Burg Eltz

Travel Tuesday:

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.

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.

Photo Credit - Google Maps

The hike was quite peaceful and we only saw a few other people out on the trail.

We found some great photo opportunities for Cedric too!

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

 

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.

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.

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

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Marksburg Castle on the Rhine

Travel Tuesday: Part 3 of our trip of the Rhine Valley. 

If you are just joining in you can follow links to Part 1 and Part 2.

We awoke at Burg Rheinfels Castle, enjoyed breakfast overlooking the Rhine, explored the ruins of the castle and set off towards the town of Braubach and Marksburg Castle with a final destination of Karden on the Mosel River.  Our original plan was to take the first ferry of the day to Braubach, but we got side tracked with shopping for steins that we had to take a later boat.  The boat we ended up boarding stopped at the town of Boppard and did not go all the way to Braubach.  We consulted our maps and found there was a ferry that would take us across the river and was near a train station.  We could of waited for the next boat but it was hours until the next one - link to KD Rhine boats timetable

It is not always straight forward traveling without a car but it can be done! (photo credit - Google Maps)

We decided to cross the river to be on the same bank as Braubach - there are not too many spots that offer crossing.  Most crossings are for vehicular traffic and there is room for pedestrians as well.  The station was about a mile from the dock - to be honest I can not remember if we walked or found a taxi.  The train station was deserted but the next train did stop for us.  It was a short trip to Braubach and we stored our luggage at the train station while we toured the castle. We found that most ferry docks were near train stations too - very convenient.

There are signs that lead the way to the walking path to the castle making it quite easy to find your way.  The "R" symbol is used through out the region to indicate a castle.

There were a few dogs that we saw along the trail and at the cafe at the castle.  Most castles will have a snack bar with food and drinks providing a great place to grab lunch when you are on the go.  We already ate lunch on the boat but were forced to take a short break because we missed the English tour.  Beers it is!

Kirk intently pouring a pint.

Marksburg Castle is the only castle on the Rhine that did not suffer any damage during the many wars until WWII when the Americans fired at it from across the Rhine.  It is also the head quarters for the German Castle Association that protects and preserves castles through out the country.  Tours are 6 euros and are offered every 20 minutes during the summer and fall.  Pictures are not allowed but I was able to sneak a few!

Frescoes on the ceiling of the chapel

After touring the castle we made our way down the hill, collected our luggage and boarded the 4:30 boat to Koblenz.  It is a half hour trip but we were able to find time to enjoy a pint.  I highly recommend seeing the Rhine by ferry.  The views are phenomenal and you are able to view it in the open air or inside the heated boat.  And remember a Eurorail pass works on the ferry as well.

We disembarked in Koblenz and walked six blocks to the train station.  Our next stop is the town of Karden on the Mosel River where we stayed for two nights to visit Burg Eltz - my second favorite castle, Neuschwanstein being number one.

Have you toured the Rhine Valley?  Which castle or town was your favorite?

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

Cheers,

Amy

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Burg Rheinfels Castle - Where to Stay While Touring the Rhine Valley

Part 2 of Touring the Rhine Valley

Traveling the Rhine is a great destination for couples or families by spending your day hiking, trying the local wine or beer and visiting castles.  There is something for everyone to enjoy.  My husband and I loved our time on the Rhine - especially our night at Burg Rheinfels.

To catch up with part 1 of our Rhine journey click here.

We ended our first full day on the Rhine arriving by ferry to the town of St. Goar near the Lorelei Rock.  One glance up the hill and we knew that we did not have the energy to hike to the castle so we found a pub, ordered a beer and a taxi. 

 It was a little confusing when we reached Burg Rheinfels because there are a few different restaurants, a spa, apartments, hotel, and various vistas.  I wish I had this great aerial photo to help guide us but after walking back and forth between the villas and the castle we found the check in desk.

We had reserved a standard room for the night, in advance, and were excited that we had a view of the river.  There are 64 rooms to choose from ranging from a room in the attic to a suite with a balcony over looking the Rhine. I recommend making a reservation in advance here.  Burg Rheinfels would also be a lovely spot for a destination wedding - a fairytale dream.

After relaxing a bit we headed down to one of the restaurants for dinner.  The castle makes their own wine from grapes around the castle. It also seems that we spotted Santa Claus on holiday enjoying a stay at Burg Rheinfels.

I slept like a princess in our cozy room.  In the morning we awoke to a foggy morning on the Rhine, but it was still breathtaking.  We ate a wonderful breakfast in an enclosed porch overlooking the river.

