Day 6: Eltz Castle (Eric)

Day 6: June 2nd, 2019. The experience we had today words and pictures will not be able to adequately capture, but I will endeavor to try. The first part of our trip was to take another train back to Koblenz along the scenic part of the Rhine River we had traveled earlier in the week. We never get tired of the hills, the castles, the churches, and the towns as we travel alongside the river. 

At Koblenz, we transferred to another train to take us to Moselkern. This train traveled along the Mosel River which had some amazing scenery as well. Once we arrived in Moselkern, that’s when the really cool part of our adventure began. 

We began hiking through the quaint little town of Moselkern heading up hill. Having climbed our fair share of steep steps over the past several days, this was a very gradual slope by comparison. 

Once through the town, the street becomes a path, and we began to walk alongside a creek through a forest. This was a welcome contrast to the crowded, hot streets of Koln. The shade kept the temperature cooler and the sounds of the creek and the forest were far more serene than the noisy, drunk tourists of the city. 

The hike would have been amazing enough, but after approximately 5 km (2.7 miles or so). We rounded a corner and were treated to this view. 

This was our actual destination, Eltz Castle. This medieval castle was built in the 12th century and is one of the few castles in this region that has never been destroyed either by invading armies, war, or bombing. It has been owned by the same family for 33 generations. The exterior of the castle is amazing enough, but you may also pay 10 Euro for a tour of the interior. I’m normally not crazy about tours, but this surpassed my expectations. Our guide spoke excellent English and informed us about the history of the castle as we walked from room to room. We were not allowed to take pictures of the interior, sorry about that, but I highly recommend a visit to this place if you’re in the area. We finished with a nice lunch on the castle walls and briefly toured the treasure room where some of the family valuables were kept. The pictures will not do this place justice, but here you go.