Cochem is a beautiful little town along the Moselle river located in West Germany. It’s a popular town with half timbered houses to visit year round because of its famous castle located on the top of the hill, its Christmas markets, and just the quiet little village. It’s also located near one of the most famous castles in Germany as well called Eltz castle. When visiting Cochem, there are a few things to do in Cochem that are worth the trip there. It is one of Germany’s picturesque towns and makes for the perfect day trip from Frankfurt.
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16+ Wonderful Things to do in Cochem, Germany – Cochem attractions
Germany is well known for their magical castles, beautiful countrysides, and hiking trails. Let’s go head and dive into some of the best things to do in Cochem, Germany.
Reichsburg Cochem Castle
One of my favorite things to do in Cochem is visting Reichsburg Cochem castle. It’s one of the most beautiful castles I’ve visited in Cochem, Germany. Reichsburg Cochem is an 11th-century castle overlooking the town from above. It is one of the highest hilltop castles in the Moselle. You can see it once you walk into town from below and it reminds you of a fairy tale. It’s not as big and extravagant as many of the others, but it has a wonderful view. They only allow you to enter with a castle tour – they have a lot of multi-language tours available.
From Reichsburg castle, you can see the Moselle river. On Fridays and Saturdays, you can experience a rustic knight’s meal in the Reichsburg castle cellar. Not only is Reichsburg Cochem castle beautiful to tour, but from Reichsburg castle grounds is where you can see the best view in town.
The interior of the castle you’ll find stained glass windows, beautifully handcrafted furniture, medieval armor, and more.
Cochemer Sesselbahn – Take the Cable Car in Cochem
One of the most popular things to do in Cochem is to ride the cable car. You can ride the cable car to the top of Cochem to get a beautiful view of the entire city. The lift is open from the spring to fall from the last weekend in March until the 12th of November. and closed during the winter months. It also varies depending on weather conditions. It goes about .8 meters a second.
It is about 7.90 euros round trip for adults and around 3.90 euros round trip of children to go. At the top, you’ll see the Terrace Cafe where you can enjoy a nice lunch with a beautiful view. When I visited Cochem, unfortunately it was closed.
Burgruine Winneburg
Around four kilometers from the city center of Cochem, the ruins of Winneburg castle rise up on a hill above the Endertbach valley. The history of this castle is quite interesting as the building took quite some time and was threatened to change the head of construction. The person in charge was tempted to kill himself in the Mosel river but was then reached out by the devil to sacrifice his daughter to the devil so he would be able to build the castle. Supposedly the devil came and kept his promise.
Take a Hike on the Moselsteig
If you love hiking, the Mosel area is one of the best places to hike. They have a ton of small towns along the river filled with castles, restaurants, and stores. You can get some amazing views and run into some stunning castles, ruins, and more. It’s one of the most scenic hiking trails in Germany.
You can see a lot of picturesque views that unfold its charm through century-old towns, buildings, vineyards, and more. During some of the summer months, these trails also hold a wine hike where you can try wine while you hike. It is one of the longest hikes in Germany. If you want to enjoy the outdoors, add this to your list of things to do in Cochem.
Bundesbank Bunker in Cochem
This is a secret bunker and one of Germany’s best-kept secrets on things to do in Cochem. It was meant to survive a nuclear war, like many spots within Germany. The place is open from April until October daily and during the winter months only on the weekends.
Prices range from 7 euros per child and 13 euros per adult. Many of the townspeople did not know what the purpose of this bunker was, yet it was in their town! They held the Deutsche Mark – Germany’s former currency to be kept safe from theft, natural disasters, and wars.
Eat Ice Cream at Gelateria Fratelli Bortolot
If you are traveling within the summer months, it’s no question that you shouldn’t take the time to eat Gelato. Don’t forget to try some of Germany’s famous ice cream staples, Spaghetti ice cream. Many gelateria and ice cream places within Germany don’t start opening up until it starts to get warm outside. So don’t be surprised if you notice that this place is closed during the winter months. During the summer months, eating spaghetti ice cream is one of the things to do in Cochem and all over Germany.
Altstadt – A Must for Every German Town
The heart and soul of any town within Germany. Altstadt from German directly translates to old town and refers to the historical part of the town or city center. The Altstadt is a must to visit. It’s where many of the gatherings, festivals, and more happen within the city.
