But viewing the Rhine, even from a ship, is linear. You see the front door of the towns and some rooftops, but you don't see inside. And, if you don't stay overnight, you miss some of the charm and character of these marvelous villages - and the ability to experience them in relative peace after the day-trippers have left.

A Suggested Rhine Tour

For those who have at least three days, taking the steamship in stages provides one of the best ways to explore the region. For example, on day one leave Koblenz at 9am for Oberlahnstein, where you'll arrive at 9:55am. Stroll the narrow streets lined with half-timber homes, climb to Lahneck Fortress, enjoy a leisurely lunch in town, and then board the 2:50pm ship for the one-hour trip to Boppard, where you spend the night and part of the next day.

Next morning, board the 11am ship to St. Goarshausen, arriving at 12:10pm. Take time to explore that town and then take the ferry across to St. Goar, guarded through the centuries by the massive Rheinfels Fortress, then depart at 5:15pm for the 70-minute trip (passing the Loreley) to Bacharach, your next port of call. After what will assuredly be a delightful evening and overnight stay there, take the next morning or day to explore the town, and then leave at your choice of 15 minutes past the hours of 11, 1, 3, 5, or 6 for the final 90-minute stretch to Rüdesheim, with Bingen a quick ferry ride across the river.

These are just examples, of course, and your routes will depend on timing, interests and preferences.

(If you prefer to sleep in the same bed for more than one night, you can choose one or more towns as home base and head up- and downstream from there. You'll do some backtracking, but the views stand up to multiple trips, and there's nothing like starting the day without having to pack.)