The river Moselle.
One of our favorite holiday destinations is the river Moselle. There are so many historical places to visit and all the towns seem to look pretty. Over the years we have seen many castles in the Moselle region. We usually drive along this beautiful river until we get to a castle. This often gives us great views on the way over. However, it is also possible to take a boat and see the river from a different perspective.
A river cruise.
There are several places where you can start your river cruise. We decided to start ours in Cochem. You can buy the tickets at a ticket boot near the dock. Because you have so many options to choose from it is wise to think ahead of what it is that you want to see before buying your ticket. We bought tickets to Beilstein, a place known for its picturesque appearance. Burg Metternich is situated on top of this small town, giving us an extra reason to visit it.
The boat left on time and we found ourselves a table and seats on deck. On board we had all the facilities we needed: a toilet, food and drinks. The views were stunning as soon as we set off. The first thing we saw was Burg Cochem. This is a real must-see and from the river it looked even more impressive because the Burg is overlooking the city.
On our way to Beilstein we passed some pretty towns. After a while we entered a sluice. It took a long time, during which we saw the water level rise. Finally we were ready to move on. The locks opened and we got to continue our journey.
Beilstein.
When we reached the town of Beilstein we disembarked, but we were not the only ones. Beilstein appeared to be a popular town to visit. These days it’s a popular place of pilgrimage as well as a tourist destination.
In 800 AD Beilstein was founded. In the 13th century Burg Metternich arose followed in 1309 by fortifications after the town received certain privileges. A Jewish community settled in Beilstein around the same time and the town flourished. However, in 1689 the French destroyed the Burg. A Carmelite monastery was built as well as a church. Most of this town is still the same as how it was during the French revolution and as part of the Kingdom of Prussia. It now is part of Rheinland-Palatinate, one of Germany’s 16 States.
Since it was so crowded we decided to go to a side alley to eat our sandwiches. We then headed towards the Burg. At the foot of the Burg is a small playground. It is a perfect place for young children to play before or after climbing the Burg.
Burg Metternich.
It is quite a climb to reach the ruins of Burg Metternich. You do get rewarded for doing so, because the view is breathtaking. From the top you can overlook a huge part of the river Moselle as well as the town of Beilstein. There is a restaurant, where you can sit in the shade of a temporary canopy and eat an ice cream whilst looking down at the river.
If you’re still not done climbing there is a tower you can climb. For children there is a small sand pit next to the restaurant. It is also possible to go on a hike that starts at the Burg. All in all: plenty of options. And when all is done you can walk back into the town and take a river boat back to Cochem. That is exactly what we did. A great day out for everyone!
Also on Travelharts.com.
There are many albums on our photo site of beautiful castles near the river Moselle. One of them is Burg Ehrenburg.
Most likely the church of Trier built Burg Ehrenburg. In 1688 the French took the castle and a year later they partly blew it up. Today you can visit it.
On our blog we also give some ideas of what to do near the municipality of Treis-Karden (near the river Moselle). If you like to read it, click here.
In and around the small municipality of Treis-Karden there is a lot to do for travelers. In this story we’ll give you 10 ideas of what to do.
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