Explore the Eifel National Park Nature Reserve

Categories: Sightseeing, Cultural and History

Eifel Aqueduct

[ source: Flickr]

The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium.

The Eifel is bordered by the river Moselle in the south and the Rhine in the east. In the north it is limited by the hills of the High Fens (Hohes Venn), in the west by the Ardennes of Belgium and Luxemburg.

Things to See in Eifel

Eifel National Park nature reserve

The Nürburgring, one of the world's most famous motor racing courses, is located in the Eifel. The northern loop (Nordschleife) of the course is also known as the Green Hell (Grüne Hölle), because of its long, difficult and dangerous path through the local forest.

An interesting archeological feature of the region is the Eifel Aqueduct, one of the longest aqueducts of the Roman empire, providing the city of Cologne (Cologne vacation rentals | Cologne travel guide) with water.

[ source: wikipedia ]

Eifel's History

The Eifel Mountains are a region bounded on the north, east, and south by the world-famous rivers and vineyards of the Ahr, Rhine, and Moselle. To the west, the district passes into the forest of the Ardennes of Belgium and Luxembourg. The savage beauty of the Eifel is universally renowned as the peculiar mark of its landscape, whether ablaze with golden blossoming broom in the early spring or when the green foliage of the woods is reflected in the dark waters of the numerous ancient maare or volcanic lakes.

This is the cause for the establishment of 140 fortresses in the Eifel, traceable to the Eleventh and Twelfth centuries, giving witness to the multitude of small rulers. From these, some families achieved greater political importance in the course of the following centuries.

With the witnessing of the scenery characteristic of the Eifel, began its romantic literary re-discovery. At first it was the Ahr valley with its bizarre rock formations that moved the hearts; soon the admiration of the lonely Hoch-eifel (high Eifel), with its impressive volcanic cones and legendary, almost unnatural, round lakes followed. The description of the classical Kyll valley, between Gerolstein (Gerolstein vacation rentals | Gerolstein travel guide) and Malberg, came next; also the loveliness of the valleys of Salm, Nims, Elz, and Lieser was not long-hidden.

[ source: diederich ]

Location, Map, and Driving Directions

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Browse Related Photos (Interactive Slideshow)

The pictures shown are part of our Live Like a German Travel Guide to Germany group on Flickr. If you have great Germany pictures please consider joining that group and sharing them on Flickr. If you tag them with Eifel (and they got approved) they will also show up in the slide show above.

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