Rhineland-Palatinate is wine and castle country in western Germany, cut through by the Rhine and the Moselle, which meet at Koblenz. Its best-known stretch is the Middle Rhine Valley, with the Lorelei, the Marksburg and a string of small wine towns; near the Moselle stands Burg Eltz.
This hub links the Middle Rhine Valley, which has its own page, and adds Burg Eltz.
Tour Burg Eltz, a family seat lived in for almost 900 years
Burg Eltz, near the Moselle
Half a dayNo booking needed
A fairy-tale castle in a wooded valley, home of the Eltz family for almost 900 years, with guided tours and a treasury.
What it is
Burg Eltz calls itself a fairy tale in stone with 900 years of living history: the ancestral seat of the Eltz family has been lived in for almost 900 years. Family members included Jakob III zu Eltz, Elector of Trier, and Philipp Karl zu Eltz, Elector of Mainz and Arch-Chancellor of the Empire. Portraits from six centuries hang inside, and the visit includes a treasury.
How to do it
The 2026 season runs from 29 March to 1 November, daily from 9:30 to 17:00. Entry to the grounds and the restaurants needs a ticket; adults pay €14 for the tour and the treasury, and students €7. Tours in English run on demand, and international visitors can ask for a free printed guide in several languages, Spanish included.
Good to know
The season closes on 1 November 2026, so plan for spring if you miss it.
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Plan your trip
Which places for what
The Middle Rhine Valley for castles, the Lorelei, wine towns and trails. Koblenz for the cable car to Ehrenbreitstein and the meeting of the rivers. Burg Eltz for a castle lived in by one family for almost 900 years.
Combining them
In must30's view, base yourself in Koblenz or a Middle Rhine town for three nights and give Burg Eltz half a day.
When to go
April to October is the season: Burg Eltz opens from 29 March to 1 November 2026 and the Boppard chairlift until the end of October. In winter the castles that stay open keep shorter hours.
Questions travellers ask
Is Burg Eltz open in winter?
No. The 2026 season runs from 29 March to 1 November, daily from 9:30 to 17:00.
Where do the Rhine and the Moselle meet?
At Koblenz, at the Deutsches Eck, which you can look down on from Ehrenbreitstein Fortress across the Rhine.
Is Burg Eltz on the Rhine?
No, it stands near the Moselle. In must30's view, it combines well with a stay in Koblenz.
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