Bacharach Travel Guide
A detailed destination guide for your next Germany vacation
Bacharach Overview
Bacharach is a small German town, lying on the west bank of the Rhine, just south of Koblenz (Koblenz vacation rentals | Koblenz travel guide). From here you can take a roundtrip Rhine cruise and marvel at the ruined castles, drive to Bad Soden in the summer for a relaxing Saturday at an open-air jazz festival, or enjoy a day of family fun at the Lochmühle Theme Park.
The beautifully preserved medieval city of Bacharach lies in the heart of the Middle Rhine region. Town highlights include Stahleck Castle (now a youth hostel), many sections of the original town walls, The Church of St. Peter, historic half-timbered houses, the gothic ruins of Wernerkapelle, a Roman road in the Kühlberg
area, and the Stahlberg Castle ruins in the nearby village of Steeg. Many wineries are located in Bacharach and the nearby towns of the Rhine-Nahe wine growing region.
Bacharach is said to have been founded in pre-Roman times, possibly by the Celts. Its original name is said to have been Baccaracum. However, the first documentary evidence of its existence is from 923.
There is a basilica, dating from the beginning of the 13th century. There are also ruins of a Gothic church of the 13th and 15th centuries. The renovated castle of Stahleck (now a youth hostel), crowning the heights above the town, is celebrated in history as the scene of the marriage between Henry, eldest son of Henry the Lion (shortly before the latter's death in 1195), and Agnes of Hohenstaufen, which effected a temporary reconciliation between the houses of Welf and Hohenstaufen. Other ruined castles are those of Fürstenberg and Stahlberg. All three belonged to the Counts Palatine.
The wines of Bacharach were once held in the greatest esteem, and it is still one of the chief markets of the Rhenish wine trade.
The town is the setting for Heinrich Heine's novel-fragment The Rabbi of Bacharach (1824-1840).
[ source: Wikipedia ]
Where to stay in Bacharach?
Featured vacation rentals in Bacharach:
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In addition, check out our selection of hand-selected and quality Bacharach vacation rentals and holiday apartments.
Things to See in Bacharach
Timber-frame houses, which can be found throughout the town. A whole row of them borders Bacharach along with the town wall along the Rhine.
Altes Haus (“Old House”), medieval timber-frame house dating from 1368.
Haus Utsch house 1585: Friedrich Wilhelm Utsch, the Jäger aus Kurpfalz (“Hunter from the Electoral Palatinate” – a character in a well known song) lived there.
Town wall towers: Diebesturm (“Thief’s Tower”, remnants), Zehnt-turm (“Tithe Tower”), Spitzenturm (“Pointed Tower”, remnants), Postenturm (“Post Tower”), Holztor (“Wooden Gate”, also called Steeger Tor), Liebesturm (“Love Tower”), Halbturm (“Half Tower”, remnants), Kühlbergturm (“Kühlberg Tower”, remnants), Sonnenturm (“Sun Tower”, remnants), Hutturm (“Hat Tower”), Zollturm (no longer existing), Kranentor, Markttor (“Market Gate”), Münztor (“Mint Gate”), Winandturm (“Winand’s Tower”). The town fortifications are among the best preserved in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Stahleck Castle
Stahlberg Castle
Maps and Driving Directions to Bacharach
Bacharach lies on the Rhine’s left bank and can be reached by Bundesstraße 9 or the Rhine. Running regularly to and from Bacharach are the excursion ships of the Köln-Düsseldorfer-Rheinschiffahrt, or KD for short.
Travel Insider Tips for Bacharach
We went one cold,frosty December morning-it was lovely. Sweet little Christmas Market and small shops open. Very pretty little town.
Shared by Sorrel Jane Willis, Jun 2011
I just got back from Germany and it is so beautiful. I would definitely live there. Bacharach is amazing, the old buildings are gorgeous. Went down the Rhine, Amazing ...