You’ll more than likely find the main part of a Christmas market, a wine festival, or even a beer festival that is often held on the weekends. Be sure to check out Cochem’s tourist calendar for any future and upcoming events. You must do this as part of your things to do in Cochem.
Martinstor – Martin’s Gate
This gate also known as Martin’s gate was used to stop people from preventing to pay customs duties. This is one of the medieval gates that were built in 1352.
Mosel Valley Wine Tasting
The most popular of things to do in Cochem or the surrounding area in the Mosel valley is to do a local wine tasting. Mosel valley wine is quite known for their locally produced wine. The Moselle valley and the Rhine are filled with towns making their own wine. The most popular wine for these regions is typically a riesling, however, they do have a lot of other wine options. One of the best places to have wine in Cochem is the Weinhaus Hieronimi. Much of the Mosel valley wine production is not done by machine, but by hand. They pride themselves on quality.
During the summer months, you can visit Cochem during Mosel wine week to be able to try wine tastings by many local winemakers in the Mosel river valley.
Enderttor
This is one of the popular city gates within Cochem. It dates back to medieval times and was built in 1332 by Elector Baldwin who was also an archbishop. This shielded the city from attacks and also served as Cochem’s city prison at one time. Cochem was known to keep its city gates firmly closed. If someone attached, wine barrels were rolled and thrown down at them to hurt incoming soldiers.
Moselland Museum
At this museum, you can find a large collection of winemaking tools, tractors, bottles, and more. Many people and families collected these tractors and tools together with stories from their youth. They are home to the Moselle valley and a way to remember the past. They were valuable to the people of these areas and away to remember an era that is no longer here.
Moselpromenade
This beautiful street along the mosel promenade or mosel river and one of the main streets in Cochem. It’s a great place to shop and grab something to eat at the many restaurants, quaint cafes, and wine shops. Grab a gluwein or coffee and just enjoy the beautiful river with floral designs as you walk along the mosel promenade. Take the time to people-watch as you enjoy and sip on your wine in one of the most popular wine towns in Germany. This can be one of the most relaxing and free things to do in Cochem.
Mustard Museum
Now, if you aren’t a fan of mustard, this place is still something to check out. They sell mustard dating back from recipes that were created back in the early 18th century. They have received many awards and these mustards can stay on the shelf once opened for as long as a year. If you don’t already know, Germany is quite famous for their bratwurst and what goes best with bratwurst? Mustard of course! This is a must of things to do in Cochem, Germany.
River Cruise on the Moselle River
Taking a river cruise is a popular thing to do on the Moselle river and one of the most popular things to do in Cochem. It’s something that has been highlighted for many years. It’s one of the best ways to tour the towns along the Moselle. The Moselle flows from France, Luxembourg, and through Germany. You can experience a panorama river cruise in Cochen during the spring to fall months. The river cruise lasts about an hour and cost around 12 euros.
Take the Wine Express Train
This typically one of the best things to do in Cochem and is only available during the summer months when wine country is bustling in Germany. The town of Cochem can be pretty quiet during the winter months with the exception of the Christmas market season. Tickets to take this wine train are around 6 euros per person. Travel on this 25-minute train ride within Cochem style on this train that takes you around the area and up to the castle.
Take a Day Trip to Eltz Castle
Eltz Castle is one of the most famous castles in Germany. It’s located in Wierdschem, Germany in a forested region. You will have to do a short fairly flat 25-minute hike from the parking lot to the castle. Parking costs about 5 euros in cash only. It’s very well known for being hidden and along one of the most important trade routes in Germany. It’s a medieval castle that survived for centuries along the Moselle river.
This castle belongs to the same family named Eltz since 1157. This castle has not been torn down or burned down and remains to be in excellent shape. At different points in its life, it belonged to different parts when the countries were dividing their lines.
Explore the old town of Cochem
Very cute and typical German fairytale village. Cochem has a cuteness overload with its towering buildings and its small boutique shops. The small markets are the heart of the Old Town, featuring carillons every day, fountains, and several seating spots to admire the town or gaze over the tourists. Find a lovely regional souvenir in a shop or supermarket. From traditional fabrics to grape products such as alcohols or wine but mainly spirits and vinegar.
