Rhine River Cruise from Koblenz to St. Goare: Loreley Rock, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and Koblenz Cable Car

Your Rhine River 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.

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 southeast along the Rhine River toward the town of St Goare, 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 return journey takes roughly 5.5 hours, and the route passes countless castles, fortresses and ruins as well as vineyards and pretty half-timbered villages.

Have your camera ready to capture photos of Loreley Rock, a majestic slate rock that rises some 427 feet (130 meters) out of the water, and then dock in St Goare. The charming village is well known for its production of beer steins and cuckoo clocks, so perhaps use your free time to browse the shops for souvenirs to take home. Alternatively, visit Stiftskirche – a lovely medieval church with a Romanesque crypt – or wander over to see the ruins of Rheinfels Castle. 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 St Goare. Your cruise back takes roughly 2 hours and 15 minutes.