Koblenz Audio Tours

May through October is ideal, when the Rhine promenade and the old town cafes are active and the cable car to Ehrenbreitstein is running. The Rhine in Flames festival in August is a famous spectacle of fireworks and illuminated boats along the river, though it attracts large crowds. November through March is quieter, cooler and better for those who prefer the city without tour groups.

Yes, Koblenz is at the northern gateway of the UNESCO Upper Middle Rhine Valley, the stretch of river between here and Bingen where the gorge narrows and the vineyards, castles and small towns are densest. River cruises, train services and cycling paths all run through this corridor, and Koblenz is a natural start or end point.

The old town and the waterfront from the Moselle to the Deutsches Eck are very walkable, covering perhaps two kilometres of riverside paths and historic streets. The terrain is flat along the river. Getting up to Ehrenbreitstein requires either the cable car or a steep walk.

The Moselle valley above Koblenz produces some of Germany's finest Rieslings, typically lighter and more acidic than those from the Rhine. The Terrassenmosel area between Koblenz and Cochem is known for slate-soil wines with a distinctive mineral quality. Wine shops in the old town stock a good range and the staff usually speak enough English to guide a selection.