Rüdesheim (Ruedesheim), at the southern end of the Rhine Gorge

Drosselgasse shopping and restaurant street in Rüdesheim

Vineyards on the hills at Rüdesheim, started in the 6th century

Cruising on the Rhine, through this UNESCO World Heritage zone.

Typical small village along the Rhine, with typically steep terraced vineyards

Ruine Ehrenfels, above the vineyards, the Rhine, and modern commerce

The Ehrenfels ruins, near Rudesheim, date from 1210

Burg Rheinstein, near Trechtingshausen, 13th century

Pfalzgrafenstein (the Pfalz), a mid-river toll castle near Kaub, erected in 1328

The Lorelei Rock was said by careless sailors to be home of a deadly maiden.

St. Goar, on the west bank of the Rhine, between Rudesheim and Kobblenz

Burg Katz, opposite St. Goar at St. Goarshausen, dates from 1360

Burg Eltz, a medieval castle nestled in the hills above a tributary to the Moselle

Burg Eltz is still owned by the same family that lived there in the 12th century.

The interior of the castle was segmented to accommodate three branches of the family.

Cochem, on the Moselle, dominated by the hilltop Cochem Castle

Heidelberg, on the Neckar, a Rhine tributary, settled by Celts about 800 BC

The southern end of the 1786 bridge was linked to the city wall and a defensive gate.

Heidelberg Castle, 260 feet up the hill, dates from the 15th century.

A series of wars brought repeated destructions of Heidelberger Schloss.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is an amazingly well-preserved medieval town.

A busy street in Rothenburg, with a gate in the fortification wall at the end of the street

Cars must stay outside the original Rothenburg, but horse carriages are allowed.

Rothenberg's town square, with its Town Hall dating from 1250

Munich, capital of Bavaria and Germany's 3rd-largest city (metro 6 million)

Munich's Olympic Park, site of the 1972 Summer Olympics

Olympic Park is still an integral part of the life of Munich (München)

Konigsplatz (Königsplatz), created at the command of Crown Prince Ludwig

Munich's Ludwigstrasse, Residence, Odeonsplatz, and Theatine Church (L-R)

Munich's opera house, the National Theatre

Marienplatz is Munich's central square, dominated by the Rathaus (city hall).

Munich City Hall's animated Glockenspiel entertains tourists three times a day.

Neuschwanstein, Ludwig's first and most famous castle, built between 1869 and 1886

Neuschwanstein sits on its own height of land at the base of Mount Tegelberg.

Schloss Neuschwanstein (Neuschwanstein Castle), seen from Mary's Bridge

Neuschwanstein Castle was designed by Christian Jank, a theatrical set designer.

The helicopter provides a rare view of the castle – the view from the north.

This top view reveals the audacity of the architecture of Neuschwanstein.

Singers' Hall occupies the entire fourth floor of Neuschwanstein Castle.

Hohenschwangau as seen from Neuschwanstein in the autumn

Herrenchiemsee is hidden on an island in Chiemsee, Bavaria's largest lake.

Herrenchiemsee, inspired by Versailles, was the most expensive Ludwig project.

The formal gardens feature many fountains and statues, both in the classical style  ...

... and in the fantastic style of romanticism favored by King Ludwig.

Innsbruck's older pedestrian district, with the Alps in the background

The Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl) was built in 1500 with 2657 fire-gilded copper tiles.

Interior of the St. Jakob Cathedral, converted from Gothic to Baroque 1717-24.

Traditional Tyrolean entertainment at an Innsbruck dinner show

Salzburg has one of the best- preserved city centres north of the Alps.

Mirabell Palace, built by a Prince Bishop in 1606 for his mistress

Mozart was born in a home on Getreidegasse and raised in Salzburg.

Fortress Hohensalzburg, on Festungsberg hill, can now be reached by funicular.

The fortress, begun in 1077,  is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.

Its hilltop location gave the fortress a view (and control) of a wide region.

Hellbrunn Palace, built in 1613-19 by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg

Hellbrunn Palace is famous for its extensive trick fountains and "watergames".

Vienna's Hofburg Imperial Palace was the home of the Hapsburg dynasty.

The Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna, built between 1874 and 1883

Vienna State Opera House, home of the world-famous State opera company

Celebrations in front of Vienna's Rathaus (City Hall), built 1872 - 1883

St. Stephen's Cathedral in central Vienna, on the site of an 1147 parish church

Schonbrunn Palace evolved over centuries from a 1696 hunting lodge.

Queen Maria Theresa made Schönbrunn the imperial summer residence.

The Neptune Fountain, one element of Maria Theresa's gardens and park plan

The 18th century gardens are used for current day concerts and celebrations.

The Gloriette crowns a 60m / 200 ft hill overlooking the Palace and Vienna.

The Gloriette was built on Maria Theresa's instructions in 1775.

The Palm House pavilions with temperate and tropical sections, added in 1881-82