Burg Eltz --- Still Worth It?

I visited last fall for the first time and about a third of the outside was under scaffolding. But this didn't affect the tour at all, which is the whole point of visiting anyway.

You should go anyway. I remember scaffolding all over St. Paul's in London and St. Stephen's in Vienna. While it certainly detracted a bit, it didn't spoil my visits in any way whatsoever. Go to tripadvisor...there are some reviews with photos of the scaffolding at Burg Eltz...not enough to ruin its view IMO. I visited before the restoration began, but I just can't imagine scaffolding ruining it to the point that it's not even worth it. If restoration-free were part of the criteria for visiting a place, half the sites in Europe would be off the list. And that's just not logical. Plus, you might be waiting until 2020 for the restoration to be completed...don't wait. They just recently completed St. Paul's after 15 years. Happy travels.

Mandy, YES, it is still worth visiting the Castle (IMO)! When I was there last summer, there was scaffolding on the part of the Castle and a large construction Crane on the side. It would have been nice to get a photo without all the "extras", but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the visit at all. Virtually none of the construction gear is visible from the inner courtyard or during the official tour. One point to note is that they DON'T allow photos inside the Castle during the official tour, however they are allowed inside the Treasury (which most people visit after the tour). They have some nice Cafés there and a cold Beer is a nice treat after wandering around the Castle. Happy travels!

Hi Mandy, While the construction may hinder the "photo ops", the castle is simply fantastic. The interior is just as amazing as the exterior. I wouldn't put it off to another time. IF you get there another time, just see it again! We hope to see it again someday. Paul

Even just for the walk through the woods to the castle it is worth it. Such a beautiful setting.

Thanks a lot guys! I will definitely keep it in the itinerary!

Mandy, are you visiting the entire Mosel region so that you are in the area anyway, or just going to Burg Eltz because it is Rick's favorite? I was in the Rhine valley last summer and made a special (only about an hour away) trip to Burg Eltz from there. I found it less than worth the trip. For me, it was small, hard to get to, and one of the least interesting of my trip. There are much bigger and more interesting castles in the area. Now, if you are in the Mosel region a few days, and have a free afternoon, by all means, enjoy it.

Expect a good percentage of sites to have scaffolding. I have yet to visit Europe without seeing a number of major sites undergoing renovation. Sometimes it affects your ability to take "the" post card photo, normally it's just something you work around.

Rob- I don't know, Burg Eltz is an original ...has never been destroyed and remains in the same family since the 12th century. And the setting has to be the most spectacular...deep in the forest. I can't imagine being in the area and missing it. There's a ton of interesting history there, too. It's really not just another RS thing...it's world famous and recommended by everyone. There are other world-famous castles in Germany that shouldn't be missed, such as Hohenzollern or Löwenburg, but a lot of these are neogothic from mid-late 1800s...many were destroyed and rebuilt. They're definitely worthy, but Burg Eltz is an original (seems to be a theme as of late).

Does anyone know if Burg Eltz is still under construction for 2012? I am planning a trip to the area in April. The last I can find about it on the internet is from last year. A German government website says the construction was supposed to end last fall, but I've seen speculation that it will continue until at least 2018!

Does anybody has an on the scaffolding/reconstruction project. Will the exterior still be covered during the summer of 2012? I only have 9 days to get from Cologne to Amsterdam and hoped to spend a few days working my way up the Mosel Valley to Trier.