Offers and Travel Ideas for 2012/2013 From Rhineland-Palatinate

The Rhineland-Palatinate is already renowned for its forest uplands and distinctive river valleys, with their historical castles and stately homes, and above all for its excellent wines. With the advent of late summer and autumn, the Rhineland-Palatinate is seen at its best, providing ideal conditions for active holidays or culinary tours and attracting countless visitors every year to its ten regions. Below, you will find several attractive holiday offers and information on leisure activities.

The Rhineland-Palatinate is renowned beyond the country’s borders for its castles, stately homes and fortifications, many of which provide enticing attractions and events such as, for example, the mediaeval banquet at the Reichsburg in Cochem. Some stately homes, such as Schloss Edesheim in the Palatinate or Burg Rheinfels in St Goar, provide the opportunity to experience a unique and luxurious overnight stay. The wonderfully romantic four-star Schloss Rheinfels hotel provides numerous deals and is ideally located for combining your stay with a visit to the unique Rhine in Flames event, which takes place once a year in the Rhineland-Palatinate. Both theReichsburg in Cochem and the Niederburg in Manderscheidattract visitors with their unique Christmas markets during Advent. Please click here for more information on castles and stately homes.

The end of the year is the start of the wine season. The beginning of the wine harvest heralds the season of numerouswine festivals and culinary festivities. The Wurstmarkt (sausage market) in Bad Dürkheim, the Weinmarkt (wine market) in Oberwesel, the Lukasmarkt in Mayen, the Rotweinfest (red wine festival) in Ingelheim and the German grape harvest festival in Neustadt are just some of the many events with wine and its enjoyment as their theme, where culinary treats from the realm of wine can be savoured. Further highlights for gourmets and wine aficionados are the Birkenhof distillery in Nistertal and the city of Mainz itself – one of the great wine capitals. A list of the top 30 gourmet restaurants in the Rhineland-Palatinate can be found here. You can find more information on wine, culinary art and wine tours, here.Holiday offers: wine and culinary art

Weinquartier Burggarten Hotel ****
The idyllically situated Burggarten wine estate in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, with its 14 comfortable themed rooms, provides the ideal location for relaxation and enjoyment. 3 nights from 225 € per person/double room.You can find more information on this offerhere.

Weinberg Schlösschen Hotel ***
The three-star Weinberg Schlösschen Hotel nestling in the sunny hillsides of vineyards of the Middle Rhine valley is an appealing place for a holiday at any time of the year. 3 nights from 315 € per person/double room.You can find more information on this offerhere.

Advent – the most beautiful season of the year
The towns in the ten regions around the Rhine and Moselle are ideal for a short romantic break during the Christmas period. Festively illuminated houses, lovingly decorated alleys, fragrant mulled wine and other culinary delights are sources of enchantment for a multitude of visitors year after year. Koblenz, Bernkastel-Kues, Trier, Mainz, Ahrweiler, Cochem, Traben-Trarbach, Speyer and Rüdesheim are just a few of the towns that transform themselves into a miniature winter wonderland. Many hotels offer special Christmas packages such as the special all-inclusive offer, “Trier Christmas Magic”, 2 nights from145 € per person/double room. You can find further information on other enchanting Christmas markets in the Rhineland-Palatinate here.

German grape harvest festival in Neustadt an der Weinstraße
Highlight of the wine festival season every year is the German grape harvest festival, with the election and crowning of the Palatinate and German wine queen, the “Haiselscher” wine village, the funfair, the German wine and sparkling wine get-together and the winegrowers’ pageant. This is a wine festival of superlatives with a long tradition in Neustadt an der Weinstraße – vine-covered gateway to the Pfälzerwald natural park. (28.09 – 15.10.2012)Jazz Festival Bingen
Over three days, internationally (and nationally) renowned jazz bands and big bands perform on numerous stages. Music fans get their money’s worth at one of the most attractive places in the inner city, on the banks of the Rhine and at the historic castle of Burg Klopp, which is part of the UNESCO Upper Middle Rhine World Heritage Site. (28. – 30.06.2013) Entry: 15 €per person.

Epicurean year in Rheinhessen: “Wine meets…”
As part of the “Epicurean Year”, seasonal wine taverns and wine bars in Rheinhessen extend an invitation to a culinary foray through the region. Typical regional fare served with selected Rheinhessen wines in vineyard locations with that special atmosphere lend the “Wine meets…” promotions their distinct flavour. Towards the end of the year, from 9th to 11th November 2012, under “Wine meets…goose”, guests can enjoy crispy Martinmas goose with full-bodied wines, and from 30 November to 2 December 2012, under “Wine meets… game”, Advent dishes featuring game from local woodlands accompanied by full-bodied red wines from the region, are served.You can find more information on other events and attractionshere.

With its numerous quality walking routes and an excellent network of cycling trails, the Rhineland-Palatinate represents the ideal holiday destination for all nature lovers. It is not only the sunshine of the summer months that reveals the magnificence of nature and the countryside. When the mist is wafting over the valleys of the Rhine and Moselle on a frosty morning and the sun is already shining on the heights of the Hunsrück, Eifel and Westerwald, upland walks and cycling tours can be an exhilarating experience. Attractions and events, such as the first therapeutic natural park in Bad Bertrich or theVolcano Express, provide additional enticements to visit the region.You can find more information here.

Top tour: German Wine Route
A cycling tour along the German Wine Route and the Rhine, one of the most impressive rivers in Europe, is a truly unique experience. 5 days/4 nights from 290 € per person/double room.Five Rivers Tour: Koblenz & Trier
During a five-day cycling tour, discover five rivers, the Rhine, the Moselle, the Lahn, the Kyll and the Saar, and explore the historic cities of Trier and Koblenz. 5 days/4 nights from 310 € per person/ double room.Find further information on cycling tours here.

Rheinsteig & RheinBurgenWeg
Rheinsteig and the RheinBurgenWeg lead past UNESCO World Heritage sites and idyllic vineyards in the heart of the Rhine valley. 8 days/7 nights from 455 € per person/double room.Westerwald-Steig
Beautiful rolling hills, vast expanses of woodland, orchards and fields contribute to the natural beauty and diversity of the Westerwald-Steig. 8 days/7 nights from 420 € per person/double room.Find further information on walking tours here.