5 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Koblenz, Germany

We want to share 5 things you need know before visiting Koblenz, Germany. But first, check out our video from this stunning port!

First things first… we’ve been to Koblenz twice. The first time was on the Viking River Cruise’s Grand European Tour and the second time was on the Rhine Getaway. If you also want to see Koblenz with Viking you can also see it on Oberammergau, Innsbruck & the Rhine; Oberammergau, the Alps & the Rhine; Paris to the Swiss Alps; European Sojourn; Cities of Light; Grand European & Viking Fjords; Rhine & Viking Shores & Fjords.

The Viking Alruna docked in Koblenz, Germany on the Rhine Getaway.

NUMER ONE - MAPS

Before you head off to explore gorgeous Koblenz, make sure you grab a map. Viking provides them at the front desk for everyone leaving for an excursion or exploring on their own. We made the poor decision (BOTH VISITS TO KOBLENZ) not to grab a map.

Big mistake.

The streets of Koblenz are pretty basic. They’re not super windy or confusing as your meandering around. However, after you’ve been walking around for thirty minutes, an hour, or even two hours, you start to realize that everything kind of looks the same.

This was especially a struggle when we visited while on the Rhine Getaway, because there were Christmas markets around every corner. Identical Christmas markets.

Before we knew it, we were venturing into a part of the city we had no idea existed and got lost.

Thank goodness for technology, because we got ourselves out of the jam with Google Maps. But we could’ve avoided the stress all together if we’d just grabbed a map.

So, get a map.

Streets of Koblenz, Germany

TWO - SHOES

If you visit Koblenz with Viking then you’ll have the choice to explore on your own or attend the included excursion up to Marksburg Castle. No matter which option you choose, you’ll be doing a lot of walking.

We spent about 2-3 hours wandering aimlessly around Koblenz and taking photos. We were very thankful for our Skechers. We’re Skechers super fans, so we recommend the GoWalk Joy sneakers for summertime travels and the Shindigs for winter travel. Or, you can go for a classic Birkenstock for summer.

NOTE* if you choose to purchase the Skechers Shindigs or Birkenstocks, there is a break-in process. Make sure you don’t bring them on your trip brand new. The Skechers take about a week to fully break-in (approx. 3-4 wears) and the Birkenstocks take between 2-4 weeks to become comfy clouds of heaven.

Our awesome Skechers Shindigs (and the best luggage ever - $50 off)

THREE - ADVENTURE

Koblenz is a pretty unassuming city. However, there are lots of hidden gems just inside open fences, behind unlocked doors, or just down that one street you don’t think you need to go down.

So tip number three for Koblenz is to have an adventure! Leave no stone unturned! On our first visit we thought we’d walked the entire city. But on our second visit we stumbled inside an open gate toward a church and found a giant thumb.

Yes, a giant thumb.

You just never know what you’ll find in Koblenz, so chase your whims. Go down the alleyways, because the city is quite safe. Explore every corner and take lots of pictures to commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

The giant thumb we discovered in Koblenz, Germany.

FOUR - FOOD

This tip goes hand-in-hand with the last one, but don’t settle for the first restaurant you stumble on.

During our first visit we walked around for hours and when we realized we were beyond hungry, we walked into a place that’s now iconic in our travel memories.

Einstein’s.

Was it the best food we’d ever eaten? Probably not.

Was the place completely empty when we walked in? Definitely.

Did it have the most interesting decor and ambiance ever? Oh, yeah!

It’s a place we talk about to this day, and we love looking at the photos from Einstein’s. It was so unique and we haven’t found another place like it. It’ll always be our memory of Koblenz.

Find your Einstein’s. The place that, when you think about it, transports you to your joyful feelings of wanderlust and gets you ready for your next adventure.

FIVE - CRUISE WITH VIKING

We’re completely biased, because we love Viking, but hear us out…

Koblenz is a small city that is part of a gorgeous area called the Middle Rhine. There are tiny villages, gorgeous towns, and over 40 castles waiting to be explored in this area! So we recommend making Koblenz a stop on a much bigger journey.

On both the Rhine Getaway and Grand European Tour, we were able to cruise the Rhine and hear all about the castles passing by. We learned about Katz and Maus, the feuding castles. We passed by town after town of stunning architecture.

So if you want to see Koblenz in the best way possible, book with Viking.

The gorgeous Middle Rhine region being cruised on the Viking Alruna.

If you want to book your own Viking cruise, just click this link and find the perfect one for you. Don’t forget to tell them that Joanie and Jenni B. sent you!

A very special thank you to Viking for allowing us to adventure with you!

If you want to see more amazing German spots, check out this post from Melissa at A Solo Woman Traveling on the most idyllic small towns in Germany.

If you’d like to support this wild ride, become a Patron, we have some awesome reward tiers. Sometimes we even pick up little gifts for you along our travels.

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We’re breaking down five things you need to know before visiting Koblenz, Germany.