Hiking

The area around Schillingen has to offer many interesting trails for hikers. You can get maps at the tourist information Alte Mühle (old mill) in Kell am See. The scenery is quite fascinating with rock formations left over from the ice ages, little brooks and waterfalls. You just have to know where to look. If you get up early and avoid making noise you may also see some wild animals, like deer, foxes or rabbits.

Halfway between Schillingen and Lampaden you can find a small castle, the Burg Heid. It's still inhabited and you can only visit it once a year on the Tag des offenen Denkmals(day of the open monument).

Like Kell, Schillingen also has it's own lake though it is a bit smaller. Near the lake there is a restaurant named Spießbratenhalle which is only open in summer. There is also a playground for children.

About five minutes from the lake, surrounded by the forest you can find a small chapel. A citizen of Schillingen built it in the honour of Mary because he had vowed to do so. It's less a tourist attraction than a place for prayer and meditation. Sometimes there are even open air church services at the altar next to the chapel in summer. These services can be quite an experience.

Food and Drink

Naturally there are a few pubs in Schillingen where you can try local foods. In summer the Spießbratenhalle is a popular place for family outings. And of course you can also get a taste of the local cuisine at the fun fairs and festivities mentioned earlier.

Interesting sights in the area

Grimburg

The Grimburg is the ruin of an old castle situated near a village of the same name. The ruin was restored by a local club and is now an interestin place to visit.

Flugzeugschau Abtei (Aviation Museum)

Abtei is a small village near Hermeskeil. It has a private aviation museum where a number of planes and rockets are on display. The exhibits include a Saturn rocket as well as the plane which the first German chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, took when he went to Moskau to negotiate for the return of the last German prisoners of war from Russia.

Hermeskeil

Hermeskeil is the biggest city in the Hochwald, a part of the Hunsrück. However that doesn't imply that Hermeskeil is big. You might even argue that it really is more a town than a city. Still Hermeskeil has some interesting things to offer to its visitors.

There is an outdoor as well as an indoor swimmming pool. Both have some extras like whirlpools, a sun studio and rather long slides to offer. Next to the police station you can find a small museum where you can get an insight into local history. It's quite interesting to see how people used to live here in the past.

Near the old railway station which was closed years ago, you can find a museum which has a number of old locomotives on exhibition. They are all functional and sometimes you can even see them in action. But don't forget to inquire about opening times. They tend to be a bit irregular.

Trier

Trier is about 25km from Schillingen. It's the oldest city in Germany and it played a prominent part in Roman history. Sometimes the city on the Moselle is referred to as the Rome of the North. It's impossible to give any complete information on the city here, but Trier is a definite must see when you are in the vicinity. You can get plenty of information on the city, its history, its sights and its attractions at the tourist information centre near the Porta Nigra.

The Moselle

Just as in the case of Trier there is far too much to say about the Moselle to mention everything that should be mentioned here. So just a few things. The Moselle is a tributary to the Rhine. On a map the Moselle is quite easy to identify because it tends to meander a lot, which has created a quite unique landscape over the millenia. The Moselle is also one of the most famous vine growing areas in Germany. The villages near the river are often quite picturesque with their vineyards and their narrow streets. It's a good idea to buy wine from the vinegrowers themselves instead of from a shop. That way you can get a good bargain and you can also get wines you wouldn't find in any shop. If you want to cycle stay close to the river. You can sleep in youth hostels, bed and breakfasts or camping sites.

Luxemburg

Trier is close to the border between Luxemburg and Germany. Crossing the border is no problem whatsoever any more and Luxemburg is a popular area for family outings. The landscape is interesting with small inviting towns and villages. The capital which goes by the same name as the country itself has a lot to offer. Restaurants and pubs of different kinds mirror the city's multicultural flair. This is where you can almost see the European Union come to life. One of the most striking natural features of the city is a ravine right through the centre of it which separates the central business district from the residence of the duke of Luxemburg.

Another thing that is characteristic of the city is the enormous number of banks from all over the world you can find in the city. This is due to one of Luxemburgs favourite attractions, the low taxes. Since those low taxes also apply to a number of goods, most notably coffee, spirits, cigarettes and fuel, Luxemburg is also a great place for shopping.