Boppard Travel Guide

Typical local food ( grilled ham, pork, steak, sausages, fresh salads )- done really well, and reasonably priced! This is a popular place, whcih came recommended both by a local professional couple and a worker on one of the K-D boats. Depending on the day of the week, you'll find local regulars, weekend party-ers and the occasional tourist. During our October stay in Boppard, the only other tourists we met here were Germans. On a Friday night, it was so packed with weekenders at happy hour time, we couldn't squeeze in -- actually, squeeze we did - but couldn't take the condensed smoke. Ate here twice - you can rely on getting a good meal and terrific service.

Favorite Dish: Plain fried potatoes - new potatoes, crisply fried in butter ..... exactly right.

By train from either Koblenz or Mainz. The trains run on both sides of the Rhine. (Wiesbaden)-Rüdesheim-Koblenz on the right bank and (Mainz)-Bingen-Koblenz on the other. Trains are very frequent. Most express trains between northern and southern Germany don't stop anywhere but Mainz and Koblenz but there are plenty of regional ones. Otherwise, go the slow and scenic way and catch a boat. KD-line go from Cologne, Koblenz etc. and there are several others.
Again, by train or boat between the towns and villages.

The people along the river Rhine are open minded with a good sense of humour. They have seen so many people from all over the world during the times.

They like their wine, Strausswirtschaften (win pubs owned by a winegrower. The winefestival is the end of September/beginning of october.

Boppard has many neighbourhoods, in former times each neighbourhood chared one well. Today the all have a little fair of their own with music and fun.

This is something very important to keep in mind when booking accommodation in Boppard and the Rhine valley generally. Two of Europe's major train lines run through the valley, one on each side. Their noise becomes amplified in the narrow valley being reflected back and forth by the steep slopes of both banks. The result is a noise that hardly lets you hear your own words when you are standing on the Rhine Promenade and a freight train is passing through on the other bank. This can seriously mar your holiday experience! Always ask for a room that is noise protected. Think twice before choosing a room that's got its windows towards the river. Lovely view, but what does it help if you can't get any sleep.

The whole area can be a tourist trap at the height of the season July to September. However, out of season it is lovely and even in high season you can have fun as you have the wine festivals. Worst tourist trap is probably Rüdesheim and definately not Boppard but people still come here too for the Bopparder Hamm wines and then you need to book accommodation.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: If you're staying in one of the many hotels along the river promenade in Boppard you might want to bring ear plugs. As soon as you get beyond the actual promenade you're fine but there you have noise from the frequent trains on the OPPOSITE river bank. Of course the more expensive hotels have double glazing but since I never stayed in any I don't know which ones, so better safe than sorry...