Most Beautiful Castles on the Moselle
Discover the fascinating castles on the Moselle, which delight both travelers, who like to savor their trips, and slow travelers. There are many castles on the Moselle. Among them are well-known ones such as Eltz Castle or Ehrenbreitstein Fortress near Koblenz. But there are even more that are worth a trip or even a journey. We present the most beautiful Moselle valley castles here.
Road trip along the Moselle: discover Castles and Landscapes
A road trip along the Moselle allows you to experience the most beautiful castles and landscapes flexibly.
Top Moselle Castles You Shouldn't Miss
Along the Moselle there are numerous castles and castle ruins. Some of them are still inhabited today. Others serve as a hotel. Still others are now museums. Finally, there are those of which only ruins remain. However, all of them bear witness to the eventful history of the region along the Moselle. When choosing the castles, it was important to us that they can be visited and that they offer a special experience. This can be a visit, a restaurant with a view. You will not find inhabited castles here that cannot be visited.
Discover great Experiences in the Moselle Valley
If you book one of these offers, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
Eltz Castle, one of the most famous Castles on the Moselle
The most well-known castle on the Moselle is Burg Eltz. Strictly speaking, however, it is in a side valley and not directly on the Moselle. The castle is well preserved and shows the development of architecture from 1150 to 1650. On a guided tour you can imagine life at that time. In the treasury you can admire gold and silver work, porcelain, jewellery, glass, ivory, coins, curios and weapons that have been in the possession of the Counts of Eltz for centuries. Also worth seeing are the knight's hall and the kitchen, which has hardly changed since the 15th century.
What you should know before you visit:
- Enter “Burg Eltz Wierschem” into your navigation system, and you will be taken directly to the castle car park.
- From there, there is a shuttle bus to the castle. Or you can walk to the castle.
- Current information about opening hours, admission prices and shuttle schedules can be found on the website of Burg Eltz.
Find accommodation near Burg Eltz* .
If you book via a link marked *, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
Arras Castle near Alf on the Moselle
Arras Castle in Alf was one of the castles on the Moselle that was closely associated with the Archbishops of Trier. In the 9th century it served as a defensive position for the Counts Palatine of Lorraine to protect the city of Trier. As an imperial castle, it was given to feudal lords. At first it was the Counts Palatine. Later it was the archbishops of Trier. The castle was destroyed in 1689 during the War of the French Succession. Today it has been rebuilt and houses a hotel, a restaurant and a museum.
What you should know before you visit:
- You can find Arras Castle with the navigation system via this address: "Wittlicher Str. 1, 56859 Alf"
- Book a room in Hotel Burg Arras* .
- Current information about opening hours, admission and events can be found on the Website of Arras Castle.
Book accommodation near Arras Castle* .
If you book via a link marked *, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
The Reichsburg in Cochem, one of the grandiose Castles on the Moselle
The Reichsburg towers magnificently over the town of Cochem on the Moselle. It is the largest hilltop castle on the Moselle. It once also belonged to the electors of Trier and was severely damaged in the Palatinate War of Succession. In the 19th century, Louis Ravené, a lover of castles, renovated it in neo-Gothic style. Therefore, today visitors can visit the knight's hall, the dining room, the hunting room and the bower.
What you should know before you visit:
- It is not possible to travel directly to the castle with your own car or motorbike. It is best to park your vehicle in Cochem and use the Reichsburg Shuttle to the castle in the summer from May to the end of October. In winter you should allow between 15 and 30 minutes to walk to the castle, depending on the parking space.
- Current information about opening hours, admission prices and guided tours can be found on the Website of the Reichsburg Cochem.
Book accommodation near the Reichsburg Cochem* .
If you book via a link marked *, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
Thurant Castle in Alken on the Moselle
Thurant Castle in Alken on the Moselle is around 800 years old. The castle owes its two towers to the fact that it had two owners from 1248 onwards. The archbishops of Cologne and Trier conquered it together from the burgraves Zurn. As they could not agree on a joint administration, they simply divided the castle into a Cologne and a Trier part. These two halves of the castle were complete with their own castle tower, residential and commercial buildings and separate entrances. In later centuries, however, the castle fell into disrepair until it became private property in the 18th century. It was finally renovated at the beginning of the 20th century and has been open to visitors ever since. The chapel, the wine cellar and the castle dungeon with torture chamber are all worth seeing.
What you should know before you visit:
- Current opening hours and prices can be found on the website of Thurant Castle.
Book accommodation near Thurant Castle* .
