Cogwheel to Dragons Castle

Technical Stop

We stopped in Königswinter which is between Koblenz and Cologne around 4 PM.   The ship is unable to dock in Cologne overnight, so it must make a technical stop somewhere else.  This is a pre-arranged stop and one that we were glad was added to the itinerary.
Königswinter is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, at the foot of the Siebengebirge (Seven Hills).


Drachenfels

• Ride on the oldest cog railway of Germany
• See the splendid Drachenburg at the middle station of the Drachenfelsbahn 
• Visit the summit for a magnificent view
  

 

A short walk from our ship we would arrive at The Drachenfels ("Dragon's Rock"). Our Cruise Director (CD), Mark, had told us about Drachenfels and the Cog Railway.

Several passengers wanted to go there but didn't think we'd find it on our own.  Mark agreed to lead our group on the short walkand even arranged discount tickets to ride the cog railway.

After he got us situated he hoped on his bike and road off to explore the town on his own. This was the first time Artistry II had stopped here.  Be sure to ride the oldest cog railway in Germany to the summit for an amazing view.   We didn't have enough time to explore the Dragon Castle, because the grounds close at 7 PM and we had to return to the ship for dinner anyway.  You can purchase a combination ticket online to explore everything Königswinter has to offer.

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^{Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page}

Konigswinter

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Sayn Palace

Koblenz - Complementary Tours

There were two tours offered in the morning.  The Koblenz City Tour was a walking tour which comprised the quay side and the old town center.  There was no need to sign up for this tour.

The other tour was Sayn Castle & Butterfly Garden.  Due to the limited seating, it was necessary to sign up for this tour in advance or at the Cruise Director's desk.  We had pre-registered for the excursion before we left home.

Upon arrival at Sayn Palace, we were greeted by Prince Alexander, the 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn.   He was out for a walk with his dog.   He greeted us warmly inviting us to tour the palace and asking us to spread the word about this excursion when we got back home.

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Inside the Palace

The palace had been destroyed during World War II but was restored in 2000.  The Sayn Palace with its elegant Neo-Gothic facade is a wonderful example of the 19th century architecture of romanticism.

Click Here for a print-out-guide of Sayn Palace!

One of the highlights of the visit was the Palace Chapel which was built in 1860. It is modeled on Sainte Chapelle in Paris. Its purpose was to house the precious arm reliquary of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. It is a wonderful piece of medieval art preserving the saint's arm bone.  Stained glass windows by Moritz von Schwind show Russian Saint Leonilla and Saint Louis of France.

Other highlights include the Ornamental Cast Iron Exhibition, 19th century works of art and the Princesses Room & Wedding Exhibition.


Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page: 

Sayn Palace

Sayn Butterfly Garden

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Sayn Butterfly Garden

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Butterfly Garden

After a short coach ride from our ship's dock in Koblenz, we arrived at Sayn Palace & Butterfly Garden.   Our group was taken inside where we had a short briefing about what we were about to see.

Click on the image above for a closer look at the colorful collection of exotic butterflies from South America, Africa and Asia, which were part of the tropical paradise of palm and banana trees with trickling waterfalls and bridges.

Click Here to print out a guide for the Butterfly Garden!

Highlights were the Chinese Atlas-moth, whose wing span measures about 25 cm., which was very majestic, and the Blue Morpho of Brazil, which was very allusive.   You could also explore the second pavilion “caterpillar house” to learn more about the process from egg to butterfly.



^{Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:} 

Sayn Butterfly Garden

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Good Morning Bernkastel

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Arriving in Bernkastel, Germany

Artistry II arrived in Bernkastel around 8 AM giving us the opportunity to capture some images as we first saw this beautiful region.

Walking Tour 

A local guide would meet us at 9 AM for a walk around the small but pretty village.   Because the other guides were running late, we were divided into two groups.  The other guides would join us during the tour in progress.

 Market Place

The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery, and in the middle of this region is the charming wine village of Bernkastel with its well-preserved half-timbered houses that have stood since the Middle Ages. We enjoy a guided walk from our ship that included the beautiful marketplace with its renaissance-style Town Hall and the “pointed house,” built in 1416.

Rathaus (City Hall)

Today's City Hall facade is a magnificent work of the late German Renaissance of the Trier sculptor RH Hoffmann (built 1608).

St. Michael's Fountain

The heart of the market place dates back to 1606, and is dedicated to the archangel Michael, who, standing with one foot on a dragon, holds a sword and scales in his hands. St. Michael is the patron saint of the town.

