The Moselle and the Rhine meet in the historic city of Koblenz. For wine lovers, this is an unbeatable combination. But that’s not the only reason why a city trip is worthwhile. Koblenz is the perfect size for a short weekend trip, but is also worth a visit for a day trip. In this article, I’ll give you the best Koblenz tips and show you the Koblenz sights you absolutely must see for your perfect city trip.
The great thing about a city trip to Koblenz is that most of the sights are very close to each other. Once you have seen one highlight, you can walk straight to the next in just a few minutes.
The name Koblenz comes from the Latin word “Confluentes”, which means “flowing together” and certainly has something to do with the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine rivers.
Koblenz is not only cool for a city trip, but also a great starting point for a road trip along the Moselle. Find out what you can see and experience in the following article:
1. Enjoy the view from Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
When you are in Koblenz, it is virtually impossible not to discover Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. The fortress, which has existed since the 16th century, is enthroned on a rocky outcrop on the Rhine above the city.
But a visit to the fortress is also worthwhile. Not only do you have the best view over the rooftops of Koblenz, but you can also learn a lot about the history of the city, the fortress and the entire region in several exhibitions.
2. Take the cable car across the Rhine
The best way to reach Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is to take the cable car on Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer. The ride in one of the gondolas across the Rhine alone is an exciting Koblenz attraction and a little adventure.
There are often long queues at the cable car ticket office. To avoid this, you can simply book your ticket online here and then use your QR code to walk past the waiting tourists, who probably don’t know that you can buy tickets online.
A return trip with admission to the fortress costs €19.
3. Visit the Deutsches Eck
Probably the most famous sight and also the landmark of Koblenz is the “Deutsches Eck”, which means translated something like “The German Corner”.
This is a heaped-up area directly at the mouth of the Moselle and the Rhine. From here you can even see the border of the two rivers by the different colors.
A statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, erected in 1897, towers above the square, which you can also walk into.
4. Linger in the flower courtyard of St. Castor’s Basilica
A little hidden behind a hedge, but right next to the cable car, is the entrance to the flower courtyard of the Basilica of St. Castor, the oldest church in the city. In the Middle Ages, it was the cultural and religious center of Koblenz. Today, it is a great place to relax away from the hustle and bustle, for example on one of the park benches.
5. Eat regional dishes in the Winninger Weinstuben
Koblenz is located in the Middle Rhine and Moselle valleys, which means a lot of hearty and hearty food. This includes tarte flambée (aka Flammkuchen), of course, but also Koblenzer Saumagen, Koblenzer Teller and stuffed potato dumplings. All this and regional wine can be found in the Winninger Weinstube, which is located right next to the Deutsches Eck.
6. Dodge the water at the Schängelbrunnen fountain
How about a special refreshment on a warm summer’s day in Koblenz? Then the best place is the Schängelbrunnen fountain, where the Schängel regularly spits cool water onto the paved square, far beyond the edge of the fountain.
The term Schängel comes from the time when Koblenz belonged to France. It is derived from the French name Jean and was once a swear word, synonymous with a rascal. And as befits a rascal, he doesn’t stick to the rules but oversteps the boundaries. In this case, that of the fountain.
7. Enjoy the best ice cream in town at the eGeLoSla ice cream parlor
This ice cream parlor is extremely popular with locals and tourists alike. Whenever I visited Koblenz, there was always a long queue here. Everyone just wants to try the delicious ice cream, which is created fresh here every day without any added preservatives or colorings.
8. Have a coffee at Café Stadtflair
There are many cafés in Koblenz. One that is somewhat hidden in a side street and therefore does not attract so many other tourists is Café Stadtflair. What makes it special: There are also many vegetarian and vegan variations of the dishes here.
9. Relax on the Statt Strand beach
“Statt Strand am Stadtrand” is the motto of this beach bar, which is filled with quartz sand and palm trees. Grab one of the sun loungers and enjoy the view of the Moselle reservoir with one of 50 different cocktails under the straw umbrella while the sun beats down on your stomach – almost like being on vacation in Mallorca.
10. Visit a winery
A lot of wine is grown on the Moselle and Rhine. So why not visit a winery in the area and taste the region’s wine? You can do this on one of the wine experiences at Weingut Schwaab, e.g. the Marienberg tour, where you walk up the vineyard and then taste several types of wine.
The tour is in German, but you can ask questions throughout the tour. And lets be honest: The most important part of such a tour is the winetasting, for which there is no language barrier.
11. Drink wine in the wine village (Weindorf Koblenz)
The walls of the wine village (aka “Weindorf“) consist of four half-timbered houses, which were built in 1925 for the German Wine Exhibition. Today the complex is a restaurant and event location. Of course, there is also plenty of wine.
12. Stroll through the park of the Electoral Palace
The palace in the heart of Koblenz was built in the 18th century in the French Classicist style. It was the residence of the last Archbishop and Elector of Trier, Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony.
Around the castle was once the Federal Garden Show grounds, which are still quite beautiful to look at.
13. Wander through the old town
Where today tourists whizz through the shopping arcades and feast on all kinds of delicacies in countless cafés, restaurants and ice cream parlors, the city of Koblenz was once founded as a Roman settlement in the 9th century BC. Although many buildings fell victim to bombing during the Second World War, everything was subsequently rebuilt on its historic structure.
It’s worth simply strolling through here without a destination and discovering a few of the special details, such as the “Four Towers” monument zone, whose name is derived from the oriels of the four buildings standing at a crossroads.
14. Take a walk to Stolzenfels Castle
A little further south in Koblenz in the district of Stolzenfels stands this magnificent castle, which shimmers white even from a distance. It is considered the most important building of Prussian Rhine Romanticism.
On the way to the castle, you will stroll through a landscaped park designed by master gardener Peter Joseph Lenné. You can visit the palace for just €5. You will find many great courtyards here, such as the “Pergola Garden”. From the “Rheinterrasse” you have a wonderful view over the landscape as far as Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.
15. Take a boat trip on the Rhine and Moselle
A great experience in Koblenz is a boat trip along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. This takes around 2 hours, takes you past numerous castles and is very popular with visitors to Koblenz.
There are also shorter trips like this one: Sightseeing Shippingtour around Koblenz (1 hour). A pretty cool experience is also the Sundowner Shipping tour with the comfortable and exclusive ship La Paloma where you can embark on an evening cruise into the sunset.
Accommodation in Koblenz
Although Koblenz is also great for just a day trip, if you don’t want to do everything in one day, then a weekend with an overnight stay is worthwhile. Fortunately, there are all kinds of hotels in Koblenz in various price categories.
Try the Hotel Fährhaus, for example. It may not be located directly in the old town, but it is super idyllic right on the Moselle. The view from the terrace is particularly wonderful.
Which Koblenz attraction should not be missing from this list? Write it in the comments!
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