If you fear nuns, this isn't the place for you! This is the real deal…read more This could be the South of Music Abbey making a buck on wine, beer, jam, oats, books, religious paraphernalia and all sort of touristy kitch. The retail operation is huge with a large store, many nuns working to keep the shelves stocked, sample the wine and "man" the registers. It is beautifully laid-out with organized chaos at every turn. The nuns were friendly in an all business way but don't ask to take a pic of them. Have no fear, you will find opportunities for pics at every turn. This ancient structure is beautiful and very well maintained. In all of that will distract you in the retail operation, don't miss the cathedral. It is striking and all too easy to overlook. The entry is surrounded by flowers including roses along the loved walkway. Parking is roadside so grab any spot you see. Like everyplace we visited on our trip, you will walk. This wasn't on our planned map but I'm so glad we spotted it on the horizon and took the time to find.

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.