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At Loreley, a striking Rhine landscape meets a literary history associated with the area. There are also viewpoints, hiking options and the open-air stage. These varied attractions can help you plan your trip to Loreley.

Cliffs and Rhine scenery

Loreley is a slate rock near Sankt Goarshausen and an integral part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Upper Middle Rhine Valley. At Rhine kilometre 555, it lies on the inside of a tight bend in the Rhine, where the river is only 175 metres wide. Geologically, the Loreley rock is about four million years old. Loreley is considered the most famous of the narrow stretches in the Middle Rhine Valley. The rock rises 125 metres; its elevation above Normalhöhennull is 193.14 metres.

The viewpoints in the cultural and landscape park offer views into the canyon-like gorge of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. Two aspects of the landscape are visible side by side: the tight bend in the Rhine by the rock and the wider valley, seen from the viewpoints.

Literature, myth and events

The female figure Loreley was brought to life in 1800 in Clemens Brentano’s ballad “Zu Bacharach am Rheine.” Heinrich Heine published his poem “Loreley” in 1824; its content corresponds to the legend as it is known today. The chronology is relevant to its literary context: Brentano’s ballad introduces the figure, while Heine’s poem, published more than two decades later, corresponds in content to the legend as it is known today.

The Myth Hall presents the myths of Loreley in seven chapters. A rock installation illustrates the formation of the Loreley rock, connecting the legends with the geological theme. The tourist information centre on the Loreley Plateau offers a free Loreley exhibition. The Glass Rock, an architectural highlight, is also located right at the tip of the rock.

The Loreley Open-Air Stage was inaugurated in June 1939. It is a venue for concerts and festivals on the Loreley rock; the programmes vary. If you would like to combine your trip with a concert or festival, check the dates of the individual events.

Trails and viewpoints

The Loreley Cultural and Landscape Park is accessible to visitors with limited mobility. Check the current conditions before your visit. The Myth Trail in the park leads to six viewpoints; the Strahlenweg provides direct access to these six points. The trails therefore differ in how they connect to the viewpoints.

The Rheinsteig and Loreley Extratour also offer different points of reference for planning a hike: the Rheinsteig passes directly by the cultural and landscape park. The Loreley Extratour starts at the Loreley Visitor Centre and runs directly past the attractions on the Loreley Plateau. The Loreley region also offers hikes on the Rheinsteig, the Loreley Extratour, the Loreley Spuren circular trails and other scenic routes. A guided tour of Loreley takes about an hour, giving you an approximate time frame for this activity.

Those interested in viticulture will find 20 information boards along the Loreley Wine Trail about steep-slope viticulture, various grape varieties and the work of winegrowers in the vineyards. The trail covers topics related to vineyard work, while the other trails and viewpoints focus on the landscape and routes.

Plan your trip to the plateau

The Loreley shuttle bus connects Sankt Goarshausen with the Loreley Plateau. If you plan to use this service, check the timetable for your travel date. Together with the Loreley Extratour’s stated starting point, the bus connection provides a practical reference for including a visit to the plateau in your travel plans.

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

Back to the regional travel overview: Rhein-Lahn.