Bacharach

Bacharach is a one-day visit: the complete medieval town walls -among the best preserved in Germany-, St. Peter's Church, and the Gothic ruins of the Werner Chapel on the same walk. May-September is best for cruising the Romantic Rhine, of which Bacharach is part as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's cheap by Rhine Valley standards. Its name supposedly derives from «Bacchi ara» (altar of Bacchus, god of wine), and it's one of the best-preserved villages along the stretch of the Rhine declared a World Heritage Site in 2002, with over 15 watchtowers still standing.