Traveling in Germany

Monchau sounds like “mon cheri” to me and is a town you can easily fall in love with.

​Our walk started from the parking lot in front of the beautiful Erlebnis natural history museum Museum, from there we saw and immediately headed to the impressive castle erected on a nearby hill. We walked along the banks of the Ruhr River. We literally gasped when we reached the first houses in the town of Monschau . They were in a typical German style, wooden, colorful, as if they came out of a fairy tale. The tale continued and deepened the further we entered the city. We came across a German group whose tour guide was dressed in medieval costume which perfectly complemented the scenery and enhanced the effect of his interesting stories that kept the whole group laughing.

The aroma of freshly baked waffles separated us from the group. Located 2 km from the Belgian border, Monchau had managed to absorb and even perfect the recipes of its neighbors and offered some of the tastiest waffles in the world. The pretty cafes on the banks of the river, on the other hand, offered tranquility preserved over the centuries. However, we could not sit still, attracted by the castle jutting out onto the hill. We past the stone church and continued along the cobbled, slightly steep winding street. It was not the climb, but the wonderful panorama that took our breath away.

We slowly reached the 13th century castle, passing through a well-preserved stone tower. Although the rest of it was more in ruins, the charm of the castle was preserved and hovered everywhere. In its western wing, since the First World War, there was a separate hostel, which has been operating to this day. In the summer, various concerts were held on its open terraces. However, we enjoyed the surviving tranquility and inspiring panorama.

The walk around the picturesque Monschau managed to completely tear us away from the chaotic everyday life. Miraculously, the city survived the Second World War and today claims to be one of the most picturesque German cities, retaining its medieval charm intertwined with modern comfort. Just 2 km from the border with Belgium, Monchau is a real fairy tale without ending.

General information about Monschau:

Location: Monschau is located in the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, on the northern Eifel hills and on the banks of the Ruhr River.
Origin of the name: The French name of the town is Montjoie , meaning “mountain joy”.
Area: 94.62 sq. km
Population: 13,000 people (2014 data)
Official language: German
Altitude: 458 m
Climate: moderate continental climate with frequent rainfall.
Time zone: UTC+1
Currency : Euro (EUR)
More information: www.monschau.de

Trip Tips for Monschau:

How to get here: The nearest airport is the one in Aachen ( https://www.maa.nl/en/ ), the nearest train station is also in Aachen. From there you can take a bus or a taxi, the distance is around 25 km.

Best time to visit: All year round, with music festivals in the castle ruins in the summer and a glittering Christmas market at Christmas.

Typical food and drink: Like every German city, Monschau offers excellent beer and mouth-watering sausages served with potatoes or salad. We especially recommend the Bockwurst with hausgemachtem Kartoffelsalat (sausages with home-made potato salad), and for dessert,  waffles, which in German sound like Waffeln, served with Eis und Sahne (ice cream and cream) or the local specialty mit Kirschen un Sahne (with cherries and cream).

Places to visit: The whole town with its narrow cobbled streets and wooden painted houses is like an open-air museum. A stone castle rises above the entire city, the ruins of which reveal the city’s former grandeur.