Shared by Sy Robinson, Sep 2009
Beautiful scenery, take a boat ride or watch the boats come in along the Rhine River. Walk around the town streets. Walk up to the tower a must. Vineyards are in this photo from the tower view. Shops on Oberstrasse close almost as quickly as they open. Like many places in Europe. If you want to buy a gift be there when they open up.
Shared by David Faidley, Apr 2011
I like any one of the numerous castles up and down the Rhine . Bacharach is wonderful .
Shared by Barry DeWalt, Sep 2010
Love Bacharach for the wine and food, Oberwesel for the vineyards and the people.
Shared by John F. Wiley, Mar 2010
Spent a day in Bacharach...stayed in Spay about a 1/2 drive north and went down for the wine festival. Not sure if they still do the wine festivals but it was a beautiful quaint town...lovely area! The Rhine boat trips are fun!!!
Shared by Wendy Wrede Masuhr, Mar 2010
... I like Bacharach am Rhein because of its romantic buildings, the beautiful views on the Rhine river and the nice wineries.
Shared by mazdamiata, Aug 2008
Anywhere in that area is beautiful, you can't go wrong with any of your choices. Take the day cruises or just hop in your car and go. Great restaurants and inside outside cafes, wine, scenery...great for walking too.
Shared by Ingrid Rowe, Mar 2010
Charming little town, Waffeln mit heisser Himbeersosse :) a real treat, historic houses...you won't be disappointed.
Shared by Ingrid Rowe, Jun 2011
Looking for a traditional German town? Stop in Bacharach along the Rhine River.The food and shopping is some of the truest German you will find anywhere.For the best cruise on the Rhine do a Rhine Aflame
river cruise.The fireworks that light up the castles are a sight not to be missed.
Shared by Vicki Diane Elder, Mar 2010
Bacharach
[ source: Flickr]
Popular Points of Interest in and near Bacharach
Stahleck Castle
[ source: Flickr ]
Stahleck Castle dates back to 1135. It was built on the orders of the Archbishop of Cologne and offers a commanding view of the Rhine in the Lorelei valley. It was destroyed in the late 17th century, but was rebuilt in the early 20th century and is now a hostel.
Church of St. Peter
[ source: Flickr ]
The largest church in Bacharach is the protestant church of St.Peter and it dates back to the year 1094. Several times it was restored and rebuilt and it includes an interesting tomb of a nobleman called Johann Friedrich von Wolfskehl, who died in 1609. There are no admission fees and you can visit without restrictions during the day. The church is open from April until October from 9:30 am - 6 pm. It is located in the center of the village, at the mainstreet far behind the train-line and the townwall. When driving through the village towards the castle of Stahleck you will see it.
Ruins of Wernerkapelle
[ source: Flickr ]
The history of this chapel goes back to 1287 when a young man, Werner, was found murdered on this spot. His death was blamed on a ritual killing by the local Jews and a pogrom followed. The chapel was built to house Werner’s bones and became a pilgrimage chapel.
Posthof Bacharach
[ source: Flickr ]
The old Posthof
is located in the center of Bacharach, just a few steps from the church of St. Peter. The building dates back to the year 1593 and it became an Thurn & Taxis-postoffice
in 1724. It actually was the postal office of Bacharach until the year 1987. Nowadays the Posthof is used as a museum and also the tourist-information, which is located in the same building, as well as a souvenir-shop. Make sure to check out the innercourt. You may enter the court freely and without any restrictions during the day.
Stahlberg Castle
[ source: Flickr ]
Stahlberg Castle, situated in the Steeg Valley, was built no later than 1219 by the archbishopric of Cologne in order to protect the four-valleys region with the villages of Bacharach, Diebach, Manubach, and Steeg. The position and the layout of Stahlberg Castle ruins clearly indicate that it is rooted in the 12th century. It is situated on a rocky projection to the northwest of the town of Steeg. The Keep, shield wall and remains of the castle walls are well preserved.
