Nürburg: Castle, Hiking Trails and Nürburgring

When looking for a hotel in Nürburg, it helps to first narrow down your planned activities. Possible highlights include Nürburg Castle and St. Nicholas Church, hiking and mountain biking routes, and activities at the Nürburgring. Culture, outdoor activities and motorsport each bring a different focus to a stay.

Nürburg Castle and its history

Nürburg Castle was built by the Counts of Are in the 12th century and stands on a basalt cone. The basalt rock beneath it was mentioned around 954 as “Mons nore.” At 678 metres, Nürburg Castle is the highest-altitude castle in Rhineland-Palatinate.

The 20-metre-high keep can be climbed and offers views across the High Eifel, surrounding villages and the Nordschleife. Check visitor access before travelling. This will help you reliably factor a castle visit into your plans.

The church and its architectural history

St. Nicholas Church also reflects different construction phases. A church in Nürburg is first documented in 1202. The present church building has a Gothic choir dating from the 15th century; the Baroque nave and tower were built in 1816/17. The timeline therefore runs from the earliest mention of a church to the later parts of the present building.

Hiking and cycling around Nürburg

The red hiking route around Nürburg offers panoramic views across the Eifel region and passes a former ski jump on the northern castle hill. The yellow route follows sections of the Nordschleife known as Antoniusbuche, Tiergarten and Hatzenbach. It also passes disused quarries that supplied building materials for the construction of the Nordschleife. This route therefore combines named track sections with a glimpse into the quarries’ former use.

The routes vary considerably in length: the Kleine Burgrunde (Short Castle Loop) is 0.8 kilometres long, while the Grüne Hölle (Green Hell) hiking trail follows the Nordschleife for over 20.8 kilometres. A mountain biking route called “Through the Green Hell” runs around the Nordschleife. Given the similar names, it is worth distinguishing between the hiking trail and the mountain biking route when planning. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

Motorsport at the Nürburgring

The Nürburgring offers a backstage tour in Nürburg lasting around an hour and a half. It takes visitors into selected areas of the racetrack and offers insights into motorsport history, including the pit boxes, pit lane, media centre, paddock and winners’ podium. For tourist drives, the Nürburgring offers the Nordschleife and Grand Prix circuit; visitors drive their own car or motorcycle. Check current dates and operating rules in advance.

Rad am Ring is also part of the motorsport and cycling programme: the 24-hour mountain bike race takes place around Nürburg and starts at the Nürburgring paddock. If you would like to plan your stay around the race, check the current event dates.

Winter activities and practical planning

Tobogganing on the castle hill depends on snow conditions. The starting points are Burgstraße and the An der Steintränke car park. Cross-country ski trails of various lengths are also groomed around Nürburg; this activity is seasonal and depends on snow conditions too. One starting point for the trails is the car park at Graf-Ulrich-Halle. The listed starting points help you distinguish where to begin for tobogganing and cross-country skiing.

Burgweiherhütte is a municipal barbecue hut just outside Nürburg. It has toilets, electricity and water, and can accommodate groups of 10 to 40 people. The hut is accessible by car, with parking nearby. As booking arrangements and availability may vary, check these details before making specific plans.

For the broader travel overview: Adenau.