Osterspai: Rhine Valley, Orchards and the Rheinsteig

Osterspai lies in the Rhine Valley between the wooded heights of the western Taunus and extensive orchards. On the other side of the Rhine are the Hunsrück and the vineyards of the Bopparder Hamm. There is also a stage of the Rheinsteig from Osterspai to Braubach and the Marksburg: a physically demanding hike with views of the Rhine and a shelter for resting.

Plan your journey and stay

Osterspai can be reached by car via the A3, A61 and A1/A48. The railway station is right in the town centre, and there are also bus stops in town. This lets you decide in advance whether to travel by car or by train and bus. If you plan to use public transport, check the current timetables before setting off.

Along the Rheinsteig to the Marksburg

The Rheinsteig stage runs from Osterspai to Braubach and the Marksburg. It combines an experience of nature and views of the Rhine with a shelter for resting and a visit to the castle. The Marksburg is considered the only hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine that has never been destroyed. As the hike is physically demanding, take its active nature into account when planning your day. For travellers looking to combine nature and history in one destination, this stage is a distinctive option.

Rhein-Lahn: the wider region

The wider travel destination of Rhein-Lahn includes the Rhein-Lahn district, which encompasses the area on the right bank of the Rhine around the mouth of the Lahn, the Lahn Valley almost as far as 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. This broad geographical scope complements the Rhine Valley perspective with a variety of landscapes.

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Site covers a 65-kilometre stretch between Bingen, Rüdesheim and Koblenz, with historic small towns, terraced vineyards and castle ruins. The right-bank section of the Rhein-Lahn district, from Kaub to Lahnstein, lies in the Loreley Valley and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The Loreley Rock is within the Loreley collective municipality in the Rhein-Lahn district; its villages and towns are part of the core area of this World Heritage Site.

Roman history is also part of the story of the Rhein-Lahn district: the Limes runs through the district, and its remains are still visible today and form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes. Riesling grapes are grown on the steep slopes of the Middle Rhine in the Loreley area and made into high-quality wines.

Bad Ems adds its own historical note. The spa ensemble includes the spa house, concert hall, villas, former hotels, churches, spa gardens and historic panoramic trails, and forms the “Historic Spa Town of Ems” listed monument zone. The Emser Therme in Bad Ems offers wellness facilities with thermal water from healing springs and a river sauna. Explore the history of the former world-famous spa town at the Spa and Town Museum; the Mining Museum presents the lives of miners.

Discover more destinations: Dörscheid, Sauerthal, Sankt Goarshausen, Filsen, Kamp-Bornhofen, Kaub, Braubach, Bornich

See the overview of the wider travel destination: Loreley.