The pretty little town of Monschau

Monschau is a very pretty town. Traditional half-timbered houses, winding cobbled lanes, blooming flower pots, and picturesque bridges make it postcard pretty and the placid river Rur cuts through it. All around the lush Eifel National Park dons a deep green mantel and the sky above it is usually cornflower blue. Known for its famous Christmas Market, offbeat museums, and incredible collection of historical buildings, Monschau is one of Germany’s most storybook-pretty towns and one of its best-kept secrets. Tucked away among the rolling hills of north Eifel, Monschau sits near the German-Belgian border and is just a 30-minute drive from the historic city of Aachen. Being relatively unchanged for the last 300 years, Monschau offers a very pleasant ‘stepping back into time’ kind of day trip option from Cologne, Aachen, and Brussels. Reaching Monschau is no easy feat as the little town has no train connectivity and the best way to land up there is in your car or motorcycle.

Monschau is a postcard-pretty German town

That is exactly what we did on one lovely September day and it was a great way to spend an idyllic family weekend. Early fall tinged Eifel National Park with bright yellows and the sun was warm and toasty. Clear skies accompanied us the whole day and late-blooming wildflowers popped bright spots of colours. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors and Monschau never seemed prettier. Being a weekend, the little Eifel town was a bit crowded and the happy locals celebrated the end of summer with traditional attire, beer, and marching band. Despite the crowd, the picturesque city center was a feast for the eyes and the half-timbered houses were a jumble of colours. Monschau looked breathtaking in the golden afternoon light and we walked around the narrow alleys of the historic town till dusk had fallen. Centered around the picturesque Evangelical Stadtkirche, Monschau was all about a little church, funny twisted half-timber heritage houses, a mustard museum, a castle, a flower-covered footbridge, and the grand Rotes Haus or the red house.

Monschau

A former seat of an old noble family

Former home of the Scheibler, an entrepreneurial noble family, a pretty shade of red rendered the name of their home office and they were once famous cloth merchants of Europe. Fabric produced by them were renowned throughout the continent and their potential clients have always been presented with books filled with small clippings of their cloth. The Red House was recently turned into a small private museum and it was just another interesting thing to do in Monschau. The historic Mustard Mill was the other attraction along with the small castle which perched upon a hill overlooking the town. Both provided great views of the snug little town and it was no wonder that Monschau was named “The Pearl of the Eifel”. We gave most of Monschau’s listed attractions amiss and simply strolled along the Rur River. It was the most scenic part of the town and rows of half-timber houses added to its charm. The still mirror-like river reflected them on its glassy surface and the small water mill tumbled merrily. With so much quaint charm and loveliness around, we did not notice time slipping by and it was soon time to go home. Violet twilight, chirping of homecoming birds and tolling of church bells had heralded evening and we had left Monschau with memories to last a lifetime.

Monschau with a view of the Red House

Monschau Travel Guide

Monschau is a popular holiday and excursion destination in the Eifel area. A visit to Monschau is worth the time and it is great for winter sports like skiing, bobsleigh, etc.

When to go

The peak season for tourism is from late summer to early fall and on the last weekend in October, Monschau holds a big Halloween celebration. Christmas markets are held the four weekends leading up to Dec. 25 and the Eifel National Park is open year-round.

How to reach

The nearest train station is “Aachen-Rothe Erde” and regional trains from Cologne and other cities stop here. From the train station bus no. 66, heading to “Parkhaus/Schmiede, Monschau” takes you near Monschau and the stop is at the “Flora Monschau”. From here the historic town center is a mere 300 meters walk. For self-driven travelers, take the highway “A1” and exit at “Wißkirchen” (exit no. 111), from where you just have to follow the signposts. Parking at Monschau can be tricky and the paid garage at Rathausplatz is the best option.

Things to see and do in Monschau

There are many attractions in and around Monschau and the museums of mustard, photography and film, printing, glasswork, local history and culture, and beer are the most popular. Additionally, there is also a historic sawmill, the Monschau Castle, and the Red House. The Red House is open to the public and has an entrance fee of 3€ per adult. The late 18th-century mansion has many interesting things to look at, out of which the massive wooden staircase is the most stunning. Winding up to the 8th floor, the staircase is embellished with original wooden carvings that depict the exact steps taken to process fine cloth. These guidelines were given to the artisans by the owner of the factory and the house, Karl Wilhelm Schiebler. Monschau is famous for its mustard production and the Mustard Museum offers 18 different varieties of the locally made delicacy. Other local specialties include the Dütchen, a type of biscuit filled with cream and fruit, Vennbrocken, a chocolate marzipan, and Printen, a honey cookie.

Autumn calls for being outdoor
And that is why
We headed for
The historic town
Of Monschau
For a family weekend getaway
A gorgeous old town
Filled with heritage houses
Cobbled narrow alleys
And quintessential flower pots
Monschau was very charming
Famous for winter sports and
Christmas markets,
Time had seemed to
Stop still at Monschau
And we spent hours amidst
The curious residents
Local celebrations and
And historic charm.

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