The Rheinsteig is a

hiking trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...

following a mainly elevated path along the east bank of the

Rhine The Rhine ; french: Rhin ; nl, Rijn ; wa, Rén ; li, Rien; rm, label=Sursilvan, Rein, rm, label=Sutsilvan and Surmiran, Ragn, rm, label=Rumantsch Grischun, Vallader and Puter, Rain; it, Reno ; gsw, Rhi(n), including in Alsatian dialect, Al ...

River in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

. Its route stretches from

Bonn The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ru ...

Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...

, running parallel to the Rheinhöhenweg Trail and Rheinburgenweg Trail.

Description

The Rheinsteig passes through woodlands and vineyards, and has challenging ascents and descents. It is signposted by signs with an 'R' on a blue background. The Rheinsteig allows either longer-distance hiking or a number of short tours.

Route and sights of interest

Wiesbaden-Biebrich Biebrich is a borough of the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. With over 38,000 inhabitants, it is the most-populated of Wiesbaden's boroughs. It is located south of the city center on the Rhine River, opposite the Mainz borough of Mombach. Biebr ...

Schloss Biebrich Biebrich Palace (german: link=no, Schloss Biebrich) is a Baroque residence ('' Schloss'') in the borough of Biebrich in the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. Built in 1702 by Prince Georg August Samuel of Nassau-Idstein, it served as the duc ...

, Schloss Biebrich

Wiesbaden-Schierstein Schierstein is a southwestern borough of Wiesbaden, capital of state of Hesse, Germany. First mentioned in historical records in 860, Schierstein was incorporated into Wiesbaden in 1926. Today the borough has about 10,000 residents. Situated on the ...

, Goethestein, Burg Frauenstein, Burg Frauenstein

Wiesbaden-Frauenstein Frauenstein is the westernmost borough of the city of Wiesbaden, located in the Rhine Main Area near Frankfurt and capital of the federal state of Hesse, Germany. The borough has a population of approximately 2,400. The formerly independent vi ...

Schlangenbad Schlangenbad is a municipality in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Geography Location The community, which is a health resort (''Kurort''), lies above sea level in a sheltered location on ...

, Schlangenbad Burg Scharfenstein,

Kiedrich Kiedrich is a municipality in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the '' Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Geography Kiedrich lies in the Rheingau on the south slope of the Taunus, approximately 2 km north from the town of Elt ...

, *

Eberbach Abbey Eberbach Abbey (German: Kloster Eberbach) is a former Cistercian monastery in Eltville in the Rheingau, Germany. On account of its Romanesque architecture, Romanesque and Gothic (architecture), early Gothic buildings it is considered one of the mo ...

(Kloster Eberbach), Eberbach Abbey

Steinberg Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH (trading as Steinberg) is a German musical software and hardware company based in Hamburg. It develops music writing, recording, arranging, and editing software, most notably Cubase, Nuendo, and Dorico. It als ...

, Schloss Vollrads *Johannisberg (

Geisenheim Geisenheim is a town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt in Hessen, Germany, and is known as ''Weinstadt'' (“Wine Town”), ''Schulstadt'' (“School Town”), ''Domstadt'' (“Cathedral Town”) and ''Lindenstad ...

Schloss Johannisberg Schloss Johannisberg is a castle and winery in the village of Johannisberg to the west of Wiesbaden, Hesse, in the Rheingau wine-growing region of Germany. It has been making wine for over 900 years. The winery is most noted for its claim to ...

, * Marienthal Monastery,

Eibingen Abbey Eibingen Abbey (german: Abtei St. Hildegard, full name: Benedictine Abbey of St. Hildegard) is a community of Benedictine nuns in Eibingen near Rüdesheim in Hesse, Germany. Founded by Hildegard of Bingen in 1165, it was dissolved in 1804, but ...

, *

Rüdesheim am Rhein Rüdesheim am Rhein is a German winemaking town in the Rhine Gorge, and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in this region. It lies in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt, Hessen. Known as Rüdesheim, i ...

, Niederwalddenkmal, Niederwalddenkmal

Assmannshausen Assmannshausen is, since its incorporation in 1977, a quarter of Rüdesheim am Rhein in the Rheingau, located on the Rhine in the state of Hesse, Germany. The village has a lithium spring, spa and a Kurhaus, and is famed for its red wine (Assmannsh ...

* Lorch, Ruine Nollig,

Burg Gutenfels Gutenfels Castle (german: Burg Gutenfels), also known as Caub Castle, is a castle 110m above the town of Kaub in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. History Gutenfels Castle was built in 1220. It was used with the toll castle, Pfalzgrafenstein Ca ...

Burg Gutenfels *

Kaub Kaub (old spelling: ''Caub'') is a town in Germany, state Rhineland-Palatinate, district Rhein-Lahn-Kreis. It is part of the municipality (''Verbandsgemeinde'') Loreley. It is located on the right bank of the Rhine, approx. 50 km west from W ...

Dörscheid Dörscheid is a municipality in the district of Rhein-Lahn, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany. West of the village is the protected monument of the Schwedenschanze There are numerous prehistorical and early historical ringworks a ...

Lorelei The Lorelei ( ; ), spelled Loreley in German, is a , steep slate rock on the right bank of the River Rhine in the Rhine Gorge (or Middle Rhine) at Sankt Goarshausen in Germany, part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site. Th ...

Sankt Goarshausen Sankt Goarshausen (abbreviated St. Goarshausen) is a town located in the Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Nassau on the eastern shore of the Rhine, in the section known as the Rhine Gorge, directly across the river from Sankt Goar, in the German state Rhinel ...

