Rudesheim

Less than 500 feet long, Drosselgasse is a narrow, pub-lined lane between Rheinstrasse and Oberstrasse that buzzes with music and merrymaking from noon until well past midnight every day from Easter through October.

With the wings of a glider you can silently soar over the Rhine Valley. At the Luftsport-Club Rheingau you can catch a 30- to 60-minute Segelflug (glider flight) between Rüdesheim and the Loreley; allow 1½ hours for pre- and postflight preparations.

High above Rüdesheim and visible for miles stands Germania, a colossal female statue crowning the Niederwald Monument. This tribute to German nationalism was built between 1877 and 1883 to commemorate the rebirth of the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71). Germania faces across the Rhine toward its eternal enemy, France. At her base are the words to a stirring patriotic song: "Dear Fatherland rest peacefully! Fast and true stands the watch, the watch on the Rhine!" There are splendid panoramic views from the monument and from other vantage points on the edge of the forested plateau. You can reach the monument on foot, by car (via Grabenstrasse), or over the vineyards in the Seilbahn (cable car). There's also a Sessellift (chairlift) to and from Assmannshausen, a red-wine enclave, on the other side of the hill; for €14, a "Ringticket" will take you from the Old Town to Niederwald by Seilbahn, from Niederwald to Assmannshausen by Sessellift, and back to Rüdesheim by boat.

Housed in one of the oldest castles on the Rhine (it was built around the year 1000), the museum displays wine-related artifacts and drinking vessels dating from Roman times. There are great views from the roof and the terrace, where there are occasionally wine tastings (ask at the desk).