The
Ahr valley is named after the
Ahr, a left
tributary of the
River Rhine in Germany. It begins at the Ahr spring (
Ahrquelle) in
Blankenheim in the county of
Euskirchen (
North Rhine-Westphalia) and runs generally eastwards. At its southernmost point it enters the county of
Ahrweiler, and hence the state of
Rhineland-Palatinate. Running through the collective municipality of
Adenau the valley bends northeast at its confluence with the
Adenauer Bach and reaches the collective municipality of
Altenahr, from where it resumes its characteristic west to east course, albeit interrupted by meanders. Here begins the section that is known as the Ahr valley (
Ahrtal) in a touristic sense. Here it is characterized by vineyards on the south-facing slopes and a picturesque rocky landscape, carved out by the river creating a 300 metre deep gorge in the
Ahr Hills. In the next stage the Ahr reaches the area of the county town of
Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, before finally discharging into the Rhine south of
Remagen in the borough of
Sinzig.