Germany - 1-day drive along the Rhine???

Some friends and I will be renting a car at FRA and driving along the Rhine for a day. Probably leave 9:00 am, drive up one side of the Rhine, maybe as far as Boppard, cross over (where is the ferry?) and drive back down the other side.



Wine tasting
Walking around old town and villages
Maybe see a castle or two
Certainly want to stop off at Rudesheim and see the Niederwald Denkmal
Last stop in Eltville, dinner at Schloss Johannisberg


Other than simply driving up one side and back down the other shore, what would you see and do along this route?

TIA

I would certainly include Rheinfels castle at St Goar. Loved our 3 nights on the Rhine in late May-we were using public transport

Probably leave 9:00 am, drive up one side of the Rhine, maybe as far as Boppard, cross over (where is the ferry?) and drive back down the other side.
TIA

Use the ferry crossing between St Goar and St. Goarshausen.

links:

http://www.st-goar.de/131-1-.html
http://www.rheinschiffahrt-goar.de/index.htm

Here are a few images from my last trip of area of your interest,

http://stefanofoto.smugmug.com/Travel-Germany/Rhinetal/12753904_SKVS5#918872802_buDSZ

...Last stop in Eltville, dinner at Schloss Johannisberg



Schloss Johannisberg is not in Eltville. It's here:

http://www.schloss-johannisberg.de/en/index.htm

Fürst von Metternich Winneburg'sche Domäne
Schloss Johannisberg

Schloss Johannisberg
D - 65366 Geisenheim-Johannisberg

Telefon: +49 6722 70090
Telefax: +49 6722 700933

".....Johannisberg is a village of great historical significance in the Rheingau region, Germany. The first documented mention of Johannisberg vineyards was made by Louis the Pious in 817 but it was not until the 12th century that the settlement would take its current name.

Benedictine monks identified the area for its potential to produce quality wines around 1100 and constructed the Bischofsberg monastery which was later renamed Johannisberg after John the Baptist. It was destroyed in the Peasant's War of 1525 and by 1720 had been rebuilt as a baroque palace and the world's first vineyard to be planted exclusively to Riesling...."

Today the village lies at 50 degrees northern latitude in the shadow of the Schloss (castle), between Geisenheim and Winkel just north of the river Rhine.....

I have been there several times ... very, very nice. However, the restaurant is not that great, but the view is first class. Gault Millau likes "Gutsschänke Schloss Johannisberg". The owner may have changed!?!

Those are good:

Schwarzenstein
RESTAURANT
65366, GEISENHEIM, Rosengasse 32

Adler Wirtschaft Franz Keller
RESTAURANT
65347, ELTVILLE, Hauptstr. 31

Kronenschlösschen
RESTAURANT
65347, ELTVILLE, Rheinallee

Zum Krug
RESTAURANT
65347, ELTVILLE, Hauptstr. 34

Weinschänke Schloss Groenesteyn
RESTAURANT
65399, KIEDRICH, Oberstr. 36

Zum Krug
RESTAURANT
65347, ELTVILLE, Hauptstr. 34


http://www.hotel-zum-krug.de/index.php?modul=zum_krug

This is one of my absolute favourites: an absolute sympathetic family-owned business, great cuisine, cozy restaurant. The Handbook-thick wine list is just awsome; the cellar holds one of the region's top Riesling collection including past and very-past vintages. Most of the bottles are <€100!

Enjoy, fradoc

We just did your trip last month and spent the better part of the day driving the "Rheingau Riesling Route". We were staying in Wiesbaden and got on the route just outside of town. It is a beautiful drive, well marked, and goes past many wineries. Lots of quaint small towns and plenty of places to eat and drink along the way. Don't think you can go wrong spending your day there.