Monschau Old Town
Monschau
A fairy-tale town in the Eifel valleys, with black-and-white half-timbered houses and slate roofs lining the Rur River, often named one of Germany's most beautiful towns
Monschau lies in the Northern Eifel hills near the Belgian border. The Rur River winds through a narrow valley right through the town. Both banks are lined with half-timbered houses and slate roofs dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, when the wool-cloth trade flourished, and the old town has remained almost entirely intact. Must-sees include the Rotes Haus (Red House), a wool merchant's mansion where you can visit the Baroque interiors; Monschau Castle on the hillside, now a youth hostel, whose exterior offers a high vantage point over the town; and the mustard mill (Senfmühle) by the river, where you can buy Monschau mustard and locally roasted coffee at old shops. The old town takes 1–2 hours to explore on foot. Then follow the hillside trail to the Haller viewpoint for a panoramic photo. From Cologne it's about 1 hour 15 minutes by car. By public transport, take a train to Aachen, then transfer to bus SB66 or similar, about an hour in total, so it pairs well with Aachen as a day trip. Weekends and the Christmas market draw large crowds, and parking is outside town.
Opening hours
Open all day (Red House Museum about Apr–Nov, Tue–Sun)
Nearby sights
- Aachen Cathedral
- Phantasialand
- Augustusburg Palace, Brühl
- Ehrenfeld
- Belgian Quarter
- Hahnentorburg
- Basilica of St. Gereon
- Romano-Germanic Museum