Eltz Castle is one of the most beautiful medieval castles in all of Europe. It has a real fairytale look about it, and it is located just 90 minute walk from the nearest train station. This makes it very accessible for those travellers without a car. We took a local train from the nearby city of Koblenz, then walked into the castle for a magical day out.
Getting from Koblenz to Eltz Castle by Train
We purchased a family train ticket for 3 people at Koblenz Hbf station for 22 Euros. Actually it covered 5 people, and entitled us to travel on any public transport in a wide area around Koblenz. This pass could enable us to choose from hundreds of magnificent day-trips in this beautiful region, if we had the time.
The train trip to Eltz Castle took about half an hour and took us along the Mosel River. This made for some great sight-seeing, where we saw many terraced vineyards and a few more castles. We also saw lots of lovely riverside towns, which are very pleasant to see. Our final stop was the tiny town of Moselkern.
The walk from Moselkern to Eltz Castle
When we arrived at the station the mobile signal was poor, so Google Maps was not an option. Lucky I had taken a screenshot of the walking route from Moselkern Station to Eltz Castle.
Actually a map is not required because the route is very well signposted all the way. You can’t miss it. The only knowledge required is which way to walk when leaving he station (ie. along the train line away from Koblenz).
The walk through the town is pleasant, there is very little activity and we saw no food or convenience stores open for business. Then we turned into the hills and walked along a beautiful smaller river for the rest of the journey.
At about the half way mark we left the public roads and entered the walking trail section. This is not really steep or treacherous, instead I would call it narrow and undulating. It does get rather muddy and I would not recommend this route if it’s been raining a lot.
There is also a long steep drop down to the river, it would be hazardous if the track was too muddy and slippery. Overall the walk took us 100 minutes from Moselkern Station to Eltz Castle.
What to do at Eltz Castle
The first thing we did was take a bunch of photos from the castle entrance. This is a stunning view to be savoured. Just inside the entrance we noticed 2 cafes, an upper and a lower.
We stopped for lunch at the lower cafe, which is in a castle courtyard overlooking the beautiful river. Prices were reasonable and the range of meals quite good; we do recommend this for a nice lunch stop.
After lunch we paid our entrance into the castle, which was once again moderately priced. 6 Euros for adults and 4 Euros for kids, not bad. The entrance included the castle and the small museum, which is well worth a look.
We were also able to join an English-speaking tour, which was probably the highlight of our tour. Actually, there is very little you can access inside the castle unless you get on a guided tour, only really the upper courtyard and museum.
The tour took us through about a dozen rooms and was very informative, there were lots of authentic medieval furniture and artefacts on display. The tour lasted about half an hour and we felt is was very good value for money.
Leaving Eltz Castle
We noticed there was a shuttle bus leaving every 15 minutes so we enquired where it goes to. Unfortunately it only goes to a car park at the top of the hill. It costs 2 Euros per person and allows passengers to avoid walking up a very steep hill.
The downside of catching the shuttle is that you miss an outstanding lookout. This is probably the best photography location as it looks down on Eltz Castle for uninterrupted views.
The very helpful lady in the entrance area offered to call us a taxi back to Moselkern station for a cost of 25 Euros. We went for this and took the shuttle bus up to the car park to meet the taxi.
The total cost was 25 Euros for the taxi, and 6 Euros for the shuttle bus. Then it was simply a matter of waiting for the next train which leaves once per hour. A quick train trip back to Koblenz and the day was quickly over.
Is Eltz Castle Worth the Effort?
Eltz Castle did not disappoint us, it is the most beautiful Medieval Castle I have seen up close. The walk in was strenuous, but well worth it. We got to see some authentic town life and some beautiful natural countryside.
The castle itself was insanely beautiful. It is such a well-preserved castle and the interior has been meticulously restored. Overall it was a 7 hour round trip which was non-stressful, easy to navigate, and not that expensive.
We are so glad we added this day trip to our itinerary, it was a truly unforgettable trip back into German medieval history. I would rate this day trip 5 stars out of 5.
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