The Best Day Trips from Wiesbaden (by Train!) 

Wiesbaden is the perfect home base for exploring Germany’s wine region and beyond! These easy day trips from Wiesbaden can all be done without a rental car and are 90 minutes or less away. 

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Table of Contents 

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Mainz 

Travel time by train: 15 minutes via S-Bahn 

Germany’s wine capital is a mere 15 minutes from Wiesbaden and is one of my favorite places to visit along the Rhine. 

There are lots of things to do and see in Mainz, but the absolute can’t-miss attractions include: 

• Central Market Square — Try to visit on a Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday to visit the weekly market.
• St. Martin’s Cathedral — Has the most beautiful cloisters in the Late Gothic style. 
• Gutenberg Museum — Johannes Gutenberg was born in Mainz, and this compact museum displays TWO of his famous Bibles in an impressive guarded vault.
• Kirschgarten (shown above) — The prettiest square in all of Mainz.
• Wine tasting — An evening wine tasting is the best way to learn about the Rheingau wine growing region (I recommend BottleStops).

Claire’s Tip: Don’t feel like making your own itinerary? Book a 90-minute guided tour of Mainz to make the most of a whistle stop visit. 

Rüdesheim am Rhein 

Travel time by train: 30 minutes via RB

Rüdesheim am Rhein ticks all the boxes: it’s quick and easy to reach from Wiesbaden, is bursting with half-timbered houses, and there’s wine. So much wine. 

Some of the Rüdesheim attractions I can recommend are: 

• Old Town — It’s small but lovely, with lots of shops and restaurants. 
• Niederwald Monument — Either ride the cable car or walk up among the vineyards for a spectacular view of the Rhine River from the base of the monument. 
• Eibingen Abbey (shown above) — It’s worth making the trek up to the abbey if just to stock up on the jams, liqueurs, and baked goods made by the nuns (the stunning church on site is another bonus!).

Clarie’s Tip: If you find yourself with extra time in Rüdesheim, you can always book a 90-minute boat ride up the Rhine to see some of the area’s castles from the water. It’s not a guided tour, per se, so don’t expect a play-by-play of what you’re looking at. 

Frankfurt am Main 

Travel time by train: 35 minutes via RB 

With just one day in Frankfurt, you’ll want to spend most of your time in its Old Town (which, ironically, is actually quite new since the city center was bombed to smithereens in WWII and wasn’t rebuilt until the 2010s). 

Most of Frankfurt am Main’s top sights are located around the Römerberg (shown above), which is the gorgeous square where the city hall is located. 

Be sure to make time for the following: 

• Frankfurt Cathedral — A soaring Gothic-style cathedral built out of red brick. 
• Small Market Hall — A great place to grab a bite to eat alongside the locals. 
• Goethe’s Birthplace — Even if you don’t know much about Germany’s most famous writer, it’s well worth visiting his birthplace. 
• Palmen Garten — This isn’t in the Old Town, but it’s such a nice botanical garden! If you visit during the warmer months, I strongly suggest ending your day here.

Eberbach Abbey 

Travel time by train: 45 minutes (ride the RB to Eltville, then transfer to a bus)

Eberbach Abbey is without a doubt the place you need to visit near Wiesbaden if you’re interested in wine production in the Rheingau region.  

The monastery dates back to 1136 AD and is believed to be the birthplace of German wine. If you love Riesling wine, this is where it was cultivated.

After touring the monastery complex (look for the historic wine presses!), purchase a tasting flight from the wine shop. Eberbach Abbey still produces its own wines and are considered some of the best in the region. And yes, there are a number of budget-friendly bottles! 

 If visiting during peak season, you might want to book your tickets online just to make sure you get in. 

Claire’s Tip: You likely won’t need all day to visit the Abbey, but the nearby town of Eltville is also lovely, as is Rüdesheim. 

Mannheim 

Travel time by train: 1 hour via ICE 

Mannheim is nicknamed the “Quadratestadt,” or “Square City,” because the city center is laid out on a grid system. Instead of street names, each grid is labeled with a coordinate (A1, A2, B1, B2, and so on). 

It’s not the prettiest city in western Germany by any stretch of the imagination, but spending a day exploring the Quadrate area (where the grid system is located) is a nice way to get off the beaten path. 

I liked the following attractions: 

• Baroque Palace — This massive palace is now used by the local university, but part of it remains a museum. The frescoes and architecture are both breathtaking. 
• Water Tower — A gorgeous Wilhelmine-era sandstone water tower with a small park around it (this is where Mannheim’s Christmas market takes place!). 
• Jesuit Church — The somewhat sedate exterior of this church is misleading, because the interior is the very definition of “opulent.”  

Heidelberg 

Travel time by train: 1 hour 15 minutes via ICE 

Walking around the Old Town, it’s easy to see why writers throughout history have drawn so much inspiration from this picturesque city along the Neckar River. 

I have a full guide that covers what to do in Heidelberg, but my top recommendations are: 

• Heidelberg Castle — THE main attraction in Heidelberg; it’s mostly in ruins, but you can pay extra to tour the one remaining wing. In addition to the castle grounds, a regular entry ticket grants you access to the pharmacy museum, gardens, and the world’s largest wine barrel (which is low-key so so cool). 
• Bergbahn (Funicular Railway) — The 20-minute ride up the historic funicular takes you to the Königsstuhl, which provides a fantastic view of the city from above.  
• Old Bridge — This 18th century sandstone bridge is especially nice at sunset. 

Cologne 

Travel time by train: 1 hour 16 minutes via ICE 

Dubbed “Colonia” by the Romans who settled this area, Cologne is one of the most popular cities in Germany — and for good reason! 

The annual Carnival celebrations before Easter are legendary, and the Cologne Christmas markets are some of the best in Germany, to boot. 

That’s all to say: it doesn’t really matter what time of year you take your day trip to Cologne, it’ll be awesome no matter what. 

You’ll want to see the following: 

• Cathedral — Mere steps away from the central train station is Cologne’s famous cathedral. Building began in 1248 and wasn’t completed until 1880. It’s truly a work of art! 
• Römisch-Germanisches Museum — A must for anyone wanting to learn about Cologne’s fascinating Roman past. 
• Rhine Promenade — A peaceful place to walk along the banks of the Rhine. 
• Belgian Quarter — Where you’ll find all the hip cafes and local boutiques. 

For more suggestions, here are the best things to do in Cologne year-round. 

Koblenz

Travel time by train: 1 hour 30 minutes via RE 

A day trip to Koblenz is a must! The city is most famous for being the spot where the Rhine River meets the Moselle River, but it’s also got a beautiful Old Town. 

You can see nearly all of the top attractions in one day: 

• German Corner (shown above) — The place where the Rhine meets the Moselle is marked by a 37-meter-tall stature of the German Kaiser Wilhelm I. 
• Ehrenbreitstein Fortress — Definitely ride the cable car up and over the Rhine River to tour the second-largest preserved fortress in Europe. 
• Florinsmarkt — This is my “wildcard” recommendation. It’s a small square off the beaten path that has a hilarious clock called the “Eye Roller.” On the clock face, a man sticks his tongue out at you every hour and half hour! 
• Electoral Palace — You can’t go inside the palace, but the gardens along the banks of the Rhine River are free to enter and are a slice of paradise on a sunny day. 

Have Fun Exploring Western Germany! 

Let me know if you have any questions about the Wiesbaden day trips mentioned in this guide! 

If you’re unsure which place to visit, my absolute top recommendations are Mainz, Heidelberg, or Cologne. They’ll give you the most “bang for your buck” in terms of the number of attractions. 

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