass windows. The cathedral’s reliquary contains some rare treasures, including the Crucifix of Bishop Gero, and the Shrine of the Three Kings, which is believed to contain the bones of the Magi. Regardless of religious affiliation, being inside the cathedral is a deeply humbling experience.
• Hohenzollern BridgeArchitecture
  A surprising complementary modern pairing with the 13th-century cathedral on its Western side, the Hohenzollern Bridge is a beautiful piece of engineering, and one with a compelling history. Flanked by statues of Prussian and German Emperors on both ends, the bridge is named for the House of Hohenzollern, one of Germany’s major ruling dynasties before becoming a republic. During World War II, the Hohenzollern Bridge was highly prized for its strategic position. Although the bridge survived the war, give or take a few minor hits, when Allied troops approached Cologne in 1945, the Germans destroyed the bridge with explosives. Duly reconstructed by 1948, today the bridge is one of the best spots to stand and admire Cologne.
• Chocolate MuseumMuseums & Galleries
  A real-life Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory, this museum is dedicated to the history and production of chocolate. Founded in 1993 by Hans Imhoff and his wife, the Schokoladenmuseum gives you a taste of the history of chocolate as it was used by the Mayans and the Aztecs. The tour includes a walk-through palm house to show the environment in which cocoa beans are grown. The museum is a working chocolate factory, and visitors can see the production of chocolate from start to finish behind glass walls. You can even create your very own custom bar of chocolate. A delicious attraction, and a popular one, the Chocolate Museum is not to be missed.