During our free time in Bernkastel, we had some unexpected entertainment. First there was a couple playing Alphorns and then a Yodeling Group performed in the Market Place. We take you to Bernkastel market place live in this video:

   

Rhine & Moselle River Cruise (Play all videos)

Video Diary of Avalon Rhine & Moselle River Cruise on Artistry II. This was a 13 day river cruise that started in Zurich, Switzerland and concluded in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

 
Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:

Bernkastel - Walking Tour

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Visit to Landshut Castle

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Optional Touring:
Cycling Along the Moselle

Avalon offered an optional cycling tour after lunch, but we opted to see the Moselle River from high ground instead. Those that went on the bike ride enjoyed themselves, so if that is of interest to you, we'd suggest including it in your plans.

Moselle River On Our Own

The ruins of Landshut Castle loom over Bernkastel. If you pay visit to the castle, which dates all the way back to the 9th Century, you will be rewarded with a captivating view of the awe-inspiring Moselle valley and the vast expanse.

Getting to Landshut Castle

The easiest way to get to the castle is by the Burg Landshut Express. You can reach the castle ruins in just under 20 minutes for a cost of 7 Euro round-trip per person. The Burg Landshut Express buses were designed specifically for making this round trip, making them truly unique. The shuttle bus service runs daily from April to October. Buses depart every hour from the starting point across from the Doctorbrunnen, Bernkastel Doctor fountain.

The return or downhill journey takes you past the youth hostel and though the Tiefenbach valley back to the starting point in the Moselle car park.

View from Castle

Once the shuttle drops you off at the foot of the castle hill, you'll want to make your way to the top which involves climbing stairs and a ramp.
It is well worth the effort, if you are able to do so.  You'll notice that I used my walking stick to get up to the top and was rewarded by these views.

You have about 20 minutes on top before the shuttle returns.   You can optionally wait for the next shuttle bus, but that will be an hour later.

This is the heart of wine country - vineyards were everywhere.

Watch this short video to see the view from the walkway leading up to Landshut Castle ruins.

   

Rhine & Moselle River Cruise (Play all videos)

Video Diary of Avalon Rhine & Moselle River Cruise on Artistry II. This was a 13 day river cruise that started in Zurich, Switzerland and concluded in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

 
Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:

Landshut Castle

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View from Heidelberg Castle

What a View !!

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Just as breath-taking as the castle is from the city, so too is the city from the castle. From either the Great Terrace or the gardens, one has an amazing view of Heidelberg, the Neckar River, and the Neckar valley far into the Rhine plain. On a clear day, Mannheim is even visible on the horizon.



Church of the Holy Spirit

The most prominent building in the image above is the Church of the Holy Spirit which served two congregations (Protestant and Catholic) for a time and was the reason why the court removed to Mannheim.


 
Did you know that the Catholic steeple had a cross while the Protestant one had a rooster?



Neckar River

The Neckar is a 367-kilometre-long (228 mi) river in Germany, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, with a short section through Hesse. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the River Rhine.

 
^{Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:}

Heidelberg - Castle Ruins

Heidelberg - Castle Courtyard

Heidelberg - Castle Barrel Building
Heidelberg - View from Castle

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Heidelberg Castle & Courtyard

Heidelberg Castle (Schloss Heidelberg)

Each year, Heidelberg Palace attracts around a million visitors from all over the world. Since the early 19th century, these impressive ruins have been synonymous with Romanticism.

Our ship docked in Mannheim, Germany to allow passengers to disembark for excursions.

click images to enlarge

City Tour + Castle Ruins


Our morning excursion took us to Heidelberg, home to the oldest university in Germany, which was founded in 1386.   Here we visited the imposing ruins of HEIDELBERG CASTLE, towering magnificently over the city and among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.


Elisabeth's Gate

The triumphal arch known as Elisabeth's Gate, is located near the entrance. Tradition says the gate was built in a single night by Prince Elector Friedrich V in 1615 as a birthday present for his English princess, Elisabeth Stuart.


The charming little gate was severely weather warn and was partly restored in 1949. The unique pillars are noteworthy with their leaf work and artistic flowered capitols.

Ottheinrich Building
  
The Ottheinrich Building in Heidelberg Palace counts as one of the most beautiful and earliest
palace buildings of the German Renaissance.

