The Eifelleiter begins at the market square and the nearby Way of the Cross in Adenau. The long-distance hiking trail runs via Hohe Acht to Bad Breisig on the Rhine. There are also marked hiking options in the town and the nearby Hocheifel. If you are looking for accommodation in Adenau, you can first plan your stay around your preferred focus: should the long-distance hike set the agenda, or are you more drawn to a selection of regional and themed trails? Two local museums offer a distinct way to explore the town’s history.

Hiking from Adenau

The Eifelleiter has a clearly defined route: from its starting point in Adenau via Hohe Acht to its destination, Bad Breisig on the Rhine. If you choose this route, you can plan for its entire length and treat it as a long-distance hiking trail, rather than just a section near the starting point. The Rhein-Ruhr-Eifel-Weg and themed trails are also among the marked hiking options. Their themes range from the Nürburgring and historic mills to the history of the region. This offers a choice of different topics, without limiting the trails to a single area of interest. Conditions may vary from one route to another; before setting out, it is worth checking the particular trail you plan to hike.

Two museums, two different themes

The Local History, Guild and Hospitaller Museum explores historic guilds and the Order of St John, also known as the Order of Malta. The Eifel Farmhouse Museum focuses on rural domestic life in past centuries. Together, the museums offer two distinct perspectives: guilds and the history of religious orders at one, rural homes and everyday life at the other. Visitors looking to combine culture and hiking will find both historical themes and several marked trails to choose from in Adenau. The two museum themes are distinct, rather than being combined into a single account of the town’s history.

Culture in the wider Ahrweiler destination

The wider Ahrweiler destination also has its own cultural highlights. The Schützen Museum in Ahrweiler displays art-historical treasures from the past three centuries, including uniforms, photographic documentation and historic marksmen’s rifles. Ahrweiler’s three marksmen’s societies have operated a museum since 2002; visits are possible by appointment. At the Roman Villa on Silberberg in Ahrweiler, visitors can see a model of a Roman estate and watch an audiovisual presentation. The history of the marksmen’s societies and Roman villa culture offer a different focus from the two museums in Adenau.

Hiking and cycling in Ahrweiler District

Several district-wide hiking trails are listed for the wider Ahrweiler destination: the certified Rheinburgenweg, Eifelleiter and AhrSteig are all located in Ahrweiler District. The Rotweinwanderweg and numerous marked local trails complement the district’s hiking network. The Rhine Cycle Route and Ahr Cycle Route are particularly appealing to cycling tourists. So, alongside hiking trails, cycle routes are another option to consider when planning a trip to the wider destination. For historical and local-history enquiries about the region, the Ahrweiler District Archive offers information and advice. These options add to the range of themes in the Ahrweiler destination, while the museums and hiking options described above make Adenau the local focus.

Discover more destinations: Reifferscheid, Wershofen, Nürburg, Antweiler, Trierscheid, Pomster, Dümpelfeld, Fuchshofen, Wimbach, Eichenbach, Insul, Quiddelbach, Rodder, Kottenborn, Hümmel, Meuspath, Schuld, Herschbroich, Kaltenborn, Wirft, Dorsel, Winnerath, Niederadenau, Honerath, Aremberg, Sierscheid, Dankerath, Hoffeld, Wiesemscheid.

Go to the wider travel overview: Ahrweiler.