A Trip to the Fairy-Tale Eltz Castle

Although Eltz Castle wasn't exactly close to my home in Germany, I decided to make the trip in just one day. During summer, the public transport ticket was so cheap that it was really worth going around the country, even though this also meant bigger crowds and occasional delays. But I still had a great time! So, in the morning, I set off on the train towards Frankfurt. I was supposed to switch to another train towards Koblenz just a few minutes after arriving in Frankfurt, if everything went to plan and the train wasn't too delayed.

A stop in Frankfurt

The train wasn't delayed, but the problem came up when I realised it wasn't going to the main station. Instead, it was heading to Frankfurt South Station because the final stop had been temporarily moved there due to track work. So, I missed my planned train to Koblenz and ended up walking from the south station to the main station, getting to see a part of Frankfurt I hadn't explored before. My trip unexpectedly turned into a little exploration of Frankfurt Süd, a nice area with colourful cafés and parks. Finally, I got on the train, which took me to Koblenz, though it was quite crowded with other passengers.

Getting off at Moselkern

The path ran along the banks of the Rhine River, passing through vineyards that are growing up the steep hillsides. It's fascinating how every bit of land is covered in vines, even in areas that are almost impossible to reach. After a little over an hour's ride, we arrived and I caught the next train to the village of Moselkern, where I was supposed to start my walk.

At the small, quiet train station, I noticed signs pointing to Eltz Castle nearby, but the travel time written on them was way longer than I had expected. It was supposed to take me over an hour to get to the castle. I don't mind walking at all, but the thing that was bothering me a bit was that the castle's opening hours were slowly coming to an end. Since I was almost there, I decided to carry on.

Three almost lost tourists

The village was very quiet with no one around, and there were no tourists to show me that the path I had chosen was the right one. Even with the signs, I had some doubts because I still had a few hours, train rides, and connections to get back home. When I got off at Moselkern, two more Asian-looking girls also got off. At first, I thought they lived nearby, but after a kilometre, they were still going the same way as I was. When they realised I also wasn't a local, they rushed over to ask me about the castle and the way, wondering if I knew anything more. Since I didn't, we agreed to get lost together.

The path soon led into the forest and turned into a narrow trail. We were sure it was leading us to the castle. The sun's rays seeped through the mighty leafy roof and sparkled on the stream that followed our path. We ended up having a lovely chat. They told me they were from the Philippines and had found jobs as nurses in Bonn. Like me, they had also decided on a day trip to escape the city. Meeting people along the way is always very inspiring to me. There are so many different stories, and it's so much better hearing people's opinions and experiences directly, rather than reading about them in the media.

Finally, after the last turn, the impressive sight of the Eltz Castle appeared before us. We just had to climb some steep steps, and then we were in the castle courtyard. Unfortunately, we already missed the last tours, so we could not see it from the inside. Feeling happy that we made it anyway, we took a moment to chill in the afternoon sun with a view of the castle. My one-day-old pasta, which I'd brought along, made for a perfect castle lunch while I dipped my feet in the stream near the castle.

I had to leave this fairy-tale setting eventually, as I still had a long journey ahead of me. There was also a small bus that took visitors from the official car park to the castle. I asked about it, as I figured it would be a quicker way to catch the train. Unfortunately, I misunderstood and the bus only went to the car park. I started to panic a bit, as it was on the other side of where I hoped to end up. Luckily, I soon found out that there was another bus from the car park that was going straight to the train station. While I was waiting, the two Filipino girls arrived at the station, and we continued our journey together. I caught the train just in time, and after a few transfers, I was back home in Marburg in the early hours of the night.

Where to stay?

If you're planning to explore Eltz Castle and the area, Hostelling International has the Pathpoint Cologne Hostel, a modern place in a former church right in the heart of Cologne. The hostel is just a few minutes walk from the train station, and there's an airport nearby. This makes it an excellent starting point for exploring the city and its surroundings.