German Moselle online travel guide
A trip along the German Moselle
If you take a nice road trip around Europe, this region of Germany is quite fun. Visit ancient castles or enjoy the beautiful nature around the Moselle, which stretches from Koblenz to Perl. The Moselle offers an excellent soil for delicious wines, are you already enjoying your wine with a view of the Moselle? After all, if you are travelling in Western Germany, you should not skip this region. My boyfriend and I together visited the town of Brodenbach, a nice town at the Moselle. But what are the best highlights for a visit to this region in Germany? Have a look at my German Moselle online travel guide!
Online Travel Guide
Geierlay suspension bridge
As can be seen, the surroundings being great for a good hike, you must visit the Geierlay suspension bridge. This is one of the longest suspension bridges in Europe, the third longest in Germany. The bridge was built in 2015 and since then it has become a tourist attraction, in 2019 there were around 1 million visitors annual. In summer, important to realize, it can be very crowded, and you may have to wait to walk over it. Around the holidays the bridge is beautifully lit, we visited the bridge in April and this was a great time, not too busy. Whether you want to avoid the crowds in the high season, visit as early as possible, around 9 o’clock in the morning.
Wine tips in the German Moselle online travel guide
This is the wine region
Do you love a fresh, white wine which can be slightly sweet? Then you have come to the right place, because this region has the perfect soil and mild climate to make a good wine. They are well known for making wines here by now, as wine has been made here since the 4th century. Check out all the beautiful vineyards on the steep hills when cruising around with the car at the Moselle.
For this reason, there are loads of wines in every village obtainable. In a wine shop, you can often taste the wine before you buy it, the personnel is quite helpful and can give you the best advice. Even more, if you would like to have a mini wine tasting, this is a good way to try some good ones.
Learn more about some Moselle wines
Riesling – Do you are a Riesling lover? Then definitely check out the German Moselle. You will not find so many delicious Rieslings anywhere else but here, as this area is the world’s largest producer.
Elbling – The Elbling is the oldest grapevine in Europe, the Romans even cultivated them in the Moselle region. This grape makes a delicious dry, white wine and can also be used well to make a sparkling wine.
Müller-Thurgau – A grape that is a blend between a Riesling Weiss and Madeleine Royale. Consequently, this is often a young wine with fruitful mild acidity.
Pinot Blanc (Weißburgunder) – For most of us, Pinot Blanc is a familiar wine, but in Germany they call it a Weißburgunder. This wine is not too pronounced and often has a mildly fresh taste. In Germany, they often prepare the wine slightly differently than in, say, the Elzas region in France, Germans ferment and age the grapes in a barrel.
German phrases
Some example sentences are:
- Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening – Guten Morgen, Guten Nachmittag, Guten Abend
- Thank you – Dankeschön
- How much does that cost? – Wie viel kostet das?
- Can I have the bill, please? – Kann ich bitte die Rechnung haben?
- Where do I find the … – Wo finde ich die …
- It tastes very good! – Es schmeckt sehr gut!
Castles?
Burg Eltz
Furthermore, if you like castles, this is the right place to visit. You will find nice and old castles in several places, we went to the Elzt Castle, also known as Burg Eltz. This castle is gigantic and has so many rooms that 100 families could live there. Personally, I found the entrance fee a bit on the pricey side, namely €12,- per person (adult ticket) + your parking ticket of €4,-. Because of this, we did not decide to visit the castle from the inside, so we went for a walk around the castle, which was wonderful. If you deviate from the beaten path and walk into the woods there, you come to a stunning viewpoint overlooking Elzt Castle. Without a whole horde of tourists around.
Burg Kastellaun
Besides this beautiful castle in the German Moselle online travel guide, we were also in Kastellaun, where there is another large castle. It was built in the 13th century and bizarrely, the walls are still partly intact, but not nearly as they once were. This is free to visit and parking is also free on the weekends. Stroll along the old city wall and look for art, because you will find it in this town.
Towns around the Moselle river
Cochem
Cochem is a cute fairy tale town where you will find a lovely castle on the top. It is a bit of a climb, but definitely worth it after all. Enjoy a good wine in one of the terraces. Want to do a fun Thai cooking class, then it is possible to book it here.
Beilstein
Beilstein has lovely cottages with a medieval feel, where you can eat at one of the many restaurants, my favourite being Gute Quelle. Especially if you can relax on the cosy terrace in summer.
Koblenz
Koblenz is the city where you can soak up a lot of culture, including the Fort Ehrenbreitstein, which can be reached by cable car from the Altstadt. At the Fort, you have excellent views over the city. Or take a visit at the Liebfrauenkirche where you will find masterpieces from ± the 16th century inside. St Kastor’s Basilica is the oldest basilica in Koblenz and is even on the UNESCO list. The Moselle flows into the Rhine after 544 kilometres at Koblenz.
Other picturesque towns
Limburg an der Lahn
Limburg, as the Dutch know it, is a province in the Netherlands, but in Germany they know it as a municipality. The town is situated on the Lahn River. Alternatively, you will find lots of colourful houses, making you feel like you are in a fairy tale, topped off by a beautiful, colourful cathedral.
Freudenberg
Freudenberg is a town, which may be a little out of the direction of the previously mentioned places, but is definitely worth a visit. The town is internationally known for its half-timbered houses. The surroundings of this town are also perfect for some good hiking, as this is the Siegerland region. Visit the Limes forest area, which is on the UNESCO list. This is also the border and defence zone of the Roman Empire.
Accommodation?
We stayed at an adorable tiny house in a very quiet area, within 10 minutes walking distance we were in the village on the Moselle, and we slept in the middle of nature. In the evening we could hear the owls, making the well-known “eagle owl” sound, and in the early morning we were woken up by the many birds. Hence, the nice name for the accommodation: Historische Mühle Vogelsang. Situated in Brodenbach; German Moselle.
29-01-2024 © Doris Leone