If you book via a link marked *, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
Landshut Castle Ruins in Bernkastel-Kues – Castles on the Moselle with a Restaurant
Even though Landshut Castle on the Moselle is now just a ruin, a visit is worthwhile, especially for the magnificent view of the Moselle valley and the vineyards. The exact age of the castle is unknown. Provost Adalberte was first mentioned as the owner of the castle in 993. Here you will also find out how the Bernkastel Doctor wine got its name. According to legend, the wine cured Elector Boemund II of an illness no other herb was able to cure. Doctor wine is still available today. The vineyard near Bernkastel is still the most expensive in the world. After being destroyed three times, the castle only exists as a ruin. However, it has been opened up and can be visited. Here you can make a visit to Moselle castles an unforgettable experience with regional wine tastings.
What you should know before you visit:
- The castle ruins are easily accessible by car, on foot or by train daily from April to October with the Burg-Landshut Express .
- In Landshut Castle there is also a restaurant with great views of the Moselle valley and the vineyards.
- Current opening hours and the restaurant menu can be found on the website of Landshut Castle.
Book accommodation in Bernkastel-Kues*you can book here
If you book via a link marked *, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
Metternich Castle in Beilstein - one of the Castles on the Moselle
Metternich Castle can also only be visited as a ruin. The castle dates from between the 12th and 15th centuries. The last owner of the castle was the Austrian Chancellor and later Prince von Metternich. The von Metternichs came into possession of the castle in 1637. However, they were not able to call their castle their own for long, as the French destroyed it in 1689 during the War of the French Succession. After the French Revolution, different owners took over the castle, but did not rebuild it.
What you should know before you visit:
- The Fürst Metternich panoramic terrace is also worth a visit. From there you will definitely have a beautiful view of the Moselle valley and the region's vineyards. You can enjoy the view with a cup of coffee and cake or with hearty food and Moselle wines.
- Current opening hours of Metternich Castle can be found on the website of the castle.
Book accommodation in Beilstein* .
If you book via a link marked *, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
There are numerous other castles and castle ruins along the Moselle. However, these can either not be visited because they are used for other purposes, or they are privately owned and not open for tours. Others, however, do not offer any special experiences beyond a beautiful view.
Learn more:
- Mosel Tourism
- German Castle Association eV
- Monument List Rhineland-Palatinate
- Geo.de
- hiking trails
- Hiking and biking trails
Hiking to the most beautiful Castles in the Moselle Valley
Some of the castles on the Moselle are not only accessible by car or shuttle bus. Numerous hiking trails lead to impressive castles in the Moselle valley, ideal for active explorers. Prepare yourself for these hiking trails. It is definitely worth it to be well-equipped. This must be in your suitcase:
- Comfortable shoes, which allow you to walk over uneven terrain. For example, there are beautiful hiking trails that lead through rough terrain.
- A backpackfor taking your gear with you for a day. You can easily plan a picnic with a view of the Moselle into your hike.
- In the summer you also need a hat that protects against the sun. The vineyards for hiking are on the sunny side of the valley.
- Did you pack everything for a hike? With our hiking checklist you can easily check that.
Travel by Motorhome to the most impressive Moselle Castles
Traveling along the Moselle with a motorhome offers the opportunity to easily explore numerous Moselle castles.
- Do you want to rent a mobile home? Then you will find information here, for example, as well as a selection of booking options. Or do you prefer to travel with a roof tent on the carinstead? The overnight stay in camping tents is also possible.
- Also check our packing list for campers to see whether you have packed everything for your motorhome tour.
- You want to know where you can stay overnight in Germany or are you looking for campsites? You can find information about this at this link. There you can easily cook with a Dutch Oven or on the portable grill after a day trip.
- You can also find Dutch oven accessories .
Travel Arrangements
Parking at the airport
Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.
How to reach us
Compare and book flights here*. (Advertisement) Flights are available to Frankfurt. You can also rent a car there. From there you can also travel by train. Alternatively you can travel by rental car.
Rental car
Reserve your rental car here .
Camper Rentals:
Compare motorhome prices here.
Campsites on the Moselle
Find a large selection of campsites on the Moselle* here, for example. You can also reserve campsites on the Moselle directly on the water here.
If you book through one of these offers, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
Do you know this?
- Go on vacation on the Moselle
- Hiking on the Moselle - hikes through the vineyards
- Moselle tour around Alf on the Moselle
- Good food, wine and the Moselle in Luxembourg
- Discover palaces and castles
- Balloon Museum Gersthofen
Source Castles on the Mosel: own research. Our opinion remains our own.
Text Castles on the Moselle: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline as well as Wikimedia Commons in the public domain.
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
