Discover Kestert on the Rhine: Landscape and Culture

The Rhine and the steep slopes give Kestert its distinctive character. The town lies directly on the Rhine in the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley. In spring, a special splash of colour is added: gardens and slopes then burst into white blossom.

Rhine slopes, river views and Baroque art

Hiking trails lead through Kestert’s Rhine slopes. Along the Rheinsteig, panoramic views open up over steep slopes and the bends of the Rhine. A hike thus brings both the valley’s dramatic contours and the course of the river into view. Spring blossom adds a seasonal contrast: instead of the sweeping vistas, white-blossoming gardens and slopes take centre stage.

St. George’s Catholic Church is a cultural highlight. Built in 1779 in the Baroque style, it contains several Baroque statues of saints. Its construction date and furnishings add another dimension to the town, with an art-historical character complementing the landscape shaped by the river and slopes.

Getting here and choosing a destination

Kestert railway station provides information on arrivals and departures, timetable details, and a wayfinding plan for the station and surrounding area. The station is unstaffed. Check operational information before your journey.

The Rhine slopes, the panoramic views along the Rheinsteig and the Baroque church offer different reasons to choose Kestert as a place to stay.

The wider Rhein-Lahn destination

The wider Rhein-Lahn destination covers a diverse geographical area: the Rhein-Lahn district includes the area on the right bank of the Rhine at the mouth of the Lahn, the Lahn Valley as far as just before Limburg near Diez, the southern foothills of the Westerwald towards the Lahn Valley, and the northern uplands of the Taunus between the Rhine and the Aar. The UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley is also an important part of this wider region. It covers a 65-kilometre stretch between Bingen, Rüdesheim and Koblenz, with historic small towns, terraced vineyards and castle ruins. The right-bank section from Kaub to Lahnstein lies in the Rhein-Lahn district.

Another UNESCO-related feature of the region is the Roman Limes: it runs through the district, its remains are still visible today, and they are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes. The wider Rhein-Lahn destination thus brings Roman history together with the cultural landscape of the Middle Rhine.

Bad Ems offers a different cultural highlight. There, a historic spa ensemble of a spa house, ballroom, villas, former hotels, churches, spa gardens and historic panoramic paths preserves the “Historic Spa Town of Ems” monument zone. The history of the once-famous spa town can be explored at the Spa and Town Museum; the Mining Museum offers insight into the lives of miners. The Emser Therme offers wellness experiences with thermal water from healing springs and a riverside sauna.

The Loreley and Marksburg are also regional highlights: the Loreley Rock lies within the Loreley collective municipality in the Rhein-Lahn district; its villages and towns form part of the core area of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley. Marksburg also lies within the Loreley collective municipality and is the only medieval hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine never to have been destroyed. Riesling grapes are also grown on the steep slopes of the Middle Rhine in the Loreley area and made into high-quality wines.

Oranienstein Castle is a sight to see in the Diez area. It was built in the 17th and 18th centuries as a widow’s residence; direct ancestors of the Dutch royal family once lived there. Visitors can tour historic rooms and the Nassau-Orange Museum. Advance reservations by telephone or email are required.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Dörscheid, Osterspai, Bornich, Prath, Braubach, Kamp-Bornhofen, Sankt Goarshausen and Filsen.

To the wider travel overview: Loreley.