Carat Hotel Resort Spa Eifel

Walkingtour through town and up ...

by Pavlik_NL

Discovering Monschau can only be done by walking, walking and ... if you're up to it ... climbing a little. There are various overlookpoints around the town and at least one should be on your list. Focus for example on the ruine of the watchtower opposit the castle's mainhill. Here one only has to climb a little to have a great scenic view on Monschau.

National Eifel Park - Nature - let it be !!

by Luchonda

Majestic beech forests, gnarled oaks and wild brooks - these are the hallmarks of the Eifel National Park
On the theme of „Nature – Letting it Be“, it has been decided that nature shall not be put to any economic uses whatsoever within the park. Where woodcutting was once common, wild and original forests are now allowed to spring up again
In this landscape of forest and water, the visitor can experience breathtaking views of the Urftsee and Rursee lakes.
Nature lovers and explorers will find many ways of enjoying this panorama of forest, water and wilderness. You may follow the call of the black woodpecker at your own pace or rely on a competent guide.

Christmas shopping

by Luchonda

The Monschau Christmas Market is small but beautiful, and might be the most beautiful Christmas Market in western Germany.
Through out the weekend there are free and exciting programmes including live brass band concerts, a living manger at 3pm and 5pm and Santa Claus who will be visiting Monschau's Christmas market in the afternoons and evenings.
The Monschau Christmas Market extends from Richters Eck through Rurtrasse along the town's church and monastery to the middle of it all on the market square where there is a large and beautifully decorated Christmas tree.
The nearest other Christmas market you will find in Aachen and in Cologne
Pay attention : Most Christmas Markets start in the last week of November and run through to Christmas Eve or a day or two before. They are usually open every day from 10am to about 8 or 9 pm.

Die Perle der Eiffel

by Mikivoyageur

That was my first time in Germany (the first of many ones more!). I felt in love with the landscapes, the local architecture and the food (Die Bratwürstchen, for example)... This first visit to Germany was during a travel through Les Ardennes in Belgium, a beautiful region, full of idyllic landscapes.

Ich war siebzehn Jahre alt als ich Monschau besuchte and ich werd' nie dieses schönes dorf vergessen. Das war auch meine erste Zeit in Deutschland, während meiner Sommerurlaub in Belgien. Ich hab' die Ardennen in Belgien besucht und bin auch die Grenze mit Deutschland durchgegangen. Zweit Jahre später werde ich Deutsche Sprache begonnen zu lernen haben.

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/312461/
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/312461/

Beautiful Monschau in the Eifel-hills

by Pavlik_NL

"One of the gemstones in German crown"

To say that Monschau is nice would be a terrible understatement. Monschau is truely beautiful and has a charm that knows to enchant the visitor in an almost suiting way. Walking through the old streets and gazing at the "Fachwerk" houses (the woodworks criss-cross through the plastered walls), it makes you feel like being placed in a late medieval century. Monschau is the best there is in the Eifel-hills and should - on a tour through this environment - not be forgotten.

"Historical overview of Monschau"

Already in 1198 the name Monschau is recorded in written language. Around this time the castle, including the lookout-tower across the valley, should have been built and attracted more and more villagers to Monschau until it got recognised as a town. It’s not clear if the castle was built first as a house for a nobel person (Walram of Limburg)or if it started out as a monastry. The town also has belonged to the Spanish-Habsburgian empire under Charles the Fifth who conquered this area in 1543 and kept it 1609. Like many other towns in this area it saw also many other conquerors, like the French in 1795. Monschau became famous for it’s textile-industry in the 16th century. In the wide surroundings the demand was high for Monschauer linnen. Most buildings here have belonged to rich textile-traders or producers. The “Red House” is the most exquisite example of the wealth that this manufacturing brought and in here you can also find a museum about this timeframe in Monschau.

"Beautiful Monschau in a modern world"

The district of the little town Monschau holds now-a-days several other villages inside it’s municipality. Höfen, Imgenbroich, Kalterherberg, Konzen, Mützenich and Rohren are since 1972 part of it’s jurisdiction. Monschau itself lays on the little river Rur (not to be confused with the Ruhr in the Ruhr-area) at a hight of 350 meters until 650 meters over sea level. The main drive of present Monschau is tourism and it doesn’t wonder anyone that such little town that has 396 officially declared monumental buildings of which 270 are direct in it’s centre. Monschau is an open air museum and a pleasure to walk through. Around every corner there is yet another idyllic place.