Last updated on at 07:27 am
In this post, I will recount how we spent our first day in Rüdesheim am Rhein.
If you’re looking for more detailed information about visiting (i.e., things to see and do, how to get there, etc.), then head on to our other post, Rüdesheim, Germany: Guide to An Enchanting Village, which talks about just that.
While this post is more about my personal experience visiting Rüdesheim am Rhein, it is still informative as I’m including more stories and photos. I would even say that this would maybe give you a deeper look and understanding of what you’ll see and experience when you visit.
A Little Background
But first, a little background about Rüdesheim am Rhein for those who are not familiar with it.
Rüdesheim am Rhein is a winemaking town in Germany’s Rhine Gorge. It may be one of the stops if you take a cruise along the Rhine. I say may because that happenstance largely depends on the cruise company you’re booking with.
At any rate, Rüdesheim am Rhein is famous for its Riesling wines and Drosselgasse, one of its picturesque streets that dates back to the middle ages. Drosselgasse is cobbled, narrow, and flanked on both sides with stores, shops, and taverns sporting fancy signs, all of which contribute to its medieval charm.
Visiting Rüdesheim am Rhein
We visited Rüdesheim am Rhein on a spring not too long ago. We made it our base for exploring the other towns in the Rhine and stayed there for a week.
Why Rüdesheim am Rhein?
What made us decide to choose Rüdesheim am Rhein as our base is the fact that it’s a relatively large town compared to the other towns in the Rhine and there are many things to do there. We wanted a larger town that offers ample activities, had a good number of places to eat, and had a decent amount of shops, and Rüdesheim am Rhein was all that. It helped that the place didn’t get so quiet by 6 pm as most small German towns do.
We also liked that it was accessible by train, which made going around the Rhine so much easier.
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First Day in Rüdesheim am Rhein
Our first day in Rüdesheim am Rhein started rather late since we arrived by train past midnight already hours before. It was so late (or so early in the morning, depending on how you look at it) that the hotel reception was already closed. It was a great thing that our hotel was so efficient in leaving our keys via a coded mailbox, so checking in went smoothly. That was such a relief for us given that we were so tired from a whole day spent traveling.
We woke up so late on that day that we had to skip the hotel’s free breakfast. A shame since it was quite an elaborate delicious spread, but we made sure not to miss it in the succeeding days.
Brunch
Anyhow, the first order of the day was food. We found this old hotel in one of the back streets that also has a restaurant.
It was a pretty place with outdoor seating. We dined outside and I ordered a salad, a plate of Schnitzel with fries, and a cup of hot chocolate. Everything was delicious.
Well-fed and our energy replenished, we went exploring.
Going Around
Rüdesheim am Rhein is mostly made up of short, narrow streets. Some are residential, others are commercial. There are half-timbered buildings and some plain-looking ones all around town.
After a few minutes walk, we came upon a rather large square with shops and offices on the sides. It was teeming with people because we were told that it was a holiday in Germany at that time, so many were visiting places.
There were benches scattered around, so we took a rest for a bit. Then after a few minutes, we went to check out the shops around it. Most were selling souvenir items and other odds and ends.
After a while, we went back to explore the side streets. There are a lot of them, mostly cute and charming.
We came upon a bigger street that has bigger restaurants on the side and where the Torture Museum is located.
And still more restaurants, which was great as we had many options to choose from.
On the left portion of the street (Obestrabe) in the photo below is where you will find the cable car station that you can ride in to go to Niederwalddenkmal, a monument on a hill that honors the unification of Germany. Niederwalddenkmal also provides great views of Rüdesheim am Rhein and the Rhine below.
Oberstrabe has also many restaurants.
As we went along this road, we came upon Drosselgasse to the right.
Drosselgasse
We explored Drosselgasse to our heart’s content.
It also had nice restaurants lining it, as well as boutiques and shops.
We then went back to Obestrabe to go to Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet, where we viewed a fascinating collection of mechanical instruments like a snuff box with a singing bird and more.
After our time in this museum, we called it a day.
Where to Stay in Rüdesheim am Rhein / Rhine
For highly rated places to stay in Rüdesheim am Rhein, check out these great hotels.
Wrap Up
So that is how we spent our first day in Rüdesheim am Rhein.
Watch out for another installment of our time in this lovely town.
I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse of Rüdesheim am Rhein.
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I loved this post, especially all of the photos! It looks so charming. I am currently living in Germany, and now I want to add this to my bucket list!
Your photos are so colorful and show the beauty of the city!
This place looks so magical! I love it! Maybe my family and I can go there ourselves someday and experience it for ourselves! Thanks so much for sharing!
Great photos! Looks like a magical place!
Looks like a very cute town. I’d definitely like to visit to learn more about their Rieslings.
Inspirational pics make me want to go. Thanks for sharing
Such a fun peek at Rüdesheim am Rhein! And really gorgeous photos!
Beautiful spot!
So pretty. I traveled in this area many moons ago and seeing the images brings me back! Glad you got to experience this beautiful place.
Goodness me, this is quite literally the cutest place I’ve ever seen in my life. I’d love to go to Germany and explore their cute villages!
I think Rüdesheim am Rhein seems like the perfect town to spend a few days wandering around and enjoying the food, arts and scenery. I love all the photos you shared as they seem to really capture its charm. Great post!
This town looks amazing! I would love to stroll through those streets. Thanks for introducing this part of Germany to me!
Love the architecture of this “pretty town” – one day I’ll get to Germany on another European adventure and this town will be on the list. Thx for the info!