Originally founded as a Roman town in 9 BC, Koblenz is one of the oldest cities in Germany. Situated at the junction of the Rhine and Moselle River, it is surrounded by spurs of the Eifel, Hunsrück, Westerwald, and Taunus mountains. The point at which the two rivers meet is known as “Deutsches Eck (German Corner), which is the site of a settlement, founded in 1216 by German Knights, and today, it features an impressive monument dedicated to Kaiser Wilhelm I. Koblenz is home to a series of squares and statues which make for a pleasant stroll. There are also many historic structures in the city including the 13^th century fortress, 18^th century Electoral Palace and a series of medieval churches.

Located on the banks of the Rhine River in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany is the town of Speyer. Founded by the Romans around the year 10 BC, Speyer is one of Germany’s oldest towns. One of the town’s main attractions is its Romanesque cathedral founded in 1030 but the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II. Though it has been gutted and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is still a sight to behold and contains a crypt and the tombs of eight German emperors and kings and three empresses.

Located along the banks of the Rhine River close to the border with Germany, is the capital city and largest city of the Grand Est region, Strasbourg. The historic Grande Île city centre of Strasbourg has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is immersed is Franco-German culture.

Situated on the left bank of the Rhine is the west-central German city of Mainz, which is opposite Wiesbaden – where the River Main joins the Rhine. It is home to one of the oldest and most unique Roman style cathedrals in Germany, which was built of red sandstone in 1000 AD and rebuilt in 1136 following a fire. Inside, you will find many murals depicting the life of Christ, as well as 60 memorial tombs of archbishops.

The Gothic St Stephen’s Church houses nine mesmerising stained glass windows, designed by Marc Chagall. There are three Baroque churches in Mainz, which collectively illustrate the transition from Rococo to Neoclassicism. The city is also renowned for the Gutenberg Museum, where you can find out more about the invention of the moveable type printing press, which aided the worldwide distribution of many books including the Bible.

As the fourth largest city in Germany and the largest city on the Rhine River, Cologne is regarded as the historic, cultural and economic capital of the Rhineland. It is highly regarded for its trade fairs, cathedral, perfume, and Koelsch beer. It was also once a significant part of the Roman Empire, and the remains of many Roman buildings and town walls are still visible today. There is a range of Roman artefacts on display in the Roemisches Germanisches Museum, which is well worth a visit.

Cologne is also home to the French Gothic style Kolner Dom Cathedral, for which construction began in 1248 but remained unfinished for 600 years. The structure - which can still be visited today - is made up of two 157 metre-high spires, buttresses, pillars and arches – which collectively support the central nave. The remains of the kings who followed the star to Bethlehem are believed to have been contained within the south tower.