The castles and provincial hamlets along the Rhine River have been the inspiration for countless well-known fairytales and bedtime stories - many of which have been co-opted into blockbuster films and pop-cultural icons. A few have managed to stay out of the glare, remaining beloved but local legends. Discover the tales and myths of the rivers as you sail on our Rhine River itineraries.

The Siren of the River 

One such story is that of Lorelei – a lovely young maiden whose beauty was so bewitching that she caused sailors to wreck their ships. There are several different versions of the myth but all are centered around the so-called Lorelei Rock. Located at a part of the river with particularly strong and treacherous currents, its eerie-sounding echo was amplified with raging waters that crashed against the jagged rock. While this ‘murmur’ is harder to hear nowadays thanks to all the urbanization in the surrounding areas, you can imagine the terrified fears of sailors as they attempted to navigate these waters. Many ships met an untimely fate here.

Lorelei in Literature

An early version of the tale, penned by German poet and novelist Clemens Brentano, tells of a heroine betrayed by her sweetheart who imagines she sees her love in the Rhine and falls off the cliff to her death. She remains at the cliff forever after, haunting sailors with her enchanting song.