Metternich Castle — Attraction in Cochem

OK, the castle is a big flop. It really is just a ruin, BUT if you consider the entire experience, you might really want to give it a go. Hear me out...

You park at the bottom of the mountain in the lovely, free parking areas and enter the most beautiful, little village you've ever seen. Seriously! Story book material!

Walk through the narrow cobblestone streets towards the back (east) and up the mountain. There are two ways, make your choice and take the other on the way back.

Warning! It is very, very steep, but it's worth it. Just take your time and know it really isn't very far at all. The walk will not take long. Slowly make your way up the mountain and by all means, do NOT forget to look up and around you. You're surrounded by woods and views of all kinds.

Take your time looking at the funky rock formations of the remains of what once was greatness and remind yourself, that all good things come to an end. Hehehe...I like to think how it used to be THAT long ago.

You do have to pay a small fee which I find a little discouraging because as I mentioned, it really is just a ruin. There is very little to see. However, the views are rather spectacular though typical for the region and I really like the cafe up there.

Take a break on the many benches along the way and by all means take a silly picture of the ancient pillory and be glad that's no longer a form of punishment.

The restaurant is top in our opinion. The prices are very fair, the views are FAB, it's ideal for kids of all ages and my favorite about the place is the Paulaner from the tap! OMG! I can't find that anywhere. There is indoor and outdoor seating which is ideal because the weather isn't always the best in this region. It's far from posh, but so are we. (Insert cheeky emoji of your choice.)

Now, when you're ready to descend the mountain, go out the gated exit behind the cafe and walk around towards the front on the mountain and back towards the village, as you make your way down. This way you can enjoy the lovely views on the other side of the mountain. Again, it isn't long at all. Even at a slow pace, it shouldn't take more than 30 minutes.

Don't forget to take the other road through the village. (There are only two roads.) Enjoy the few shops there including an edelstein shop and perhaps the tiniest thrift shop you've...

We came here with our three kids ages 5, 3, and 1.5 years on a Saturday afternoon around 4pm. We didn’t find any designated parking but found a small automat lot at the base of the castle right next to an awesome little playground on Im-Mulental (50.1085466, 7.2408434)(metered hourly parking that maxed out at €7 for the day with about 10 spots). From there we followed signs up to the castle. The path was stroller friendly all the way up, aside from a few steps here and there and the tower. It was about a 5-10 walk at toddler place to the ticket office. We only had to pay for ourselves as kids under 6 were free and it was €6 for both of us. It took about 45 minutes for us to explore the whole castle, though our kids would have happily played in a cute little sandpit right outside the restaurant longer if we didn’t have to get home. The castle itself is incredibly charming and well maintained, of course with a few areas that aren’t accessible to the public. The ruins are in amazing shape, if not restored, and while there’s not that many “rooms” left, the tower is probably one of my favorites so far as it has multiple levels with windows to look out of and then a beautiful open top with amazing views. The steps are decently safe for small kids under supervision, well lit with railings all the way up and not horribly steep or slippery. The restaurant had an amazing atmosphere, and had we not just eaten I would have loved to sit there overlooking the river; it seems more of a restaurant than just a cafe or bistro. It wasn’t terribly busy even for being a Saturday afternoon, we could still explore and take pictures without being crowded. Bathrooms were small but clean. Overall a beautiful castle that is great to see with kids as it isn’t too big, is mostly stroller friendly, well priced, has stunning views from multiple locations, and is gorgeous with an enchanting on...

Oh holy cow, getting to this place is AWFUL. I kept thinking about the first residents and how they had to drag water to the castle and how the middle ages must've sucked.

Have cash! After the first 10 minute climb through the city, and then the 2nd 10 minute climb to the entrance, don't find out then you don't have money! Don't worry though, it's just another 10 minutes up from there!

The tower is really the only thing left, the rest of the castle was razed by the French some time before. The tower is fully accessible, through a twisty staircase that feels like it's constantly closing in.

The top has amazing views of the entire area and is worth the climb. And there's only one thing better than that, and it's getting down to...