Hilbert Simonse, Unsplash License, Source

Burg Eltz

Family-owned medieval castle in a forest valley

Burg Eltz is a medieval castle on a rock spur above the Elzbach, in the Eifel hills between Koblenz and Trier. Three branches of the Eltz family shared it and each built its own houses around one courtyard, which gives the castle its cluster of towers and timber-framed turrets. It was never destroyed and the same family still owns it. Visitors can tour its rooms with a guide and see the treasury with the same ticket. The castle is reached on foot or by shuttle bus from a car park in the forest, so plan about three hours for the whole visit.

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Castle in Germany

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$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

Safety: 8.6

General Safety:	9
Accessibility:	7

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2/5

In Burg Eltz, most locals speak basic German; however, many younger residents and tourist staff understand and can communicate in simple English, especially near the castle’s visitor centre.

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Last update: 22 Oct 2026

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Burg Eltz Summary

Excellent for medieval castles and forest walks. Tour historic interiors, explore surrounding woodland trails and photograph picturesque towers.

Public website:	burg-eltz.de

Germany – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) £1 ≈ €1.19
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cards are widely accepted, especially in urban areas, but small establishments may prefer cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is common in restaurants, typically 5-10%. For taxis, it is customary to round up to the nearest euro. Tipping in cash is more common than adding it to card payments.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in most parts of Germany, especially in beer gardens and public events, but some local regulations may restrict it in specific areas.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited indoors in public places such as restaurants, trains, and buses. Designated smoking areas are available outside many buildings.

Oktoberfest (September)	Huge crowds in Munich. Expect high hotel rates and crowded transport.
Christmas (December)	Christmas markets are popular, expect crowded cities and higher prices.
Labour Day (May)	Many shops are closed, and there are celebrations throughout the country.

Emergency contact:	Police: 110, Emergency Number: 112 (Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Free Now, myTaxi
Other:	Germany is well-equipped for tourists, with good public transport and high-quality facilities. However, be prepared for language barriers in some rural areas.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

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for Burg Eltz, Germany

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High season:	May - Oct.
Shoulder season:	April

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Climate details

Castle open daily from April to early November, closed the rest of the year

Don't miss

🏰 Visit Burg Eltz castle grounds
🚶‍♂️ Explore medieval town streets and cobblestones
🍷 Taste local Riesling wine at cellar

You've been here?

Burg Eltz is on a rock spur about 60 m high, with the Elzbach on three sides. More than 3 km² of the surrounding Eltz Forest is a nature reserve. The Eltz family appears in a document from 1157. Parts of the original castle, including the Romanesque keep called Platteltz, still stand. After the Eltz Feud with the archbishop of Trier in the 1330s, parts of the defences were taken down, but the castle itself was never destroyed in war and was spared in 1689.

Around the courtyard are the houses of three family lines, the Rübenach, Rodendorf and Kempenich houses, built between about 1150 and 1650. Together they housed about 180 people. Eight towers rise up to 35 m. The Rübenach house has timber-frame turrets and a late Gothic chapel apse, while the Rodendorf houses hold an early Renaissance banner hall.

The guided tour covers rooms such as the Knight's Hall, the Banner Hall, the Rodendorf kitchen, a decorated bed chamber and an armoury. Exhibits are labelled in German and a free English flyer is available at the entrance. The treasury is included in the ticket and holds more than 500 objects, with a focus on gold and silver work from Augsburg and Nuremberg. There's also porcelain and a collection of weapons.

Rooms can only be seen on a guided tour. Tours start at regular intervals from 09:30 in the upper courtyard and last about 35 to 40 minutes. The castle is open daily from late March or April to the start of November. A visit usually takes 2.5 to 3 hours counting the walk from the car park. The courtyard is cobbled and the tour includes stairs. Parts of the castle can be under scaffolding during restoration work.

Why travel to Burg Eltz?

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Marksburg
2 Eltz Castle

🎡Places for activities

1 Eltz Castle

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Mosel

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Bring cash, because the car park and shuttle bus are cash only.
English and French tours are available on request and free flyers come in nine languages.
Photography inside the rooms isn't allowed, but you can take photos in the courtyard and the treasury.
The footpath from the car park passes the viewpoint shown on the old 500 Deutsche Mark banknote.

How to travel to Burg Eltz

Burg Eltz is easiest to reach by car, with parking near Wierschem and a walk or shuttle bus up to the castle. Enter Burg Eltz, Wierschem in a sat-nav to reach the car parks. Parking costs €4 (£3.37) for a day and the shuttle bus runs every 10 minutes for €2 (£1.68) per person and trip. On foot, you can follow the road from the car park past a viewing platform or take a footpath that passes another viewpoint. Public transport is slower. Trains stop at Hatzenport on the Moselle. From there bus 365 goes to the castle car park twice an hour every day while the castle is open. Another way is to walk from the Ringelsteiner Mühle near Moselkern, about 2.5 km each way or hike the 13 km Eltzer Burgpanorama trail, which takes about four hours. From Cologne it's about 110 km and roughly an hour and a half by car. Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) are the nearest major airports, both roughly two hours away by road.

Access summary

From Frankfurt (FRA): Train to Trier 2 h, bus 30 min.
From Paris: TGV to Strasbourg 3.5 h, local train 1 h.
From Saarbrücken: Regional train 1 h, bus 20 min.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay near Burg Eltz

The villages around Burg Eltz have small guesthouses and holiday apartments, with Wierschem and Moselkern the closest places to stay. Cochem, Treis-Karden and Koblenz are bigger bases on the Moselle and the Rhine, with many more hotels and more places to eat in the evening. Cochem is a popular choice because it has its own castle, wine-village streets and train connections along the Moselle. Rooms fill up in summer and in autumn during the wine season, so book ahead for those months. The castle is closed from November to late March, which makes a winter stay in the area better suited to the Moselle towns than to a Burg Eltz visit. Without a car, Cochem or another town on the Moselle rail line suits you best, since trains to Hatzenport connect to bus 365.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Landhaus vor Burg Eltz

9.5

Landhotel Ringelsteiner Muhle

Mühlen Hotel Konschake

Mike‘s Mosel Lodge

9.4

Explore more accommodations

Food around Burg Eltz

Food at Burg Eltz is simple. The Bailey, the castle's outer courtyard, has a self-service restaurant with snacks, drinks and cakes and views of the castle and the valley. Access to the grounds and the restaurant needs a valid entry ticket, so a coffee stop there counts as part of the paid visit.

There's usually little else to eat on the way to the castle, so the villages of Wierschem and Moselkern and the town of Cochem are the places to look for a full meal. Moselle wines, especially Riesling, are on most menus in the villages and towns nearby. Pack a drink and a snack if you plan to hike to the castle, since the trails go through forest away from the villages.

Packing recommendations for Burg Eltz

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Camera

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Comfortable walking shoes

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Sun cream

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Reusable water bottle

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Guidebook with offline map

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Travel insurance

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Travel eSIM

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Universal travel adaptor

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Credit card with no foreign transaction fees

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Costs compared to home

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-3 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 3% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend around the same on meals and getting around.

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-3 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EUR) is 3% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Safety information overview

General safety

Burg Eltz is safe to visit and the main risks are practical ones. Footpaths from the car park are steep in places and slippery after rain. Cars and shuttle buses share the access road, so keep to the side when walking.

Accessibility

The access road is paved and the shuttle bus covers the climb from the car park, but the approach and courtyard are cobbled and uneven. The guided tour includes stairs inside. Wheelchair users should ask the castellan's office before visiting.