Up the hill and down to the river in pretty Bacharach – Rhine & Moselle valley, Part 4

This post is the continuation of a series documenting our travels in the Rhine and Moselle Valley in Germany in the summer of 2024. We had spent an amazing two days in the city of Cologne where we had seen the beautiful cathedral (twice!) ( The magnificent Cologne Cathedral – Rhine & Moselle valley, Part 1 ), taken walks across the famous Hohenzollern bridge on the Rhine ( Cologne by Dawn & Dusk – Rhine & Moselle valley, Part 2 ) and taken a day trip to the erstwhile West German capital city of Bonn and seen the restored Drachenburg Castle ( Bonn & Drachenburg Castle Day trip – Rhine & Moselle valley, Part 3 ). It was now time to move on to our next destination, the pretty little village of Bacharach in the Rhine valley.

We said goodbye to the Cologne cathedral one last time and walked in to the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) right next door and took our train to Koblenz from where we would be changing to a slower regional train to Bacharach.

Saying goodbye to the Cologne Hauptbahnhof

Due to the ongoing Euros and it being peak season the trains were crowded all the way to Bacharach. We managed the connection at Koblenz without any problem and got off at the tiny train station at Bacharach.

The more we have travelled in Europe the more we are drawn to smaller places like Bacharach. There are no must see sights here, just a pretty village that you can walk end to end in under 15 minutes. We walked with our luggage to our hotel Altkölnischer Hof which is right on the main road of Bacharach.

The pretty main drag of Bacharach with our Hotel Altkolnischer Hof on the left

We checked into our room and freshened up before setting off to have lunch. We decided to eat at the Posthof Bacharach which is a restaurant set up in a covered courtyard just a few metres from our hotel. It was a hot summer afternoon and we chose a table in the shade. The better half chose the Käsespätzle ( cheesy pasta with salad ) while I chose the Wurziger Rindergulasch ( Meat stew with thick onion and paprika sauce – my absolute favourite). We enjoyed the meal which was hot and delicious and washed it down with a local beer for myself and the usual Apfelsaft ( Apple drink) for the better half.

A cold beer on a hot afternoon is always welcome

Our delicious meal at the Posthof Bacharach

Enjoying our delicious meal in Bacharach

We then took a decision to return back to the hotel since it was a very hot afternoon. The long days of summer meant that we would have enough time in the evening to walk up the hill for the picture postcard view of Bacharach without getting baked in the sun.

We took a afternoon siesta, which is a very rare thing for us on vacation & woke up refreshed to take a walk up to the Postenturm – originally a defence tower for the town, now restored as an observation deck. It had been a great decision to wait out the hot afternoon as we still had the sun relatively high in the sky at 5 pm.

We walked to the Steeger Tor which is the medieval gate to the village away from the Rhine and then took the paved path up the hill towards the Postenturm.

Walking out of the Steeger Tor (gate) of Bacharach

Taking the paved path up the hill just after walking out through Steeger Tor

The paved path soon became a narrow dirt trail which led up the hill to the tower. We reached the Postenturm and climbed up to get some great views over Bacharach and the Rhine. We climbed up to the third level and enjoyed the views from there for some time as we were the only ones there. The tower has a 4th level which was locked – we later found out that it was to give privacy to the Kestrels (falcons) that make their nests there.

Bacharach from the base of the Posternturm

We saw the incomplete Werner Chapel and the Burg Stahleck – the Castle which looms over the town on the opposite hill which we would visit before we said goodbye to Bacharach.

The view from the Postenturm with the shadow of the tower itself

View from the top level of the Postenturm with the Werner Chapel and the Stahleck Castle on the opposite hill

We went to the gate on the opposite side of the Postenturm to access the trail on the other side to find it locked. I was disappointed at first because I wanted to take the trail on the other side to the ruins of the next tower – the Spitzer Turn (Pointed tower). We were about to turn back when I decided to take a look around the back side of the tower. Sure enough there was a narrow trail which was almost overgrown that led to the other side. We crossed over to the other side on the Postenturm where the trail was a bit wider again and we continued our walk to the Pointed Tower.

The trail to the Pointed tower with the Castle and the Postenturm in the background

We reached the Pointed Tower where we disturbed a big rook of crows that had taken rest there. They cawed and flew off upset at the intrusion and we had the beautiful view all to ourself again.