Before checking out of the hotel we decided to explore the ruins of the castle, which began construction in the 13th century.  The town of St. Goar's history goes back to the time of the Romans and later became a pilgrimage stop to visit the the tomb of the town's namesake.  The castle was built by Count Diether V von Katzenelnbogen to protect the tax collectors in town and later grew to be the most prominent castle on the Rhine.  In 1692 it was the only castle on the left bank of the Rhine not occupied by French troops sent by Louis the 14th.  Sadly the castle was handed over in 1794 the French revolutionary troops who blew up the exterior walls.

There are many tunnels and rooms that you can visit.

If you forget your flash light there are candles and torches to light your way.

On our way back to the dock we stopped to see the Largest Cuckoo Clock in the World! 

 

Our other stops in Germany: Cologne, The Rhine River by ferry and train,  Marksburg Castle, Burg Eltz, Heidleberg

Cheers,

Amy

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The Rhine River, by ferry and train

The Rhine River is a beautiful waterway accessible by land or water.  The first time I visited Germany and the Rhine River valley I traveled with my parents and brother after a semester abroad in Bath, England. We flew to Frankfurt, rented a car and only had our first nights accommodation reserved. We drove along the Rhine and Mosel picking castles we would like to visit based on tours and amenities offered. We explored the Black Forest,  Romantic Mile, King Ludwig's castles and Trier during our weeks stay.  So when my husband and I decided to do a three week beer tour of Europe I knew that I had plenty of places that I wanted to return to but wanted to only drive when absolutely necessary - plenty of imbibing involved.

We flew Air Berlin from San Francisco to Dusseldorf direct and began our trip in Cologne.  We planned and reserved all of our hotels, booked flights and made rail reservations when required.  After studying timetables for river boats it was clear that it was much more efficient to travel from south to north (travel with the current of the river.) So we took the train the train to Mainz and decided to work our way north to the Mosel River.

We grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel and took a taxi to the ferry launch and boarded the first boat of the day at 845. Eurorail passes do work on the ferry so you can take a combination of rail and boats depending on where you want to go. We grabbed a table inside and had room to keep our luggage next to us.  The ferry had a snack bar, a very informative audio guide in German and  English, and and upper level with outdoor seating.   By 930 we were enjoying the local Riesling and soaking up the gorgeous views.

Our first stop of the day was the town of Bacharach.  We were hoping to leave our luggage at locker room or ticket office at the dock but there was not one here.  We rolled our bags over the cobble stones to the tourist office and they let us leave them there.  Our destination was Burg Stahleck which is also a hostel which offers reasonable accommodations to spend the night in a castle.  Our hope was for a tour but were not able to see much inside since we were not guests.  There is a snack bar and the view is amazing. 

 We saw quite a few people in Germany traveling and hiking with their pets.  This cute couple were hiking with a cute long haired dauchshund.  They took our photo and we snapped theirs!

We caught the next ferry north to the town of Oberwesel and more castles.  This time the dock did not have lockers and the tourist office was closed for lunch.  We took that as a sign and decided it was time for us to find a bite to eat as well.

We found this cute half timbered tavern in town and it was on the base of the hiking trail up to the castle.  The menu was full of hearty meals, homemade bread and local wine.  Luckily they allowed us to keep our luggage in their supply room while we explored the town.

 We set up the hill with a full stomach and relieved that we were not hiking with our bags on our backs. The hike is steep but most of the trail is covered in stone.  There are steps in the steepest sections and there are plenty of signs with distance indicators.

This section of the Rhine River Valley (Upper Middle Rhine Valley) is a World Heritage Site for a 65 km stretch from Bingen to Koblenz.  The Rhine River has been used since prehistoric times for commerce and means of transportation.  There are over 60 small towns today with approximately 40 castles along this portion of the Rhine.  Many battles were fought over land, how tolls were collected by passing boats and I am sure over many duchesses too.

 Schloss Schonburg is a beautiful castle that has been converted into a hotel that also offers tours.  My family and I did just that on our first trip to Germany.  I stayed in a small room that was cantilevered over the courtyard while my parents and brother stayed in the guard house. This time we stopped in for some chocolate cake and coffee and a tour of the grounds.  I love the mix of architectural styles and materials - just like a fairytale.

Back down the hill we went to the tavern for our bags and then off to the dock.  We headed north towards St. Goar where we had reservations at Rheinfels castle for the night.  This portion of the river is quite dangerous because of a deep S curve through the valley.  Legend had it that many ships crashed into Lorelei Rock because of the enchanting song of a siren or mermaid.  It is a very difficult area to navigate, especially in the fog. Now there is a lighting system that alerts boats of other vessels in the curve.

I will cover St. Goar and Rheinfels Castle on my travel post next week.  Traveling by boat allowed us to take in both sides of the valley compared to riding the train on just one bank.  It took a little maneuvering but definitely worth it.

Cheers,

Amy

Our other stops in Germany: Cologne, Burg Rheinfels,  Marksburg Castle, Burg Eltz, Heidleberg

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