Explore Nearby Mosel Cities and Attractions
Usually, people have traveled through Cochem to another place in the Valley Mosel. This city is perfect for the exploration of every part of Mosel. An easy-access town near the banks makes it easy to travel to other towns for half-day tours. Discover cities like Bremm, Bernkastel-Kues, Traben-Trarbach, and many more. It is also good to explore some downstream towns like Koblenz. It is where Mosel River and Rhein meet at Duetches Eck. The region is the most important German region. The nearest airport to Koblenz is by bus or train or by train.
How to get to Cochem, Germany
There are a lot of ways to get to Cochem, but the best would be to drive there. There are options however to take the train to Cochem, but it can take some time depending on where you are heading from.
How to get around Cochem, Germany
Once you arrive in Cochem, you can easily get around by walking. It’s a fairly walkable town and it’s definitely worth seeing on foot. There is no reason to take public transportation or drive around as it’s fairly small and parking can be quite limited in some areas.
Where to stay in Cochem, Germany
There are a lot of beautiful places to stay in Cochem. You may want to spend more than one day in Cochem if you want to get a more relaxed and authentic feel of the town and explore all the things to do in Cochem. These are some of the best reviewed hotels in Cochem, Germany.
- Altes Winzerhaus– This is a beautiful traditional hotel located along the moselle river. The beds and rooms are beautifully updated and modern. This is a great location to stay in Cochem.
- Moselland Hotel im Enderttal Zum Onkel Willi – This hotel not only has a beautiful hotel, but a beautiful restaurant and free parking as well.
- Stumbergers Hotel– A gorgeous hotel, cafe and restaurant that is worth staying at. This hotel is located in the center of town.
- Hotel Zehnthof– This hotel has a balcony with the view of Cochem castle in the distance. It’s exterior is very traditional Germany style with half timbered houses and also has a restaurant as well.
What to eat in Cochem | Where to eat in Cochem
Although Cochem isn’t really known for their food, they are mostly known for their wine. Afterall, it is wine country out there. They do have traditional Germany food like bratwurst, potato dumplings, pretzels, schnitzel, doner kebab, and more.
- Local Wines
- Beer
- Mustard
- Spatzle
- Spaghetti Ice Cream
Where to park in Cochem
If you are looking to drive or take a road trip to Cochem, Germany, then you’ll probably want to know some of the best places to park in town and find a car park. The town has plenty of parking but can get busy during the summer months.
Currency in Cochem
The currency in Cochem is Euros.
Language in Cochem
The language in Cochem is German or Deutsch.
FAQs about Things to do in Cochem, Germany
What is Cochem Germany known for?
Cochem is most famous for their wine and being along the Mosel river. It’s also well known for their castle as well.
How long to spend in Cochem?
Cochem is very doable in a day or day and a half. It’s a very walkable town and quite easy to do for a day trip. If you like to travel slow, then 2 days would be perfectly fine.
Can you go inside Cochem Castle?
Of course! There are tours you can take that will show you the interior and grounds for the castle. It’s a must to add to your list of things to do in Cochem.
Is Cochem Castle worth a visit? Is Cochem worth visiting?
Most definitely! It’s a great small town. However, if you happen to limited on time and just visiting for a short vacation, there may be better locations to visit depending on what you like to do. Heidelberg is another option that I would highly recommend along with Bernkastel Kues.
Does Cochem have a Christmas market?
Yes! Most German towns do. It’s quite common for Germans to attend their town’s local Christmas market each year to collect their town’s cups and to also spend time with family, friends, and neighbors.
Who lived in Cochem Castle?
In 1151, it was occupied by King Konrad III, who declared it an Imperial castle. It was then taken over by the Frenh King Louis XIV and was destroyed in 1689. In the mid 1800s, it was acquired by Louis Federic Jacqes Ravene where it was reconstructed. Now it is owned by the town of Cochem sinced 1978.
How do I get to Cochem Castle?
Cochem castle is the most popular of things to do in Cochem. Once you get to Cochem, you should be able to see the castle out into the distance. You are unable to get to the castle by vehicle due to traffic and narrow roads.
It’s about a 15-20 minute walk. It’s quite easy to get to on foot and you should be able to find the walking path as soon as you enter into the city square. You can also take the shuttle as well if you don’t want to walk, but it’s quite an easy walk up to the top. The bus however, does not typically run during the winter months.
You can find Cochem Castle on your map by clicking here.
Map of Things to do in Cochem
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