by Robert Barr

Created on: December 12, 2011   Last Updated: December 17, 2011

Koblenz is a small city in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and situated on both banks of the river Rhine and the river Mosel. The city itself is home to around 108,000 inhabitants and, along with the surrounding area, consists of approximately 400,000 inhabitants in total.

The city is generally quite compact, and the city centre is more that accessible on foot, but there is also a consistently reliable bus service that makes itself available throughout the day, anytime between 5.30 am and 11.30 pm. If you aren't on a tight budget, there are a number of taxis making their way around the city, and a range of taxi services that can be called day or night.

Getting Around

While in the city, there are quite a few things worth doing and seeing, from perusing the military museum, to taking a boat ride and watching a football game. It all depends on the kind of thing you're interested in.

Things to See

A very popular tourist spot is the 'Deutsches Eck' which is where the river Mosel and the Rhine meet. In the park here, you will find a massive statue of Kaiser Wilhelm, which you can climb. The statue looks right over the two impressive rivers, and the opposite shore.

The famous ' Militär Museum' is situated on the other side of the Mosel, and is reachable by foot. The displays here offer a fascinating journey into the city's rich military history, which has quite the story. Koblenz was once a major strategic military area, due to the presence of the river, and the whole area was scattered with military forts.

One of these forts, the 'Festung Ehrenbreitstein' is an old fort that still stands in relatively good condition. This fort is available for all visitors who are interested in going up to have a look, and is reachable by bus or taxi. Once there, you can take the enjoyable ride up to the top of the fortress with a chairlift. Here you'll find a fantastic view of the city, and the Rhine.

Elsewhere within the city, the 'Schängel-Brunnen' is definitely worth stopping off for, a pretty, little fountain next to the town hall, which is supposed to bring fortune. Also keep your eyes peeled for a number of other fountains and whimsical sculptures around the centre which are pleasant enough.

Things to Do

There are a number of interesting and enjoyable activities to be found in Koblenz too. Watch the local team TuS Koblenz play football at the Ober-werth stadium, take a boat trip on the Rhine, through some beautiful castles and vineyards or take a trip to the large shopping mall, Löhr-Center, which is located right in the city centre, with around 130 different shops.

Food and Drink

After a long day spent in the city, 'Wirtshaus Alt Coblenz' is an affordable, but excellent restaurant with delicious food and wine from across the region. The main dishes here range between 9 and 25 euros. For a drink, Koblenz is definitely the right place, as it located in the wine area of the Rhine and Mosel rivers. Try some of the great dry, white wines, or red wine at any of the wineries around town. It is also important that you try some of the great beers on offer while in Germany. 'Königsbacher' is one of the local breweries.

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