Stunning. Nearly unbelievable that it's real!…read more Beautiful medieval castle overlooking Cochem and the Moselle River. The scenery is extraordinary. The castle tour is well worth it as is the drive to it. There is a small cafe/restaurant there. We had some excellent soups and some nice beers. Prices were reasonable considering the incredible view and historic setting. Pro Tip on Parking: Just keep driving up. The parking is all the way up by the castle and there are several areas. Many people park down the road and walk up. Don't do this... unless you want the cardio. Pro Tip on Photos: There are several excellent photo stops while on the drive down into Cochem before driving up to the castle as in my photos. Pro Tip on Cochem: Very cool town. Tourist restaurants are on the castle side of the river but there are a couple great places on the other side of the river that offer higher quality fare and a great view of the castle.

It's a relatively small castle, but what makes it outstanding is the view it offers of Mosel river…read moreand valley. Totally worth it just for that alone, and there are some interesting things to see inside as well. Highly recommend taking the bus from downtown (terminal is right next to the tourist office) to save the walk, unless you enjoy hiking up the steep hill. Most tours are in German, and when we arrived, we spent too much time snapping pictures in front of the castle (should have done that AFTER the tour), so we missed the English tour by a few minutes. Not wanting to wait a while for the next one, we joined the German tour. We were given a page of info in English (there are many languages available), although we definitely missed out on the jokes as the Germans chuckled once in a while. On the return trip, we got off at the old town instead of the bus terminal, where we get to see the shops and eateries. Makes for a great day trip when staying in the area.

Needless to say, you can't quite visit Mosel Valley and not taste some wine. We didn't have time…read moreand our own car to visit the vineyards, so this tasting room is the next best thing, for us to sample a variety of local wines. This tasting room is located near the train station, and a short walk from the town center, so it's easy to work into our day trip. It's a rather small room, and there's no schedule, so we started the tasting when we walked in. They have several levels of tasting, and given a list of their wines so we can select the ones we want to try. Now, if you are a traveler, take a little time to find out what the local wines are. Different varietals of grapes grow in different regions in the world, depending on the climate, soil type and more. Mosel, as a relatively cool region, is best known for their riesling. They have a little red, but honestly that's far from the best. Even a Germany won't dispute that. So don't go in asking for Cab or Pinot Noir... which actually was what happened during our tasting when an American walked in. The wine list has about 20 Riesling, plus wine made with some other grapes, and is arranged from dry to sweet. Naturally, bottle price is a good guide to which are the better ones. If they have Eiswein (ice wine), try that, it's their specialty, wine made from frozen hand-picked grapes and only in small quantity, especially in recent years with global warming. The gentleman who assisted us in our tasting was very nice, and we left with a few bottles of our favorites.

Made a private wine tasting with Peter R. I personally give him 4 stars for being a great and…read moreentertaining host. Very genuine person and he took really good care of us. Definitely ask for him when you go to this winery. He spoke very good English. As far as the wine, in general, Germany's strength is in the whites. This place had a good variation and complexity of white wines. Of course their better wines are the ones from $10 and up. Wine tasting cost $9.20 for 7 tastes, but the host was very generous and we were able to taste 10 wines. One downfall of this place is its location. It is located not in the city center and does not get alot of foot traffic. About 5 minute walk from the small city center of Cochem. They said it is the oldest winery in Cochem.

We did a guided tour of the castle which takes about an hour. We learned about the history,…read moredifferent rooms, weaponry, & armor. This is the only hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine not to have been destroyed. It has beautiful views of the Rhine River looking down. When walking up to the castle from the parking lot, there's a stairs path or uphill incline- definitely moderate walking with the uphill and stone paths so bring proper comfortable shoes to walk around in.

Knowledgeable and hilarious tour guide, authentic castle history it is the highlight of our trip in…read moreGermany

Stefan is very helpful and works hard to figure out just the right wine for you! He shipped my…read morewines to Texas. There are also many gifts to choose from in his shop. Soooo many cuckoo clocks!! Will definitely return when I'm in the area!

Stefans Brandy and Wines are among the best I have tasted in my travels! Exceptional Hospitality!…read more I first visited Stefans Wine Paradise back in 2016 during a business trip. A few friends and I booked a Castle viewing and Rhein River trip and one little gem in the middle of the trip was a scheduled stop at Stefans Wine Paradise. I am not a heavy alcohol drinker and when the owner Stefan offered us some brandy to taste I was hesitant at first. I previously had an unpleasant experience with brandy I had tried that was very alcohol heavy. Stefans' pleasantness won me over and I tried his brandy and am I ever thankful I did as it was a wonderful balance of sweet flavor and just the right amount of alcohol to warm you up. My friend and I purchased a variety of flavors and had them shipped home. This year during another business trip I took a group of friends to Stefans' and it was as enjoyable as I remembered. Stefan is a fantastic person and his warm and inviting demeanor will leave a lasting impression on you. I highly recommend giving this place a visit if you are in the area, you will not be disappointed.