Fortress walls and castle towers, palaces and patrician houses are vivid illustrations of a turbulent past. Founded by the Romans, Koblenz is set at the famous Deutsches Eck (German Corner), where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet. Ehrenbreitstein fortress and Stolzenfels Castle are part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage site, along with the legendary Loreley and the romantic castles perched on the steep slopes above the Rhine. The town is set amidst four ranges of hills, and two thirds of the surrounding countryside consists of woods, open green spaces or water. The Romans founded the town over 2,000 years ago, calling it "apud confluentes" or "at the confluence". Today, Koblenz is a "small city" with a lot to offer those interested in art and culture.

Just a quick stroll around the town will highlight the appeal of Koblenz – its romantic narrow streets and historical squares, the picturesque alleyways in the old quarter with the Romanesque Basilica of St. Kastor and the 12th century churches of St. Florin and Our Lady. The Deutsches Eck surmounted by its statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I presents a lesson in recent German history. Ehrenbreitstein fortress set high above the baroque town, a former seat of German Electors, is one of the largest castles in Europe.

The Middle Rhine Museum houses Rhenish art, focusing on paintings from the 19th and early 20th centuries, whilst the Ludwig Museum specialises in contemporary French art. Then, there is the Rhine Museum where exhibits about life on the Rhine are on show.