Nürburg: Castle Ruins, Eifel Views and Motorsport

Nürburg combines the history of a castle perched high above the surrounding area with motorsport at the Nürburgring. The castle stands at an elevation of 678 metres and is the highest castle in Rhineland-Palatinate. The Counts of Are built it on a basalt cone in the 12th century. The basalt beneath the castle is mentioned around 954 as “Mons nore” — the town’s history stretches back a long way.

Castle Ruins and Local History

You can climb the 20-metre-high keep of the castle ruins. From the top, the view stretches across the High Eifel, the surrounding villages and the Nordschleife. Check access before your arrival.

The church also tells the story of different eras. A church in Nürburg is first documented in 1202. The present-day St. Nicholas Church has a Gothic choir dating from the 15th century; its Baroque nave and tower were built in 1816/17. This brings a medieval choir and later Baroque elements together in one building.

Hiking Around Nürburg

The red hiking trail offers panoramic views across the Eifel and passes a former ski-jump facility on the northern slope of the castle hill. On the yellow route, follow sections of the Nordschleife named Antoniusbuche, Tiergarten and Hatzenbach. Along the way, it passes disused quarries that supplied building materials for the construction of the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

The difference in length is also useful for planning your hike: the Kleine Burgrunde in Nürburg is 0.8 kilometres long, while the Grüne Hölle follows the Nordschleife for 20.8 kilometres. In the wider Nürburgring Adventure Region, themed hiking trails also explore mills, military orders and the Grüne Hölle. Trail conditions can change; check the current route before setting out.

Experience Motorsport

The Nürburgring offers a backstage tour in Nürburg lasting around 1.5 hours. It combines access to selected areas of the circuit with insights into motorsport history, including the pits, pit lane, media centre, paddock and winner’s podium. During tourist drives, you can take your own car or motorcycle onto the Nordschleife and the Grand Prix circuit. Check the current dates and operating rules.

The Nordschleife is also at the heart of cycling: the “Durch die Grüne Hölle” mountain-bike route runs around it. The 24-hour mountain-bike race Rad am Ring takes place around Nürburg and starts at the Nürburgring paddock. If you’d like to include an event in your travel plans, check the dates in advance.

Winter Activities and a Group Meeting Place

Depending on snow conditions, the castle hill is used for sledging. Burgstraße and the An der Steintränke car park are starting points. Cross-country ski trails of varying lengths are also groomed around Nürburg; one starting point is the car park at Graf-Ulrich-Halle. Snow conditions determine which of these winter activities are possible.

Just outside Nürburg is the municipal Burgweiherhütte barbecue hut. It has toilets, electricity and water, and is designed for groups of 10 to 40 people. The hut is accessible by car, with parking nearby. Check availability before making plans.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

For tourist drives and events, it’s worth checking dates and rules; for winter activities, snow conditions remain the deciding factor.

Discover more destinations: Wiesemscheid, Fuchshofen, Wimbach, Kaltenborn, Rodder, Wershofen, Insul, Honerath

Return to the main travel overview: Adenau.