Hotel Lohspeicher
Why we like it: Family-run 10-room boutique hotel in a half-timbered house of 1839, on Cochem's market square, with breakfast in the garden in good weather.
Duration2 nights
From FrankfurtAbout 2 h 20 by train to Cochem
Getting aroundMoselle train, boat and on foot
Best timeLate March – October
BringMountain footwear for the Calmont
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive in Cochem on a Friday morning by train from Frankfurt, which has a direct flight from Spain, and return on Sunday afternoon, from late March to October, when Eltz Castle is open and the boats sail. No car at any point.
Friday
- 108:00Train to Cochem
You leave Frankfurt in the morning and leave your case at the Lohspeicher.
- 212:00Cake on the square
Rathaus Café Rünz, beside the Town Hall, from 10:00 to 18:00.
- 314:00Reichsburg
A 40-minute guided tour; €12 in 2027.
- 416:30Chairlift to the Pinner Kreuz
The castle head-on from the other slope. €7.90 return.
Saturday
- 110:30Boat to Beilstein
An hour through the Fankel lock. Lunch on the terrace of the Haus Lipmann and the 13:30 return boat.
- 215:30Calmont-Klettersteig
Train to Ediger-Eller and the Calmont loop, 6 km and 3 hours. If it is hot or heights are not for you, stay in Beilstein and come back later.
Sunday
- 109:30Eltz Castle on foot
Train to Moselkern and 2.5 km along the Elz valley. €14.
- 213:00Lunch at the Ringelsteiner Mühle
Regional cooking at the foot of the castle path, Wednesday to Sunday.
- 315:30Journey back
Train from Moselkern to Koblenz and Frankfurt.
In a day from Frankfurt you see the Moselle; in two nights you understand it. You sleep in Cochem, in a half-timbered house on the Market Square, and from there you do everything by train, boat and on foot: the Reichsburg and the chairlift on the first day, the boat to Beilstein and the Calmont slope on the second, and Eltz Castle, arriving through the forest, before heading back.
How do you get there from Spain?
Direct flight to Frankfurt and a train: from Frankfurt to Koblenz and there the Moselle regional train to Cochem, about two hours and twenty minutes. Cochem station is a short walk from the old town.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Lohspeicher | Cochem Market Square | Both nights, everything on foot |
| Cochem youth hostel | 500 m from the station | If you are travelling on a small budget or with children |
What if I have an extra day?
Carry on up the river to Bernkastel-Kues, with its half-timbered houses, or go down to Koblenz and add the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, an hour away by train.
With children
The boat, the lock, the chairlift and the path to Eltz work at any age. The Calmont does not: swap it for the afternoon in Beilstein or for the Reichsburg if you have not seen it.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Moselle Valley, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Moselle Valley
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Fly to Frankfurt and take a train or car to the Moselle
The Moselle valley has no airport of its own. From Spain the usual way is to fly to Frankfurt (FRA), which has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other cities, and continue by train or hire car to Koblenz and the valley. Frankfurt-Hahn and Luxembourg are also close. Cochem, the centre of the lower stretch, is on the Koblenz–Trier railway line.
- Getting thereFrankfurt (FRA), with a railway…
- Getting aroundHire car at the airport…
- Where to stayHotel Lohspeicher, on Cochem's market…
- ServicesCochem station, on the Koblenz…
Getting there
- Frankfurt (FRA), with a railway station at the airport itself
- Frankfurt-Hahn (HHN) and Luxembourg (LUX), closer to the middle Moselle
- By train: to Koblenz and there the Moselle line towards Trier, with stops at Moselkern, Cochem and Ediger-Eller
Getting around
- Hire car at the airport if you want to go to Bernkastel-Kues or to the villages without a station
- Without a car: valley train, seasonal boats from Cochem and the cycle path beside the river
- On foot to Eltz Castle from Moselkern station
Where to stay
- Hotel Lohspeicher, on Cochem's market square, for getting around on foot
- Cochem youth hostel, 500 m from the station
Services
- Cochem station, on the Koblenz – Trier line
- Personenschifffahrt Kolb boats from the Cochem landing stage
Train, boat and on foot along the Moselle
The lower stretch of the Moselle can be done without a car: the Koblenz–Trier train follows the river and stops at Moselkern, Cochem and Ediger-Eller, the boat links Cochem with Beilstein from spring to autumn and the castles and trails are reached on foot from the stations. Sleeping in Cochem, you have everything a walk away. The only thing it asks is that you check the seasonal timetables: Eltz Castle closes in winter and the boats almost stop.
80–150 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel Lohspeicher, on Cochem's market…
- Getting aroundRegional train Koblenz – Cochem…
- Where to eatRathaus Café Rünz, on Cochem's…
- ServicesCochem station
Where to stay
- Hotel Lohspeicher, on Cochem's market square
- Cochem youth hostel, five minutes from the station
Getting around
- Regional train Koblenz – Cochem – Trier
- Boat from Cochem to Beilstein, an hour, with bikes on board
- On foot: 2.5 km from the Ringelsteiner Mühle to Eltz Castle and the Calmont Klettersteig from Ediger-Eller station
Where to eat
- Rathaus Café Rünz, on Cochem's market square
- Hotel Haus Lipmann, in Beilstein, as you get off the boat
- Ringelsteiner Mühle, on the Eltz path
Services
- Cochem station
- Boat ticket booths on Cochem's river promenade
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Cochem Youth Hostel (Moseltal-Jugendherberge)
Why we like it: DJH hostel above the Moselle, opposite the Reichsburg, with 156 beds in rooms with bathroom and prices from €33.30 per person with breakfast.
From €33
View details
Mosel Camping Cochem
Why we like it: Municipal campsite beside the Moselle in Cochem, next to the sports centre, with riverside pitches from €11.50 a night plus €8.50 per adult in 2026.
From €7
View details
Where to eat
Where to eat in Moselle Valley
Rathaus Café Rünz
What to order: a slice of cake from the display with coffee, or an ice cream if it is hot; to eat, one of the small dishes.
Every day from 10:00 to 18:00 · Table booking on its website
Hotel Haus Lipmann
What to order: something from the kitchen's daily dishes with a Moselle wine on the terrace; in the afternoon, coffee and cake.
Open to everyone from 11:00 · Kitchen until 20:00 · Closes at 22:00
Landhotel Ringelsteiner Mühle
What to order: a regional dish after the castle, or cake from its bakery buffet between 14:00 and 17:00.
Wednesday to Sunday · Kitchen from 13:00 to 20:00 · Closed Monday and Tuesday
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Check the day of the week: the Ringelsteiner Mühle is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and Eltz is closed from November to 20 March.
We'd skip it
From November to March: Eltz Castle is closed, the boat to Beilstein does not sail and the chairlift stops.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a car?
No: train, boat and on foot.
When does Eltz Castle open?
From 21 March 2027 to early November.
Is the Calmont hard?
It is a narrow path with ladders and cables; you need a steady foot and no fear of heights.
How long does it take from Frankfurt?
About two hours and twenty minutes by train to Cochem.