The best traffic-free bike rides around Mayen

The northern gate of the city fortifications, which still exists today, is the gatehouse located on the Nette river, built between 1299 and 1354. It secured the crossing of the Nette and primarily served as the city entrance from the direction of Koblenz, which is why it also bears the name "Koblenzer Tor" (Koblenz Gate). Since there are no signs of a slot in the wall for a portcullis, it is assumed that a drawbridge to the bridge pier on the Nette was used to secure the gate. Due to the flood in 1598, the gatehouse collapsed along with the outer gate. However, the chiseled number 1599 testifies that the gatehouse was rebuilt just one year later. From the beginning of the 19th century until 1855, the gatehouse was used as a prison. The city coat of arms, added in 1911, is still visible today. Source: Jonas Breithaupt, University of Koblenz-Landau, 2015

Beautifully framed Narrenborn spring on the hiking trail between Monreal and Mayen.

Monreal with its historic town center is a pearl of the Eifel. The picturesque location on the Elzbach, with its many half-timbered houses and the higher-lying castle ruins, is beautiful to behold.

A total of three small bridges cross the Elz, allowing you to switch from one bank to the other at various points. The most beautiful is probably the bridge in the middle, the Johannesbrücke. It is equipped with both a lion monument and the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. John of Nepomuk or John of Pomuk was a Bohemian priest and is considered the patron saint of bridges. The lion monument is certainly one of Monreal's most impressive sights. It dates from the 15th century and consists of four lions carved in basalt. Source: https://travel-see-xperience.com/2022/02/20/monreal/

Two-arched bridge over the Elzbach, c. 1500; wayside cross, 16th century; four lion figures, from 1831; Nepomuk sculpture (copy of the original from 1803, J. Matthias Büls, Monreal)

Picturesquely overlooked by the two castle ruins Löwenburg and Philippsburg, the half-timbered village of Monreal lies in the middle of the idyllic Elz valley. In the village, three stone bridges cross the Elz, the middle one, a road bridge, is adorned with the statue of John of Nepomuk and the lion monument, unique in the Rhineland. The numerous half-timbered houses from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries – a relic of the cloth makers of the Baroque period – are also worth seeing monuments of art. The Middle Ages are also encountered by the visitor, for example in the parish church from the 13th century or the cemetery chapel from the 12th century. The history of Monreal, with its numerous ups and downs, reflects the historical development of the entire Eifel region. In addition to the already mentioned idyllic location and the picturesque village center, numerous hiking trails, including the Traumpfad "Monrealer Ritterschlag" with impressive viewpoints, invite you to experience the unique landscape. Source: https://www.rlp-tourismus.com/de/ausflugsziele/ortsgemeinde-monreal/poi.html

The narrow alleys of Monreal, its quaint Holy Trinity Church, the massive Nepomuk Bridge over the clearly flowing Elzbach, and the ruins of Löwenburg and Philippsburg castles high above the village make for a beautiful excursion destination in the eastern Eifel. Monreal repeatedly won the competition „Our Village Has a Future“. The red-and-white half-timbered houses huddle closely together, and the 15th-century Viergiebelhaus in particular transports strollers into a fairytale past. The still beautifully preserved half-timbered houses bear witness to the prosperity that Monreal achieved from the 17th century onwards through the processing of sheep wool and cloth production. In the second half of the 19th century, manual labor was no longer competitive against international, industrialized competitors, and the population became impoverished. A fate that Monreal shares with the equally picturesque Monschau. Monreal is not just a visually relaxing excursion destination. Café Plüsch with its cozy interior, the Old Rectory with its country garden and sunny terrace on the stream bank, or the former signal box at the town gates are perfect addresses for gourmets. The originally furnished restaurant on the former railway line is connected to the medieval town center via a promenade along the Elzbach. A highlight for lovers of arts and crafts is the pottery in the Old School with its colorful ceramics, also exhibited in a terraced garden. Hikers will get their money's worth on the "Traumpfad Monrealer Ritterschlag" trail and will be rewarded for the sometimes steep passages with beautiful views. Source: https://www.eifel.info/pois/monreal

Street through the historic town center of Monreal with beautiful half-timbered houses.