The Main River is 525 Km (326 Miles) and entirely in Germany and it is the right arm of the Rhine River. The Main River has 34 locks.
The Rhine River’s largest city is Cologne (Koln) with a population of 1,050,000. It is the 2nd largest river in Europe with the Danube being first. The Rhine was the most important river in Roman times. Gaulish name is Renos, English name is Rhine, German name is Rhein, French is Rhin and Latin is Rhenus. The Rhine has been an International Waterway since 1815 Treaty of Vienna.
The Rhine River is 1320 Km (820 Miles) long with a basin over 250,000 square Km (96, 525 Sq Miles). Lake Constance forms a reservoir of drinking water for 30 million people. The Rhine is an International River which includes 6 countries: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands. This river is one of Europe’s most important waterways and flows from Switzerland to the North Sea. The Rhine River is divided into sections: High, Upper, Middle and Lower Rhine.
You will travel on the Main River and enter the Rhine River for a beautiful sail to start your day.
Your last morning on the Main River, you will pass Frankfurt around 6:00 AM on your way to Rudesheim, Germany. Frankfurt is 29-37 Km on the Main Rive. Frankfurt has Europe’s tallest building the Trade-Fair-Tower which today is a symbol of Germany’s Post War Period. Frankfurt was reduced to rubble by Allied bombs. The city hall was rebuilt along with some of the half-timbered houses.
Once you are on the Rhine River Ama Viola will open the entire top deck as there will be no more low bridges. You will be passing through the Rheinhessen area of Germany. This area is the largest of Germany’s wine – producing region bound by Mainz, Worms, and Beingen-Rheinhessen. The landscape is dominated by endless vineyards and wine villages of Nierstein, Nachenheim and Oppenheim. Great wines are produced here notably Liebraumilich (named after a tiny village near Worms near where we used to live). Niersteiner Domtal, Muller-Thurgau and Sylvaner grapes are grown here. Reisling grapes are planted more extensivly Scheurebe, Bacchus Kerner, and Portugueser which is used in rose wines. White wine is predominate in the Rheinhessen but Pinot Noir does well too.
You should be on the Rhine River around 10:00 AM near Mainz at Km 500. Mainz is the capital of the state of Rhineland – Palatinate. Mainz was one of the first German towns founded by the Romans. There is a Roman-German Museum and Gutenberg Museum as Johannes Gutenberg was born in Mainz.
Next is Weisbaden on the Rhine at Km 503. Weisbaden is the Capital of the State of Hesse and is a spa town with city theaters and stylish casinos with a taste of the last century. The town has a reputation of many thermal baths.
Bingen is on the Rhine at Km 529 and across the river from Rudesheim. The mouse tower was used for collecting tolls. Bingen is surrounded by Klopp Castle which was rebuilt in the 19th Century. From here the Middle Section of the Rhine River has dozens of castles which were built by toll money collected from passing ships. You will see more of this when you enter the Rhine Gorge after Rudesheim.
The Rhine River is where we start to see the campers along the river.
Note: I wish I had taken more pictures of this section of our travel from the Main to Rudesheim.
