Burg Eltz is one of Germany’s premier intact castles located near the Moselle River. The Eltz family continues to own the castle and uses the tour money to maintain the castle. The castle sits on top of a small hill right in the middle of the family’s private forest! You should make certain this castle is on your to-do list next time you’re visiting Germany!
Pros
- Beautiful intact castle
- Gorgeous pristine forest
- Official Website
Cons
- Large tourist area
- Tour is the only way to see the castle’s interior
Getting to Burg Eltz
Burg Eltz is located in the Moselle River Valley and in the heart of Germany’s Rhine castle area. The castle took advantage of its seclusion and astute family to maintain peace with neighboring kingdoms to ensure the castle was never raised.
Traveling to Burg Eltz is relatively easy to get to if you have a car. The parkplatz is located here. There are also some public bus options and tour options to get there if you cannot drive. Here is the official website showing several different options for getting to the castle!
Walking or Shuttle
There are two main ways to get to the castle from the parking and bus areas. You can walk or take the shuttle. The shuttle does cost approximately €2 so be ready to drop a few coins to take the shuttle. The shuttle is a large van so expect longer lines during high-volume times.
The best way, in my opinion, is to take the trail. The trail starts here. It is approximately a 20-minute walk and an easy hike. You get a beautiful view during the final portion of the hike that reveals the full side of the castle and is one of the best views of the castle. I’d recommend taking the trail if you’re at all able to walk the path!
Inside the Castle
Guests must pay to get inside the courtyard and join the tours to see the inside. The website lists the ticket prices here. The adult price is €12 with several different reduced price categories if you qualify.
There are both German and English language tours available but the English language ones seem less planned and more an ad hoc event. The front desk did say you could knock on a door and request an English language tour if needed but it would be delayed. I did get lucky and arrived at a time there was already a planned English language tour. It was at 2 pm.
Finally, pictures are not allowed during the tour and I followed the request. It is a wonderful tour to see the well-preserved interior and I think it’s worth seeing once if you have time in this part of Germany. It is also Rick Steves’s favorite castle in Germany so that may add some clout to your adventure into the Moselle hills.
The Burg Eltz Forest
The Eltz forest is beautifully maintained and lush! The Eltz creek also traverses the forest and surrounds the castle and flows quietly through the valley. There are miles of hiking trails throughout this area and you hike to the castle from several different areas. You could easily spend a day walking all through the forest.
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