There is always a good reason to travel to the Siebengebirge
Among the most popular tours with the Köln-Düsseldorfer ships are the scheduled trips to the Siebengebirge. They depart from Cologne and travel as far as Linz. Of course, it is also possible to board at other stops such as Wesseling, Bonn or Bad Godesberg. There are also charming towns along the route such as Bad Honnef, Unkel and Remagen. The sights include numerous castles, ruins such as the Rolandsbogen and silent witnesses to recent history such as the bridge at Remagen. An eventful day out ideally begins with a hearty breakfast on board or a tasty lunch.
Enjoy and relax in peace and quiet
Königswinter has been a place of longing for generations of Rhinelanders. Königswinter is not only worth a visit because of the Drachenfels with the Drachenburg. The cog railroad and the Siebengebirgsmuseum are also worth a visit. The town is a good starting point for a hike through the Siebengebirge. In addition, the predominantly flat landscape with well-developed cycle routes offers ideal conditions for combined boat and cycle tours. You can also simply enjoy the boat trip at your leisure and relax. There is always a good reason to travel to the Siebengebirge.
The lively trio traveling from Cologne to Königswinter on the MS RheinVision is in a festive mood. Mike Lee Bowling is celebrating his 55th birthday on board with his girlfriend Gabriele Zingsheim and sister-in-law Gabriele Berndt, who has traveled all the way from Vellmar in the district of Kassel. Ship manager Dixon Valentine is among the first to congratulate him. As he pours the champagne he has ordered into the glasses, he learns in passing that Mike Lee Bowling was once a member of the KD service team himself. "I loved being part of the KD back then. That's why I'm always drawn back to the ship with enthusiasm. And today we have a really good time here."
Workplace with added value
Ship manager Valentine has only been on board the KD in both senses of the word since October 2024. The trained hotel manager particularly appreciates the intensive contact with guests. "As a full-blooded restaurateur, I love it when people have a wonderful time with us, when they have fun and appreciate our gastronomic offerings. Personally, I'm delighted to be celebrating the KD next year. 200 years is a milestone. To be able to work for such a traditional company makes me proud. It really is a job with added value."
Often sung about Drachenfels
If you want to walk up the Drachenfels from Königswinter, you can use the so-called Donkey Trail to make the ascent. The donkeys that once had to carry tourists to the top can only be heard in the Cologne pop song: "Mer rigge met däm Esel op de Drachenfels" by Toni Steingass. People have not been riding horses here for a long time. If you like, you can walk through the nightingale valley on the edge of the old town. The hiker is unlikely to encounter a nightingale, but perhaps another Cologne musician will: the monument to the famous Cologne singer Willi Ostermann stands in the lower valley.
The singer-songwriter wrote songs about his homeland and was musically very active, especially during carnival. He became immortal with the song "Heimweh nach Köln", in which he claims to want to go to Cologne on foot (ich mööch zo Foß noh Kölle jon). One Rhine song has even become an evergreen. In "Heidewitzka, Herr Kapitän", Karl Berbuer recalls that it was once a good custom to take a boat trip from Cologne to Drachenfels at least once a year.
Drachenfelsbahn overcomes 220 meters in altitude
If you don't want to climb or sing, you can easily take the Drachenfelsbahn from the valley station in the old town of Königswinter to the mountain station on the Drachenfels plateau. You can get off at the middle station to visit Drachenburg Castle. The oldest cog railroad in Germany climbs 220 meters in altitude on the 1,520-meter-long route. The newly designed plateau at the foot of the Drachenfels castle ruins is an ideal place to pause for a moment. The view of the Siebengebirge is breathtaking. From up there, the Rhine has a pleasantly familiar and calming effect. It is worth making the return journey from the plateau to the valley on foot - sturdy shoes are advisable. On the way, you will pass Drachenburg Castle, the Dragon World with the Nibelungen Hall, Dragon Cave and reptile zoo.
After the interesting excursion into the land of dragons, it's back on board the RheinVision, which sets course for Cologne again from Linz via Königswinter. Mike Lee Bowling and his guests round off the birthday party in Cologne's old town after a successful start to the day
Tip
The popular Drachenfels combination ticket includes not only the KD boat trip KD Königswinter, but also the return trip on the Drachenfelsbahn railway. And at the Drachenfelsbahn valley station, you can even enjoy priority Boarding wait in long lines.