Reichenstein Castle (Falkenburg)
[ source: Wikipedia ]
Reichenstein Castle, also called Falkenburg, is located above Trechtingshausen, a village between Koblenz and Bingen right in the upper Rhine Gorge. The castle's large construction is one of the spectacular examples of the castle reconstruction in neo-Gothic style. Built in the 11th century, was owned by a robber-baron and was destroyed in 1253 and again in 1282. It began its decay in the 16th century. In 1834 Friedrich Wilhelm von Barfuß started the reconstruction. Baron Kirsch Purcelli bought the castle in 1899 and continued the work of reconstruction. The shield wall is particularly noteworthy.
In the castle, in addition to the largest collection of cast-iron plates in Rhineland-Palatinate, are over 1,200 hunting trophies from all over the world, weapons, arms, porcelain and furniture from five centuries. Many concerts and events are also held on the grounds.
Hours: Daily from 10am - 6pm March 1 - November 14.
Admission: Adults 4 €, Concessions 2 €.
Related Sites
We collected some useful links related to Bacharach. If you know a few more sites not listed here, or also know some insider tips or point of interests for this destination? Please share and submit your Germany travel tip. If approved it will be shown on this page!
- Homepage of Bacharach: Bacharach (official home page)
- Wikipedia: Bacharach
- Bacharach city page
- Bacharach city guide
- Wikipedia: Bacharach
- Bacharach: Official City Page
- Burg Stahleck
- Culinary Summer Night
- Medieval Market
- Altes Haus
- Middle Rhine wine tasting
- Werner Kappelle
More about the History of Bacharach
In the early 11th century, Bacharach had its first documentary mention. It may have been that as early as the 7th century, the kingly domain passed into Archbishop of Cologne (Cologne vacation rentals | Cologne travel guide) Kunibert’s ownership; pointing to this is a Kunibertskapelle (chapel) on the spot where now stands the Wernerkapelle. The Vögte of the Cologne estate were the Counts Palatine, who over time pushed back Cologne’s influence. Count Palatine already had so much influence that he resided at Stahleck Castle. His successor Konrad von Staufen’s daughter secretly wed at Stahleck Castle a son of the Welfs, who were family foes, leading to Bacharach’s, and indeed the whole County Palatine’s, falling for a short time to Henry of Brunswick. In 1214 the Wittelsbachs became Bacharach’s new lords. Together with the Unteramt of Kaub (Kaub vacation rentals | Kaub travel guide) they received here their most important toll and revenue source. In 1314 it was decided to choose Louis the Bavarian as the German king. Furthermore, Bacharach was the most important transfer point for the wine trade, as barrels were offloaded here from the smaller ships that were needed to get by the Binger Loch (a quartzite reef in the Rhine upstream near Bingen) and loaded onto bigger ones. From then on, the wine bore the designation Bacharacher. The timber trade from the Hunsrück also brought Bacharach importance, and in 1356, Bacharach was granted town rights.
Today Bacharach thrives on tourism and wine from Bacharach is still enjoying international popularity. Not to be overlooked, however, are problems arising from a shrinking population, itself brought about by a lack of prospects.
What makes this Live Like a German Bacharach Travel Guide special...
This Bacharach travel guide provides you with an overview of Bacharach, Bacharach pictures, and a local travel guide that suggests many special trips, unique activities, and vacation ideas, that you can't find in a typical Germany travel guide.
Some of this information is compiled from popular and well-known sources (e.g., such as Wikipedia, Wikitravel, and great pictures from Flickr). However, what makes this Germany travel guide special is that most of the travel suggestions and insider tips are provided by local residents, property owners, and our readers, who share and submit their travel tips with us. All submissions are then editorially reviewed to ensure high quality. All this information is logically organized within this destination guide to make it easy for you to find things quickly.
In addition, the Bacharach destination guide features restaurant recommendations, restaurant reviews, where to go for grocery shopping, sports activities, getting around, cultural events and highlights, entertainment, and health related information - so you are informed for your travel to Germany, and you can learn about all the cool things you can do during your Germany vacation!
