Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

140 BACK ROADS GERMANY

1 Remagen

Rhineland-Palatinate; 53424

The Ahr river flows into the Rhine

just south of Remagen, but the

town is better known for its pivotal

position in World War II. It was here

that American forces cap tured a

bridge across the Rhine, in an act

that was celebrated as a strate gic

victory. Located in the former bridge-

head on the Rhine’s left bank, the

Friedensmuseum Brücke von

Remagen, or bridge museum (early-

Mar–early-Nov: open daily), details the

history of the bridge and its con quest.

ª From the cul-de-sac road beside the

museum, turn left down Goethestrasse

then right down Südallee to take the

B9 toward Koblenz. Turn right on the

B266 to Ahrweiler. Get on to the B267,

and follow signs to the Römervilla

parking lot.

Below left Ahrweiler’s quaint medieval

town center Below right Ruins of Burg

Are on a craggy hill, Altenahr

WHERE TO STAY

AROUND RÖMERVILLA

Hohenzollern moderate

A short walk from the Römervilla

leads to this smart hotel with fine views.

Am Silberberg 50, 53474 Ahrweiler

(west of Römervilla); 02641 97 30;

http://www.hotelhohenzollern.com

ALTENAHR

Gasthaus Assenmacher inexpensive

Housed above a restaurant, this family-

run hotel has simple and bright rooms.

Brückenstrasse 12, 53505; 02643 18 48;

http://www.gasthaus-assenmacher.de

AROUND NÜRBURGRING

Motorsporthotel moderate

Located close to the main grandstand,

this hotel has stylish rooms and is a

hub for motorsports enthusiasts.

Hauptstrasse 34, 53520 Nürburg

(north of Nürburgring); 02691 920 00;

http://www.motorsporthotel.de

COCHEM

Alte Thorschenke moderate

This central guesthouse dates back to

1332. Many of the rooms are in the
      hotel’s modern wing.
      Brückenstrasse 3, 56812; 02671 70 59;
      http://www.castle-thorschenke.com

3 Altenahr

Rhineland-Palatinate; 53502

Surrounded by vine yards and wooded

crags, the town of Altenahr is wrapped

around a couple of bends of the Ahr

river. Take a ten-minute walk uphill via

the street opposite the parking lot,

Rossberg, to the ruined 11th-century

Burg Are. From the top of this for ti fi-

cation, the chair lift (Easter–Oct: open

daily) further up the valley is clearly

visible. It provides access to higher

points and the Rotweinwanderweg,

(www.rotweinwanderweg.de) a well-

marked red wine walking trail that

can be followed for a pleasant hour

or two of hiking (tourist office:

Altenburger Strasse 1a; http://www.altenahr-ahr.

de) around Altenahr. The chairlift also

leads to a summer toboggan run.

ª Turn left on to the B257 and follow

it past Breidscheid to turn left in the

direc tion of Nürburgring. Turn right

on the B258 to the parking lots beside

the Nürburgring grandstand.

The Bridge at Remagen

The capture of the Ludendorff Bridge

at Remagen by American forces in

March 1945 has been seen as a

turning point in World War II, since

this was the last remain ing bridge

over the Rhine. President Eisenhower

declared the bridge “worth its weight

in gold” and Hitler had the officers in

charge of the bridge shot. Yet there

were further crossings over the

Rhine, and 10 days later, the bridge

collapsed. Its symbolic signifi cance

has grown over time, partly due to

the 1969 film The Bridge at Remagen.

revealed this to be part of a

3rd-cen tury Roman country mansion,

now protected by the Museum

Römervilla (Apr–mid-Nov: closed Mon)

where the building’s founda tions can

be seen. Evi dence suggests that the

place, preserved under a 5th-cen tury

landslide, was inhabited from at least

as early as the middle of the 1st cen-

tury. After explor ing the museum,

walk down Am Silberberg and turn

left along Walporzheimer Strasse for

a stroll into the heart of the charming,

half-timbered center of Ahrweiler.

ª Turn left out of the parking lot,

then right on the B267. Pass through a

tunnel into Altenahr and park in the

adjacent lot on the left.

2 Römervilla

Rhineland-Palatinate; 53475

In 1980, road constructions at the base

of vineyards just north of Ahrweiler

chanced upon the founda tions of an

ancient building. Closer examination

Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

Above Vineyards near Altenahr