David, Hercules and Samson on the show façade of the Ottheinrich Building.

Ottheinrich Building

Figures on the Friedrich Building 

The ancestors of the palatine prince electors look down from the façade of Friedrichsbau. 

The façade of the Friedrich Building commands attention from the moment you enter the palace courtyard. It is richly decorated with figures. Commissioner of buildings Friedrich IV displays the perfect gallery of portraits from the royal line here and demonstrates his claim to power for all his contemporaries. Sculptor Sebastian Götz from Chur and master builder Johannes Schoch created the fantastic series of figures on the Friedrich Building in three to four years at the beginning of the 17th century.  More information about figures...

The Fassbau (Barrel Building)

We also saw the famed  Heidelberg Tun, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel.” At nearly 23 feet high and 28 feet wide, the cask holds about 58,000 gallons of wine and has a dance floor built on top of it! 

After visiting the wine barrel, we next spent some time on the Great Terrace.   We didn't have time to visit the interiors of any buildings or the gardens, so that will have to remain for a future visit.

Just as breath-taking as the castle is from the city, so too is the city from the castle. From either the Great Terrace or the gardens, one has an amazing view of Heidelberg, the Neckar River, and the Neckar valley far into the Rhine plain. On a clear day, Mannheim is even visible on the horizon.

The view from there was spectacular, so we'll cover that in a separate post.

 
^{Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:}

Heidelberg - Castle Ruins

Heidelberg - Castle Courtyard

Heidelberg - Castle Barrel Building

 

 

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Village of Oia, Santorini Greece

Our Tour Continues

After concluding our visit at SantoWines Winery, we reboarded our motorcoach for the scenic ride to the Village of Oia. View our photo album, Drive to Oia - Santorini, to get an idea of the scenic countryside of this part of Santorini, Greece.

Arriving in Oia

Pronounced "Eee-ah," the village of Oia is perched high atop the cliffs of Santorini's northern terminus. Known for its quiet beauty and spectacular sunsets, this spot boasts superlative views of neighboring volcanoes.  Following our guide, we strolled through the narrow, cobblestone lanes, viewed the brilliantly whitewashed buildings, shops, sun-bathed cafés and blue-domed churches.

Church of Panagia of Platsani

Today Oia, as an Orthodox village, has the picturesque blue domed chapels, pristine white bell towers and volcanic stone trimmed church doorways dotted all along the caldera cliffs. Each chapel is of course named after the Saint it honors and was built by a local family, many to pray for the safe return of the seafaring members of the family.

There are two main churches in Oia that have a priest conducting weekly services. The Church of Panagia of Platsani is the principal church and located at the center of the village. It was built in the 1800's and maintained in perfect condition.

More than 70 churches, with the characteristic blue domes, dot the countryside of Oia.   The churches resulted due to the maritime life of its inhabitants.  Families would build churches in order to ensure that God would favor them with safe journeys on the sea.

In some cases, the parents and wives of the sailors and the captains  promised to erect a church to a saint so that their beloved ones would come back safely. Upon return from a dangerous voyage, the sailors and the captains also built churches honoring a saint that had kept them safe from bad weather or other dangerous situations.

Consequently, most of these churches are privately owned as they were inherited by the ancestors of each family. Family members were also buried at these churches.  They are typically closed to the public except for on the Saint's Name Day when a festival is held and everyone is invited to attend.

Postcards came to life as we continued our stroll through the village of Oia.  We had time to explore on our own, browsing for souvenirs, enjoying refreshments and marveling at the incredible views. The natural beauty and tranquility of Oia's landscape has inspired artists from around the world, and numerous galleries can be found nearby.

Photo Album:  Village of Oia

In the album above, which can be found on our Facebook Fan Page, we have shared some of our own postcard images captured as we continued our stroll from the center of the village, through the narrow cobblestone lanes, which lead us to the Kasteli (Castle) of Agios Nikolaos. From that vantage point you have excellent views of the volcano and all of the village. If we were still at the castle during sunset, we would be among the hordes of people that have gathered for a breathtaking view.   Our view from the ship was equally impressive.  

We'll share the rest of our day in Santorini in additional blog posts.   Be sure to bookmark this page so that you can follow the rest of our journey.   Also, become a fan (like) our Facebook Fan Page so that you'll be notified of additional stories and photo albums of our 12-Night Greek Isles & Mediterranean Cruise on Star Princess.    We hope you are enjoying your virtual journey thus far.

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




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