Monschau has to be the cutest German village I ever visited, with its castle ruins, half-timbered houses and winding cobblestoned streets. It is located in the middle of 350 (!!) kilometers of hiking trails, in the valley of the Rur River. The little town was founded in the late 12th century when the castle was built overlooking the Rur from the hill. The town has a rich history and it mainly thrived on artisan made woolen fabric up until the Industrial Revolution in the middle of the 19th century.
The best way to discover Monschau and to learn about its history is to take the little bus ride that goes around town and which looks just like a steam train (which was a big hit for our 2 and half year old son). The ‘’train’’ ride around town is about 30 minutes and provides you with an overview of the town’s timeline in various languages (German, English and French if my memory serves me right).
After that short history lesson, we walked around, exploring all the little streets and alleys that was a perfect stroll for our son. We stopped for a quick lunch (and ice cream treat for our little one) and we had a hard time deciding to which restaurant to go, as they all have a little something unique that attracts customers J.
Monschau is also well-reknown for its mustards. While visiting, stop and taste various combinations of ingredients with mustards and then choose your favourite(s). The mustard comes in old fashioned ceramic jars with a cloth top, and they are not only delicious, but they make the perfect gift. There’s also a mustard mill open for visit.
Monschau has also a very lovely Christmas store with Christmas decorations on all of the 3 floors of that building and this store is only open from March to December. To me, Monschau represents the ultimate Christmas Spirit and I have heard about its very popular Christmas market and it is now on my bucket list for another visit this December. J Who knows, there might even be some snow to add to the magical atmosphere!
This quaint little town is the idyllic location to visit in any season, easily accessible from Belgium, Germany, France or the Netherlands and you can certainly extend your visit by hiking one of the numerous trails in the Eifel and gorge yourself in the beauty of the natural landscape of that area.
Here are the details of the Monschau Town Trail: https://www.monschau.de/en/experience/place%20of%20interest/Monschau-Town-Trail-6J/
To learn more about Monschau’s Christmas Market: https://www.monschau.de/en/experience/christmas-market/