Day 5 aboard Avalon Waterways’ Avalon Envision proved to be a more relaxed one compared to the previous days of the voyage.
Following their foray into the German cities of Heidelberg and Mainz, Travel Daily Media’s Gary Marshall and other guests on board found themselves in the quaint town of Rüdesheim am Rhein.
Located within the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO Heritage Site, Rüdesheim is listed among Germany’s winemaking communities as well as the home of the country’s famed Asbach brandy.
But more than a place where wine and spirits are made, Rüdesheim is also known for its excellent museums which specialise in the riches of the town’s long history, as well as the numerous castles and forts dotting the landscape and built between the Dark Ages and the middle of the 19th century.
The picturesque town is also a walker’s paradise: narrow streets that enable sightseeing on foot or on a bike, flanked by picturesque structures and quaint shops.
Indeed, given how Rüdesheim is home to just over 10,000 people, travellers can easily explore the town within a day.
As Gary described his Rüdesheim experience: “As for me I steered away from the guide’s flag and took one of the ship’s push bikes and meandered through this beautiful little town, stopping at some of the gorgeous coffee shops along the way.”
Where whimsy meets reality
As for the other guests, Gary remarked: "Some guests hit the trails for a vineyard hike with a stop at the famous Rüdesheimer Coffee while others explored the quirky Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum, so unique and fun."
Indeed, there is something for travellers of every stripe at this quaint part of Germany that is right in the heart of wine-making country.
As stated, several guests opted to head to the vineyards where the region's famed red wines begin, though the grape harvest for this year has already been gathered and, most likely, pressed and processed.
Others made their way to one of Germany's most whimsical attractions: Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinet or Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum.
By mechanical musical instruments, the museum goes farther afield from the player-pianos most people know; indeed, the museum's 350-piece collection runs the gamut from dainty music boxes playing tunes that wouldn't be out of place in a child's nursery to a massive fairground organ used to call audiences to rides or sideshows.
The 45-minute tour through Siegfried's musical cornucopia at the Brömserhof gives guests the opportunity to see the diversity of the novelty instrument on display, adding a dash of fun to an already exciting tour.
Come noon, guests made their way back to the Envision aboard the old-fashioned Rüdesheim Winzerexpress train for lunch and a lively discussion on the Rhine Gorge with the cruise director.
Then the Envision made its way up the pictureque Rhine towards its next stop: Koblenz.
Things to enjoy in Rüdesheim
No trip to Rüdesheim would be complete without sampling the town's famous Rüdesheimer Kafee, a coffee-based cocktail that makes use of the local Asbach Uralt brandy.
Especially welcome during the winter months, this cocktail is the creation of German television chef Hans Karl Adam in 1957: hot black coffee sweetened with three sugar cubes, then flambeed with a splash of brandy and served with a dollop of whipped cream in a specially designed porcelain cup.
If alcohol isn't your thing, Rüdesheim also offers a number of scrumptious delicacies, including baumstriezel, a sweet local pastry that's a cross between classic German baumkuchen (tree ring cake) and the Eastern European chimney cake or kürtőskalács.
Baumstriezel are made by wrapping a strip of sweet yeast dough around a spit, rolling it in sugar, baking it over charcoal, then basting it with butter until it turns golden-brown.
Unlike baumkuchen which are served sliced on plates, these yeast cakes are served like massive wafer cones as these are filled with custard and whipped cream before being dusted with confectioners' sugar, making them an indulgent treat for Kafee und Kuchen.
Catch up with Gary's earlier adventures aboard the Avalon Envision:
For those looking into a European experience of their own on the water, get in touch directly with Avalon Waterways' Asia team at https://www.avalonwaterways.asia/contact/ or contact their country-specific call centres at the following numbers:
All photos: Gary Marshall on Instagram
