Hawkeye Blog August 2016 August 20, 2016

The Middle Rhine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The river's banks are lined with charming villages, terraced vineyards and enchanting castles. There are 21 castles along the river side and an additional 19 on mountain tops or in the adjacent valleys, all within an approximate 40-mile stretch of the Rhine. Rheinstein Castle is near the south end of the UNESCO area. The original castle dates back to the late 13th century but fell into ruin in the 17th century. It was restored and rebuilt in the mid-19th century.

Marksburg Castle is the only medieval castle on the Rhine that has never been destroyed. It dates back to the 13th century and overlooks the town of Braubach.

Katz Castle is less than a mile away from the famous Loreley statue, representing the mythical beautiful girl whose songs distracted sailors from the danger of the rocks below, causing them to wreck their ships.

Deep in the Rhine-Meuse-Scheidt Delta the Dutch landscape unfurls. Kinderdijk, Holland has 19 18th-century windmills, some of which can be visited.

Keukenhof Gardens, almost 80 acres, has more than 7 million tulips, daffodils & hyacinths bulbs. It is only open 8 weeks of the year but is the most glorious spring garden in the world.