Visit romantic, medieval Burg Eltz near Koblenz in Germany in summer when the castle is open daily — buy tickets for the treasury and guided tours directly at the fortress.
Burg Eltz is considered by many to be the most romantic of Germany’s around 20,000 castles and castle ruins. Despite its somewhat isolated location, it is absolutely worth the effort needed to get there. In contrast to almost all other castles in the Rhine and Mosel Valleys, Burg Eltz is an authentic medieval castle and not a romanticized, nineteenth-century replica. Day trip tours from Frankfurt to Burg Eltz are often available.
Burg Eltz is usually open for visitors from early April or late March to early November. The exact opening period is announced annually and moves around depending on the dates of Easter and weekends close to the opening or closing day.
The castle is open daily during the season from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Guided tours start as needed but usually depart at least every 15 minutes.
Top Insider Tip: The best times to visit Burg Eltz are in the morning (9:30 – 11:00) or late afternoon (15:30 – 17:30).
Tickets are sold only at the ticket window at the castle itself. Admission is €14 for adults and €7 for children and students. A family ticket (€34) is valid for two adults and two or more children. Reservations are not possible for individuals.
Tickets give admission to the treasury as well as the compulsory guided tour of the castle. The treasury is seen without a tour and displays art, jewelry, and historic utensils belonging to the family.
The interior of Burg Eltzmayn only be seen on a guided tour lasting around 40 minutes. Some interesting facts pointed out during guided tours include:
Tours are in German but guides often speak English and will point out special sights to non-German speakers too. If enough English speakers are present, a tour will be in English only.
If necessary, ask for the English information sheet when buying tickets or at the castellan’s office (Kastellanei) before the tour starts. This is especially important when a German speaker buys the tickets. The information sheet is also available in Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Burg Eltz has been owned for around 800 years by the Eltz family who takes care to preserve the castle’s historical appearance despite using parts as a residence. Transportation to Burg Eltz usually involves some hiking although drivers can get to within half a mile of the building. Day trip tours from Frankfurt to Burg Eltz are often available.