Eltville am Rhein

The Electoral Castle, rose garden and historic traces in the old town give Eltville am Rhein its varied character. At the castle, the tower, courtyard, moat and administrative garden form a single ensemble; you can visit the museum in the tower. The viewing platform is reached by climbing 123 steps. From there, the view stretches across Eltville and the Rheingau, over Rheinhessen and as far as the Rhine-Main region. This lets you combine a museum visit with a view—two different perspectives on the same place.

History between the castle and old town

The Catholic parish church of St. Peter and Paul also tells the story of Eltville. This Late Gothic church was built around 1350 to 1440 and houses significant works of painting and sculpture. Remains of the town fortifications have also been preserved at the lower end of Leergasse. They were built after Eltville was granted town status in 1332. The church, castle and fortification remains each offer a different focus: sacred architecture, a historic landmark with a museum, and traces of the town’s development.

Rose garden by the moat and Rhine embankment

The roses are especially striking in the moat and along the Rhine embankment. Unusual Japanese rose varieties grow in the Japanese flower bed in the castle moat rose garden. This offers two distinct impressions: roses at prominent spots in Eltville and special varieties in the Japanese flower bed. If you enjoy combining culture and garden scenery on your trip, this visit adds a different focus to the historic sites.

Printmaking and routes through Eltville

Public printmaking days are held several times a year in the Gutenberg exhibition in the castle tower. Original prints are produced on a historic Florentine printing press as they were in Gutenberg’s time, giving visitors a chance to discover the “black art” of the time. Since the dates of individual printmaking days are important, it is best to check them before your visit.

A more active way to discover Eltville is an easy-to-walk route connecting the Eltville districts of Martinsthal, Rauenthal, Hattenheim and Erbach, as well as the neighboring municipality of Kiedrich, with Eltville’s old town. Along the way, it passes through vineyards, forests and meadows, follows the Rhine embankment, and leads to wineries, wine taverns and restaurants. The contrast with the individual cultural sites is clear: here, the route and the landscape between the towns take center stage.

The local sights and the connecting route offer different starting points, so you do not have to limit yourself to just one way of exploring.

Rheingau-Taunus District: regional perspectives

In the wider travel destination of Rheingau-Taunus District, steep river slopes, steep-slope and terrace viticulture, castles, historic townscapes and the Rhine shape the cultural landscape. The district is represented in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site by the municipal areas of Rüdesheim am Rhein and Lorch. The Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes offers another historical perspective: it crosses the district for about 35 kilometers and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2005. It runs for around 33 kilometers through the Rhein-Taunus Nature Park.

Other regional themes bring together winegrowing and history. The 14 Riesling Loops are circular routes between Flörsheim am Main and Lorch am Rhein, ranging from 4 to 8 kilometers in length; they focus on Riesling, winegrowing and the cultural landscape of the Rheingau. A monument in the courtyard of Schloss Johannisberg commemorates the discovery of late harvest in 1775. At the vinotheque in the former coach house in the courtyard of Schloss Vollrads, you can taste wines during opening hours without an appointment. Opening hours may change; check them before your visit.

Transport connections are also useful to consider when planning: the right-bank Rhine railway line runs from Koblenz via Rüdesheim am Rhein and Wiesbaden to Frankfurt am Main. Eltville is therefore directly connected to Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance rail network. For timetables and current connections, it is best to consult the RMV information.

Discover more destinations: Schlangenbad, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Aarbergen.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Rheingau-Taunus District.