Crazy how quickly the weather has changed! I just went from writing a blog post on rainy weather activities to planning for a hot Summer weekend in the Rheingau! The weather hit a beautiful 24ºC at the weekend so I took my visitors out to the vineyards for some early season winetasting.

Whether you have guests you are trying to impress or if you just want to take advantage of the wine producing region on our doorstep, here is an easy guide to a tour. There are actually so many places to go, its hard to know what to do without a few pointers.

If you are only doing one trip then it has to be straight to Rüdesheim am Rhein. This is an easy 45 minute drive straight along the river, but that does mean unfortunately that someone won’t be drinking much. However, the good news is that there is a train direct from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (the RB10) which normally goes every 30 minutes and takes about 1 hour 11 mins. A far less stressful way to travel! The last train back is just before 11pm, so plenty of time to enjoy dinner before you return.

Itinerary

Step 1 – RheinWeinWelt (Rhein Wine World)
Right across from the station is the first stop and a perfect way to get the party started. 160 wines from 80 different wine producers are showcased here, all for a self-service tasting experience. There is no entry fee, you just need to go to the reception and buy a bag of coins. Each coin delivers 20ml of wine into your glass from one of the many tasting stations. I could easily spend a couple of hours here tasting the different varieties. You can buy any of the wines you have tasted, but bear in mind, you will have to carry them around for the rest of the day. And after or during the tasting, stop into the bistro for lunch and a coffee. Great way to set you up for the next part of the journey.

Step 2 – Abtei St. Hildegarde
Next, hop on the number 183 bus directly at Rüdesheim am Rhein station towards Windeck and hop off again at the Abtei St. Hildegarde. This is actually a 40 minute uphill walk for the ambitious, so depends on how you are feeling and whether you are already in need of sobering up. The Abtei is a beautiful old functioning Benedictine convent with stunning views out over the vineyards and the Rhein valley. Take a walk around the grounds and gardens, if you are religious or just interested, then the church is open to visitors from 5.50am until 8.30pm every day. And next on down to the kloster shop to try their home produced wines, and a snack in the café. At the very least, this is a beautiful place to get some peace and quite.

Step 3 – Weingut Magdalenenhof
From the Abtei, choose any route to wind your way down through the vineyards to the Weingut Magdalenenhof. The walk is only about 20 minutes so should be manageable for any group. This picturesque little cluster of buildings is a hotel/restaurant/winery all rolled into one. Depending on the time you arrive, it is a great place for dinner, photos in the early evening sun or shopping before walking back into Rüdesheim.

Step 4 – Rüdesheim old town
From Magdalenenhof, head downhill through Rüdesheim towards the old town. Plug in the townhall to google maps and you can’t go wrong. Depending on how much energy you have left, you’ll see restaurants and bars, more wineries, or just have a look at the old town centre before heading across to the station for your train home again.

This is a perfect day trip, easily manageable for all ages, but it can also easily stretch into an overnight stay if you decide to go slower or explore the hillside further.

Have a great trip!