Rhineland-Palatinate

Introducing Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) has an unsettled topography characterised by thinly populated mountain ranges and forests cut by deep river valleys. Created after WWII from parts of the former Rhineland and Rhenish Palatinate regions, its turbulent history goes all the way back to the Romans, as seen in Trier. In recent centuries it was hotly contested by the French and a variety of German states.

This land of wine and great natural beauty reaches its apex in the verdant Moselle Valley towns such as Cochem, and along the heavily touristed Rhine, where rich hillside vineyards provide a backdrop for noble castles and looming medieval fortresses. For this part of Germany, focus your attention on the water and the land it courses through.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009