It was a sunny May day that we visited Rudesheim and the first thing on the agenda was a Rhine…read moreriver cruise. Whether you want to get off or not, it's a pleasant ride up and down the river with ample chances to take in the views of the many castles, vineyards, and Germanic scenery. We took the chance to hop on and off, saw a castle, ate some lunch, and then enjoyed our ride back to Rudesheim on the patio of the boat. You can order the famous Rudesheim coffee drink on board, along with some other goodies, which adds an element of fun to it. Overall, it's a fun thing to do when in the region. Don't expect a luxury liner, but you'll be comfortable.

We took the passenger ferry from Bingen to Rüdesheim and it's really nice to go on the river like…read morethat. As public transportation works so well in Germany we were going by train and bus, but Bingen and Rüdesheim are separated by the Rhine, so boat was in order. Fare: 2.20€ per person. The bus from Bad Kruznach to Bingen stopped very close to the ferry but be aware that on the Rüdesheim side the boat stops near the station, which is a bit of a walk to the city center, and the buses are infrequent.

Tucked away in the hills that overlook the Rhine, you'll find Kloster Eberbach. It is stunning in…read moreits serenity and impressive to think that it was built long ago without the help of modern construction. You may recognize it from the 1986 Sean Connery film "The name of the Rose". My family is emigrated from a city just down the road and that used to be a part of the Monastery's estate, and I'm fortunate to stay in touch with the relatives that stayed behind. On Christmas day last year when everything is closed (and the parents wanted to tend to the Christmas roast -- think the same fuss as a Thanksgiving turkey), we young 'uns headed down to the Abbey to check things out. The buildings were closed, but the grounds were open, and we and some other locals meandered around, finally winding up by the sheep and goats. One little guy kept poking his head out to have his chin scratched, and I was happy to oblige him. I'll look forward to my next visit, hopefully on a day when the place is open so I can tour it and learn more about the Abbey's history!

This was my first time visiting a previous monastery dwelling and was surprised to know that only…read more120 monks lived on such a beautiful estate. I came here with a group from work for a team building adventure. We started out breaking into teams for a scavenger hunt around the monastery; then hiked up the top of the hill to see a breath taking view of the countryside and had a light snack at the summit; then returning for a formal tour of the monastery followed by wine tasting in the cellar; and finally we had dinner here at their restaurant to wrap up our 5 hour excursion. Today this place is used for festivals and concerts but you get an appreciation of the dedication and effort of a few men that resulted in an amazing historical landmark. There was also a movie filmed here in the 1980's by Sean Connery. This was a humbling and fantastic experience all rolled into one great adventure that I would highly recommend as a must see place that you will appreciate.

I'm not 100% sure on how to get tickets, as our friends that live in Germany procured them for us…read more The boat was spacious with ample room to walk around from deck to deck and see the sights of the Rhine from every angle. Beverages and small snacks are available for purchase, and there are tables with benches throughout to relax at and take in the sights. Yes there are toilets on board. We used the boat to get across the river so we could tour a castle, but I believe some boats cruise up and down the river just for the views. We didn't encounter many staff members, but the ones we did were very nice and friendly. I would definitely use this business again if I get another chance to visit the Rhine River valley! 18/2021

We did a Rhine and Neckar River boat tour arranged through the USO back when I was stationed in…read moreGermany. It was a few hours long and we made a few stops along the way to see the castle in St. Goar. It was beautiful and you can see a few different castles along the Rhine. I highly recommend getting on one of these tours if you have the time and opportunity. They serve refreshments on the boat, and you have time when you stop to get refreshments as well.

Frankfurt Airport is one of the largest and busiest airports in Europe, and overall I've had mostly…read morepositive experiences here. The facilities are modern, clean, and there are plenty of shops, restaurants, and places to sit while waiting for a flight. The biggest downside is the walking. Depending on your gate and connection, transfer routes can be surprisingly long. I've had a few tight connections where it felt like I was speed-walking across half the airport. If you're connecting through Frankfurt, give yourself some extra time if possible. That said, signage is generally clear, security and passport control have been reasonably efficient in my experience, and the airport handles a huge volume of passengers remarkably well. It may not be the most relaxing airport for a connection, but it's organized, functional, and gets the job done. A solid international hub overall--just be prepared for a bit of exercise between flights. My fitness tracker probably loves Frankfurt Airport more than I do!!

Not a fan of this airport unfortunately. Our flight from Italy was delayed, which caused us to…read morearrive at this airport late. Then there's no direct connection from plane to building, so we got off the plane, and had to hop on a bus to the doors. Had to obviously go through passport control and it caused us and 25+ others to miss connecting flights. No sympathy from the staff, and they did not hold the flights either. To top it off, there were no more flights that night until the next day. We were advised to go to the transfer desk. A large amount of travelers arrived at the desk. It was very busy so the agent said to go to another one. He said to exit the airport, re-enter, go through passport control AGAIN and head to the main transfer desk. What???!!!! Sooo, we did, and got to another large line. We had to take a number and wait almost 2 hours for a simple switch and hotel room voucher. Bruh. I was not impressed whatsoever. It's too bad because the airport itself seems nice, but it's unorganized. Also the hotel shuttle only ran once every 45 minutes so it took a while to first of all, find the bus stop, and then arrive there. It was a hot mess... PRO TIPS: 1. 2+ hours for a connection is necessary, this airport is notorious for advertising short connecting times and causing people to miss their flights 2. Avoid it all together if you're connecting flights :(