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September 2023 – Monschau, Germany

As our last holiday of the year is just around the corner, I find myself frantically scrolling through the list ‘dreamy villages nearby’, hoping that something will draw my attention.

A couple of days and reservations later, we’re driving full force towards a place we’ve never heard of. But as we enter through the door of Manoir – 1654 – Historisch Schlafen, which is the old City Hall transformed into a modern, quirky accomodation, we already know this will be a good week.

So in case you’re wondering what on earth is this fairytale place, it’s called Monschau.

Cultural center of the region, protected by ancient walls, hiding idyllic half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets, offering countless hiking trails for every adventure lover out there, turns out that Monschau is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Eifel area!

We came with this whole picture in mind that we’ll be chilling every day. Guess how often that happens. Never. 🙂 Soo…we did rest for about half a day, then set out to discover more.

Here’s a quick guide for what to visit while in Monschau.

Check out how the town’s famous Montjoie mustard is made at the mustard mill Senfmühle Monschau. Private tours are held twice a week, tasting included! Not only mustard, but also liquors, jam, sausages, or even chocolate are available for the curious gourmands.

Take the route up to the Haller-Ruine for the best view of the town. Beware, goats like this spot too, you might have to compete with them for the territory.

Head to Burg Monschau’s courtyard, where festivals and concerts usually take place. Dating to the 13^th century, the castle witnessed several reconstructions before being open as a youth hostel today.

Rotes Haus (Red House) is probably the most stylish and interesting attraction of Monschau. The luxurious interior tells the story of the wealthy Scheibler family, but also takes you along the textile making business they built for generations.

Witness the glass making process at Glashütte Monschau. The same building hosts also a sand sculptures exhibition at Monschauer Sandskulpturen, both go well for a rainy day.

How convenient, just outside the parking lot there’s the start of the train route. Take the Stadtbahn city train back to the center, while listening to Monschau’s history for 30 minutes. At the end we were wondering why didn’t we walk instead of taking the bumpy ride.

Finally, leaving the best for the end. The Eifel National Park boasts 172 hiking trails for every difficulty level. In fact, the whole Eifel region is crossed by trails for all preferences, some of them starting or passing through Monschau itself. Just pick a direction and go.

That being said, our relaxing holiday turns out (again) not so chill anymore. Time to go back and find that rest at home. 🙂