A quick guide to Monschau, Germany »

Monschau is a small and idyllic town, located in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia and nearby the Belgian border. The town is one of the must visits when traveling to the Eifel, as it offers narrow alleys, beautiful half-timbered houses and is surrounded by green hills. At the end of September this year, I enjoyed a day in the picturesque town of Monschau.

How to reach Monschau

The easiest way to visit Monschau is by (rental)car. We visited the town during Corona time and not during the high season, so it wasn’t very crowded during our visit. However, I’ve heard that Monschau can be quite touristy so that’s also why there are more than enough parking places around the center. When you drive towards Monschau you can already see the parking signs way before entering the center. We parked our car at the parking place of Burgau where you pay € 2,- per hour, but a maximum of € 7,- per day.

Depending on where you come from, you can also visit the town by bus. If you’re planning on visiting the region and you’re still looking for a flight, it would be best to fly to Köln-Bonn Airport. From here, you can rent a car or take the bus towards Monschau. From the airport it’s a driving distance of 1 hour and 20 minutes towards Monschau.

Old Town – half-timbered houses

The most characteristic thing about Monschau probably are the idyllic and historical half-timbered houses, located in the old town. Old town is a sight itself, with the beautiful buildings, cute bridges over the Rur, cosy terraces and small streets. Wander around and explore more of the beautiful old town.

The half-timbered houses are part of the history of Monschau. in the 14th Century, Monschau became a city and the textile industry dominated the city. Monschau was thé textile city and had clients all over the world.

The castle of Monschau

Although you cannot visit the castle of Monschau from the inside as it is, nowadays, a youth hostel, but it’s still worth it to visit the castle from the outside and to wander around the courtyard. Here you can enjoy some beautiful views over the center of Monschau.

The castle of Monschau was built in the 13th Century. Afterwards, the town of Monschau arose.

Go for a hike for views over the town

Not only at the castle of Monschau you can enjoy some magnificent views over the center. All around the town you can hike upwards where you’ll have nice views. We had a beautiful view over the castle of Monschau as well (take a look at the first photo in this article). For these hikes around the center, you don’t need to have a perfect condition. Depending on how long you would like to walk, you can go upwards and have a beautiful view in, around, 15 minutes walking.

Museums to visit

If you’re a fan of museums, you’re at the right place in Monschau. The town has several museums:

Glass works: one of the most visited museums of Monschau. During the day, you can find here several demonstrations which shows you how glass is blown in a traditional way. Furthermore, you can find beautiful glassware in the museum and you can buy glassware in the additional shop. More information about a visit to the museum can be found on the official website.
Historic Mustard Mill: this historical mustard mill still manufactures musterd nowadays. You can visit the mill and see how everything goes during the making of musterd. Besides, you can buy the delicious musterd as well. More information? Take a look on the official website.
Photograpica & film museum: this is a museum where you can learn more about the development of photography and film.

Do you have any other tips for a visit to the beautiful town of Monschau? Let us know in the comment section below!

During my trip through the Eifel region in Germany, I’ve visited several places and hiked a lot. Stay tuned and read more about my adventures later on the blog!

Author: Tamara

This article is part of the GPSmyCity iOS app. You can download it, read this article offline and obtain travel directions (by foot, car or bicycle) to the places mentioned in this article. Click here to download it.