Castles of the Middle Rhine

A highlight of our Viking River cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam was the morning we spent on the roof deck watching the plethora of beautiful castles. Our cruise director Elena provided really helpful commentary while crew members handed out shots of German apricot schnapps. This all took place during a 40-mile stretch of the Rhine prior to landing in the town of Koblenz.

As John and I sat on the deck, looking at the spectacular scenery, we felt we were participants in a Viking River television commercial. We had a lot of “pinch me am I really here” moments. This experience, alone, was a main selling point for going on this cruise. We sailed miles without seeing another ship and saw so many beautiful castles with little effort. For me, our arrival in Koblenz was especially dramatic. It was hard not to be in awe as our ship approached the Deutsches Eck and the enormous statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I.