Nochern Nochern is a municipality and village in the district of Rhein-Lahn, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany. It has 12 hectares of vineyards facing south down into the Rhine valley. The Rheinsteig The Rheinsteig is a hiking trail followi ...

Burg Maus Maus Castle (german: Burg Maus, meaning ''Mouse Castle'') is a castle above the village of Wellmich (part of Sankt Goarshausen) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It lies on the east side of the Rhine, north of Katz Castle (''Cat Castle'') in Sank ...

* Kestert,

Lykershausen Lykershausen is a municipality in the district of Rhein-Lahn, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country ...

, Burg Liebenstein, Burg Sterrenberg, Burg Sterrenberg

Filsen Filsen is a municipality in the district of Rhein-Lahn, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Eur ...

Osterspai Osterspai (formerly ''Osterspey'') is a municipality in the district of Rhein-Lahn, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany. References External links Picture of Osterspey, J.F. Dielmann, A. Fay, J. Becker (painter): F.C. Vogels Panorama d ...

, Osterspai

Marksburg The Marksburg is a castle above the town of Braubach in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is one of the principal sites of the Rhine Gorge UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fortress was used for protection rather than as a residence for royal famil ...

Braubach Braubach is a municipality in the Rhein-Lahn-Kreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, approx. 10 km southeast of Koblenz. Braubach has assorted medieval architecture intact, including ...

Lahnstein Lahnstein () is a ''verband''-free town of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated at the confluence of the Lahn with the Rhine, approximately south of Koblenz. Lahnstein was created in 1969 by the merger of the previo ...

Oberlahnstein Oberlahnstein () is a part of the city of Lahnstein in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It lies on the right bank of the Rhine, at the confluence of the Lahn 4 m. above Koblenz, on the Right Rhine railway from Cologne to Frankfurt-on-Main. Oberlah ...

Niederlahnstein Niederlahnstein is a part of the city of Lahnstein in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Description and history Niederlahnstein is situated on the right bank of the Rhine. In 1905, it had a population of 4,351 people. By 1939, this had grown to 6,81 ...

Lahneck Castle Lahneck Castle (German: Burg Lahneck) is a medieval fortress located in the city of Lahnstein in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, south of Koblenz. The 13th-century castle stands on a steep rock salient above the confluence of the Lahn River with th ...

Lahneck Castle *

Koblenz Koblenz (; Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz''), spelled Coblenz before 1926, is a German city on the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle, a multi-nation tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman military post by Drusus around 8 B.C. Its na ...

-Ehrenbreitstein,

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress Ehrenbreitstein Fortress (german: Festung Ehrenbreitstein, ) is a fortress in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, on the east bank of the Rhine where it is joined by the Moselle, overlooking the town of Koblenz. Occupying the position of an ...

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress *

Vallendar Vallendar is a town in the district Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, approx. 4 km north-east of Koblenz. Vallendar is the seat of the '' Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective munici ...

*Sayn (part of

Bendorf Bendorf () is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the right bank of the Rhine, approx. north of Koblenz. Structure of the town The town consists of the following districts: *Bendorf *Sayn *Mülhofen *St ...

) * Rengsdorf * Leutesdorf *

Rheinbrohl Rheinbrohl is a municipality in the district of Neuwied, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European ...

Leubsdorf Leubsdorf is a village of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, in the district of Neuwied. Geography The village of Leubsdorf consists of the four parts Leubsdorf, Hesseln, Rothe Kreuz and Krumscheid. History First known documents about Leubsdorf d ...

Linz am Rhein Linz am Rhein (in English ''Linz on the Rhine'') is a municipality in the district of Neuwied, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the river Rhine near Remagen, approx. 25 km southeast of Bonn and has about ...

Unkel Unkel is a town in the district of Neuwied, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, near Remagen, about 20 km southeast of Bonn. Unkel is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective municipali ...

Unkel *

Bad Honnef Bad Honnef () is a spa town in Germany near Bonn in the Rhein-Sieg district, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the border of the neighbouring state Rhineland-Palatinate. To the north it lies on the slopes of the Drachenfels (“Dragon' ...

, Drachenfels *

Königswinter Königswinter ( ksh, Köningkswinte; Low Franconian: ) is a town and summer resort in the Rhein-Sieg district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Königswinter is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, opposite Bad Godesberg, at th ...

* Niederdollendorf * Kennedy Bridge, Kennedy Bridge

Literature and maps

Opened on September 8, 2005, hikers can find maps and books giving information about where to join and leave the track, should hikers want to do just a short section.

Gallery

File:Rheinsteig Dattenberg 2011.jpg File:BurgGutenfels01s.jpg, File:Rheinsteig Kaub and Die Pfalz.jpg, File:Schloss Arenfels NE aspect.jpg, Arenfels castle File:HE Taunus Kiedrich Scharfenstein02a.jpg, File:Honigberg-wald-1s.jpg, Honigberg near Kiedrich File:Kloster-Eberbach-01s.jpg, Eberbach Abbey Image:Rheinsteig-Oberwesel01.jpg, The Rheinsteig in winter, Roßstein between Kaub and St. Goarshausen, view of Oberwesel File:Goethestein-01.jpg, Goethestein, Wiesbaden-Frauenstein

References

External links

www.rheinsteig.de
Official website
The Rhine Trail - Rheinsteigloreley-infoGPS track and tour guide
{{Authority control Hiking trails in Hesse Hiking trails in North Rhine-Westphalia Hiking trails in Rhineland-Palatinate Taunus Middle Rhine Rheingau