Cochem

Eltz Castle stands on a roughly 70-meter high rock spur in a loop of the Elz River, nestled between the Moselle, Eifel, and Maifeld regions. It originated in the 12th century, was never seriously destroyed, and still belongs to the same family, now in its 33rd generation. Many recognize its image from the former 500 D-Mark banknote.From the parking lot near Wierschem, it's about a 10-minute walk, or you can take the shuttle bus. Hikers can reach the castle via the Traumpfad Eltzer Burgpanorama trail. The guided tour shows the interiors of the Rübenach and Rodendorf houses; the ticket includes the Treasury. It is open seasonally from April to early November.

From Perl in the Saarland, via Trier, to its confluence with the Rhine near Koblenz, the Moselle winds through the Slate Mountains in tight bends. Riesling mainly grows on its slopes, covering some 60% of the vineyard area. Many vineyards are so steep they can only be worked by hand; Europe's steepest vineyard is Calmont near Bremm.The Romans already cultivated wine here professionally; their legacy is clearest in Trier. Downstream follow wine towns such as Bernkastel-Kues, Traben-Trarbach, and Cochem with its Reichsburg; Burg Eltz stands in the Elz side valley. The Moselle railway links Koblenz and Trier, stopping at Cochem; excursion boats shuttle between the towns.

The Nürburgring, near Nürburg in the Ahrweiler district, was inaugurated on June 18, 1927, and is named after the Nürburg castle ruins. Today, it's famous for the 20.8-kilometer Nordschleife (North Loop), which racing driver Jackie Stewart dubbed the 'Green Hell' due to its hilly, forest-lined course. The 24-hour race starts here every year.Since its opening, you can drive the Nordschleife with your own road-legal car during tourist drives for a fee. According to Autozeitung, the 2026 season runs from March 7 to November 15, usually from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on weekdays and from 8 AM to 7 PM on event-free weekends. A lap costs 30 Euros from Monday to Thursday, and 35 Euros from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays (as of March 2026). Motorcycles have no longer been permitted since 2025. Times vary depending on the schedule, so check the official opening hours beforehand.

Bernkastel-Kues on the Middle Moselle consists of two districts on both sides of the river. In Bernkastel, half-timbered houses frame the medieval market square with the town hall from 1608 and St. Michael's Fountain from 1606; right next to it stands the narrow Spitzhäuschen from 1416. Above the town lies the ruin of Landshut Castle, once the summer residence of the Archbishops of Trier.Directly above the old town grows the Bernkasteler Doctor, one of the world's most expensive Riesling vineyards. In Kues, the Cusanusstift with its Gothic chapel, wine museum, and library commemorates the scholar Nikolaus von Kues. There is no train station; you arrive by bus from Wittlich, by boat, or via the Moselle Cycle Path.

On the southwest shore of Lake Laach stands the Benedictine Abbey of Maria Laach, founded in 1093 by Count Palatine Heinrich II. von Laach and his wife Adelheid. The Romanesque abbey church was consecrated in 1156; its narthex, known as the "Paradies" (Paradise), is considered the last surviving example of its kind north of the Alps. Today, the monastery includes a book and art shop, a large nursery, and an art smithy.Lake Laach itself is approximately 3.3 square kilometers in size, up to 51 meters deep, and is considered Central Europe's only water-filled caldera. It was formed during a volcanic eruption approximately 13,000 years ago. On its southeastern shore, carbon dioxide still rises today from so-called mofettes. Since 1935, the lake and its surroundings have been under nature protection.