For anyone with some spare time on their hands, or looking for somewhere to see on the Sunday, here are a few suggestions:

Wine Tasting

Eltville Vineyard

Weingut Koegler offers wine-tasting for groups of 10 people at a time. If there is demand, it may be possible to arrange a Sunday appointment with staff while at the Weingut on Saturday.

For less formal wine-tasting, there is a Weinprobierstand (wine-tasting stand) not far from the Burg on the riverbank in Eltville. The stand is marked on most maps and here you can buy wine by the glass or bottle to enjoy by the river.

Rüdesheim am Rhein

One place that might be worth a day-trip is Rüdesheim am Rhein Rüdesheim is famous for its Fachwerkhäuser (half-timbered houses), its many restaurants, bars and cafés, as well as its inescapable souvenir shops. The centerpiece is the Drosselgasse, a narrow lane leading from the riverfront up to the upper parts of the town. Also of note is the Weinmuseum (wine museum), housed in a castle which you pass when walking from the train station to the town Centrex. Sitting on the hill above the town is the Niederwalddenkmal, a monument depicting Germania marking the original unification of Germany in 1871. The monument can be reached by cable-car, which runs from the top of the town across the sloping vineyards, and the views on a clear day are worth the trip.

The train journey from Eltville to Rüdesheim takes about 15 minutes and costs EUR 3.35 one way. Tickets for the train can be bought at the green and blue RMV ticket machine at the station. Key in the code for Rüdesheim from the list on the machine (63) and select Einzelfahrt (for a single ticket) from the buttons located at the bottom of the machine. If two to five people are traveling, it may be worth buying a group day ticket - key in the code for Rüdesheim from the list on the machine and select Gruppentageskarte (group day ticket) from the buttons located at the bottom of the machine. The group day ticket will cover the return trip as well, so hold on to the ticket!

Kloster Eberbach

Kloster Eberbach is a medieval Cistercian monastery, parts of which date back to 1135. The monastery played an important role in the development of the Rheingau wine-growing region and offers visitors impressive examples of Romanesque and Early Gothic architecture. The monastery has since closed, but the production of wine has continued. Wine-tasting sessions are held and the restaurant can be recommended. Kloster Eberbach is open from 10:00 to 18:00 and can be reached by buses departing from the stops next to the train station in Eltville.

Wiesbaden

Wiesbaden is the capital city of the German state of Hessen, which also includes Frankfurt am Main. Wiesbaden can be reached by bus or rail, both of which depart from the train station in Eltville. Bus tickets can be bought from the driver, also as Einzelfahrt or Gruppentageskarte; for train tickets see the information on Rüdesheim, using the code for Wiesbaden as shown on the machine (65). If intending a shopping trip, bear in mind that shops in Germany, apart from cafes, restaurants, bars and bakeries, remain closed on Sundays. On arriving at the main station in Wiesbaden (both trains and buses arrive here), walk along the park leading directly away from the main entrance of the station. The city Centrex., marked by Marktkirche (Market Church) is approximately 10 minutes walk, slightly to your left. Fanning out from the church are shopping, eating and drinking areas, as well as older buildings and parks linked to Wiesbaden's history as a spa town.

Rhein Cruises

A view of the Rhein

Obviously the evening cruise on the wedding day means guests will probably be sick of the Rhein come Sunday, but those who really feel the need for a repeat can check out the KD Line notice board on the riverfront in Eltville - halfway between the Burg and the wine-tasting stand. If any of the towns passed by on Saturday catch your interest, it would be possible to take a boat back on Sunday to allow further exploration.

Rhein by Rail

Probably the easiest and quickest way to explore towns along the Rhein is by rail. Eltville is on the main rail line linking Wiesbaden to Koblenz in the north - this line follows the eastern bank of the river and is serviced by regional trains stopping at most towns/villages along the way. If planning to hop on and off the train a lot in one day, it might be cheapest to buy the Schöneswochenendeticket. This is a ticket for groups of up to 5 people, valid all-day Saturday or Sunday on regional trains (RB/RE), and costs about EUR 30. The ticket can be bought from the red and grey Deutsche Bahn (DB) ticket machines at the train station, or from the ticket booth if open. If your chosen destination is not very far, or your group is not so big, it might be cheaper to look into the Einzeltageskarte (single day ticket) or Gruppentageskarte (group day ticket) options from the green and blue RMV machine. Just key in the destination code and select the relevant button.

More Information

For detailed information on the towns and villages in the Rheingau region, check out www.rheingau.de/languages/english.