River Rhine Cruise from Koblenz to Boppard: Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and Koblenz Cable Car

Your River Rhine cruise includes a round-trip Koblenz cable car ticket with entrance fee to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. When you use your ticket is up to you; ride in the cable car and visit the attraction either before or after your cruise.

Simply step inside the cable car -- the longest in Europe outside of the Alps -- and ascend to a height of 2,789 feet (850 meters), admiring views over the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge below. Head inside the magnificent fortress to explore at leisure, learning about its past as a strategic defense building during the Napoleonic wars and World War I.

At a time that suits your schedule, hop aboard your sightseeing boat at Koblenz riverside, and then take a seat outside on deck or indoors in the spacious saloon. Then, cruise south along the Rhine River toward the town of Boppard, along a stretch of the water known as the Rhine Valley or Middle Rhine. Listen to audio commentary about the UNESCO-listed area, hearing fun facts about the famous river’s geology, history and sights. Your journey takes roughly two hours, and the route passes nearly 30 castles, fortresses and ruins as well as vineyards and pretty half-timbered villages.

Pass Kurtrierische Burg, one of the region’s more imposing castles, and then dock at Boppard’s main pier. Perhaps visit Karmeliterkirche, a Gothic church on the riverside, or explore Bodobrica – an old Roman garrison with more than 20 defensive towers. The town lies in the heart of the Rhine Valley wine region, so the nearby wineries are well worth a visit, too. All entrance fees, activities and meals in town are at your own expense. Boats returning to Koblenz leave at different times throughout the day, so you can spend as long as you like in Boppard. The cruise back lasts roughly 1.5 hours.