Happy us at the Spitzer Turn / Pointed Tower

We were about to turn back when I saw a steep metal staircase with wires to hold on either side leading to an higher viewpoint. I went up the metal steps gingerly asking the better half to wait as I wanted to check if it was safe. It was perfectly safe and soon the better half followed me up to the highest view we would have of this pretty little village on the Rhine. There was a perfectly located bench there and we sat and enjoyed the view on a perfect summer evening.

Up the metal steps from the Spitzer Turm

Happy us after a short hike with great views

The highest view of Bacharach from above the Spitzer Turm

The perfectly located bench with a view

With views like that you can never have enough but soon it was time to leave our perch above Bacharach for the day and go back to the village. We retraced our steps back to the Postenturm lingering for sometime in the vineyards from where we took a different route that took us down into a different part of Bacharach.

On our way back down to Spitzer Turm

Enjoying the quintessential Bacharach view on a lovely summer evening

Lingering in the Vineyards above town

Bacharach through the wild flowers on the trail to the Spitzer Turm

Taking a different route down to Bacharach from the Postenturm

Walking down to Bacharach along a level path

The view up to Postenturm and the vineyards above Bacharach

The St Peter’s Church, Werner Chapel and Stahleck Castle – Left to right

We reached on a back lane in Bacharach and found it to be just as pretty – Half timbered houses, cobblestoned lane and even a pretty little well to cap it off. It was 7 pm and most of Bacharach was deserted after the people that had come in on the river cruises had left. It left the town for the locals and a few people like us who enjoyed a quiet, pretty village without the crowds. We walked through the Munzturm – another one of the towers of Bacharach and crossed the road to go to the riverside park.

The better half photographs a pretty little corner in Bacharach

Every corner of Bacharach is photogenic

Walking towards the Munzturm Bacharach

The Münzturm in Bacharach

We reached the riverfront park and I immediately scrambled to put on the 300mm as I spotted an Egyptian goose there. I have seen these striking birds numerous times but I never get tired of taking more photos of these beautiful birds.

An Egyptian Goose poses for me at the riverfront park

Soon the Egyptian goose had enough of me and flew off across the river. Then I turned my attention and lens to the other birds in the park. Even though it was after 7 pm there was still enough light for me to get decent photos. There were Greylag and Canadian geese all around and pied wagtails flitting in between them catching insects. The 300mm got its chance after spending two days in the bag in Cologne! The next half an hour was spent taking photos of the birds all around.

Greylag Goslings at the riverside park in Bacharach

Greylag geese from close quarters at Bacharach

White wagtail struts on the path

Barn swallows rest just besides the river

A pair of Canadian Geese strut on the path

More geese than people in the riverside park at Bacharach

A young Canadian gosling

Canadian geese scaring off a passing by pet dog

Portraits of Canadian geese at Bacharach

A pied wagtail catches an insect and then poses proudly for the 300mm

Flowers in the riverside park at Bacharach

I enjoyed myself till the light started to fade and then we found ourselves a nice bench and watched the Rhine flow by with the geese walking all around us. It was a perfect end to our first evening in Bacharach. No entry fees paid for anything and we had enjoyed ourselves to the fullest!

Enjoying a quiet evening at the riverside park in Bacharach

We returned to the town to eat one of the few places open after 8 pm , the Bacharacher Pizza & Kebab Haus. This favourite among locals place turned out to be the place we would have all the rest of our meals in Bacharach. This no nonsense place served the most amazing falafel, pizzas and doners (shawarma) all freshly made. They also served bottled beer and our new favourite curd drink – ayran, all this at amazingly pocket friendly prices. We ate our meal here – falafel and a mixed meat diner for me , with locals for company before returning to the hotel.

Falafel with fries and salad at the Bacharacher Pizza and Kebab Haus

I checked to see if there was any good lighting on the street after dark but didn’t see anything worth stepping out for (very disappointing but understandable for a small village). We retired for the night as we had a day trip planned to see the Rheinfels castle, the largest of the castles in the Rhine valley in the neighbouring town of St Goar the next day.

But that is topic for another post, some other time, some other day.

Till then,

Tschau!