Welcome to the pub...pour a pint and get comfortable

Welcome to the pub...pour yourself a pint of homebrew and stay awhile.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Burg Eltz

Travel Tuesday:
a fairytale castle visit - The Tipsy Terrier blog

Burg Eltz is an amazing castle located just north of the Mosel River, a river that joins the Rhine in Koblenz.  The castle can be reached by all modes of transportation: foot, boat, train, bus or car. This website details how to get to the castle.  I have visited by car and by train/foot - this post will feature our adventure on foot.  Burg Eltz is open from March 30th to November 2nd due.

We arrived in Karden around 6pm via train from Koblenz and made our way on foot to our hotel, Schloss Hotel Petry, which was only 60 m from the rail station.  The name is misleading - they call themselves a castle hotel (schloss usually means castle.)  I would call it more of an estate home from the 1800s - most websites give it a 3 star ranking.  We booked one night here in advanced and ate in the attached restaurant and enjoyed local Mosel wine. 

After breakfast, we walked across the bridge in search for a bank.  The views across the Mosel River were quite serene - almost like a painting.
A Picturesque town in Germany - The Tipsy Terrier blog
Karden on the Mosel - The Tipsy Terrier blog

Karden on the Mosel - The Tipsy Terrier


With a fresh supply of cash we set off for the six minute train ride to Moselkern where we would start our walk to the castle.  You can actually hike from Karden but it is 7km one way.  We chose the shorter and milder path along the Eltz stream and through the forest.  This page will show you all the hiking options.  About a third of the hike is not paved so wear shoes that you can muck around in if you visit in the spring or fall.  There is a shuttle that is now offered from the Tres-Karden station where we stayed the night if you want a more direct route.
Map to Burg Eltz - The Tipsy Terrier blog
Photo Credit - Google Maps
The hike was quite peaceful and we only saw a few other people out on the trail.
The forest around Burg Eltz - The TIpsy Terrier blog
The path to Burg Eltz
We found some great photo opportunities for Cedric too!
Traveling Gnome in the Eltzbach Woods - The Tipsy Terrier blog
Traveling Gnome in the Eltzbach Woods - The Tipsy Terrier blog
This location was chosen for Burg Eltz because of the 70 m high rock formation and the protection of the river on three sides.   The Eltz family have been in control of the castle for more than 800 years and still own it today.

Photo Credit



Courtyard at Burg Eltz - The Tipsy Terrier blog Courtyard at Burg Eltz - The Tipsy Terrier blog

Tours start about every 15 minutes and run for 40 minutes.  There is also a treasury where you can see artifacts from the family and is also included in the ticket price.  Unfortunately, photos are not allowed inside of the castle but you can see them on their website. The mix of stone, slate and half timbered construction reflect many generations of the Eltz family and the wars that took place around them.

The coat of arms of the Eltz family - The Tipsy Terrier blog
Our visit to Burg Eltz - The Tipsy Terrier blog
Lucky for you a large renovation was recently completed and the castle is now free from scaffolding and cranes.  Before heading back into town stop for a bratwurst in a crusty roll and the castle's hefeweissbier or as we know it in America hefeweizen.

There are signs that point you back toward the parking lot, train station or other near by towns.  It is difficult to get lost.

How to get back to town - The Tipsy Terrier Blog

We are glad that we had an entire day to explore Burg Eltz and the surround Eltzbach forest....and no bags to worry about.

Cheers,

Amy

Our other stops in Germany: Cologne, The Rhine River by ferry and train, Burg Rheinfels - traveling the Rhine, Marksburg Castle, Heidleburg Castle

Linking up with
Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home



8 comments:

  1. I just love German castles! I was born and raised in Germany, so I've seen my fair share of castles, but I haven't been to one in a while anymore and would love to do so! I'm not living in Germany right now, though, so I will have to wait until my next visit this winter. I love that this castle is still pretty much intact! Have you been to any other castles in Germany?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Melanie, We love German castles too! Before we visited Burg Eltz we stopped by a few on the Rhine. I have a posts on Marksburg, Burg Rheinfels and traveling the Rhine here: http://tipsyterrier.blogspot.com/p/cedric-traveling-gnome.html Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  2. I love castles!! I have never heard of this one but it seems great! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jenn, Burg Eltz is beautifully preserved and unique in it's location compared to other castles in the Rhine Valley. You can not see the castle from the main road so when you finally get a glimpse it takes your breath away!

      Delete
  3. Oh my gosh. So beautiful!! I love castles! I saw Windsor and realized, I need to see more castles!! The little village is so quant! It reminds me of the Cotswolds of the UK

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You must plan a trip to Germany to see the castles. Each one has it's own character and unique.

      Delete
  4. Probably my favorite German castle we've visited. We also approached on foot and it is such a beautiful setting for a castle. I miss our time along the Mosel....

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good post, I like the way you start and then conclude your thoughts. Hotels Frankfurt-Oder

    ReplyDelete