Beautiful Cochem Village and Schnitzel Dinner at Beim Weinbauer
The first time I have step foot in lovely Cochem was many years ago. 12 years to be exact. Wow, that was a while back, huh. I was on my first solo European road trip =)
My first reaction when I saw Cochem was total awe. It is one of the beautiful wine villages in the Moselle River Valley.
My lust for travel really started 12-13 years ago. I mean before this, I already like travelling, from time to time, but I never saw travel as a priority in my life. It was something nice to have and cool to do. Nothing less and nothing more.
I remember being in between jobs for a year in 2005-2006 and discovering that I loved travelling. It was a personal awakening for me. Perhaps because suddenly I had time on my hands to spare, I was then able to focus on other things in life that I may like and want. So the months have given me the opportunity to travel and I started exploring cities and towns in the Netherlands and in Europe.
The first city I explored solo was Haarlem in the North Holland province in the Netherlands. This was an interesting choice because the job I had prior to being laid off (company went into administration) was very near Haarlem. Every single day of the weekday I pass by the Haarlem station to connect to another train going to Leiden.
Haarlem was my first ever solo little city trip. It was quickly followed by more city trips and visiting towns and villages in the Netherlands and Belgium. I also remember dragging the then very obedient Dutchman along with me. He has since grown thick thorns and would resist like a headstrong bull if I even give a little hint that I want him to tag along. Oh well, that's relationship, it's all about compromise people, haha.
So after some time, the city, town and village trips became ordinary. I wanted to try something more adventurous so I decided to do a road trip -- My first ever solo road trip in Europe. It was also very timely as I have just accepted a job so I badly needed to do the road trip asap.
The solo road trip will be to Germany and Luxembourg - the Moselle River Valley route. I started of course in Utrecht, the Netherlands going to Koblenz in Germany and then driving the snakey Moselle River Valley with stops in Cochem, Trabern-Trarbach, and Bernkastel-Kues before moving to Trier and then Luxembourg.
Cochem was then my second stop after a night in Koblenz.
And now, some 12 years later down the road, I came back.... this time with the Dutchman =)
Dutchman and I were not staying in Cochem but in a small village, also on the river, called Bullay. It is approximately 30 minutes with the car further down the river to the direction of Trier. We arrived in the afternoon in the Moselle and we wanted to take the day slow since the next day we will be actively hiking. So I suggested to the Dutchman that we drive to Cochem and do a little walk on the river, then we check out the town after and have dinner there.
The plan was very well received by the Dutchman and you can see the pictures of our stroll here: Mosel., Germany: Gorgeous Cochem Panorama Skyline
So Dutchman and I did some walking around. It is exactly the same Cochem that I have seen and experienced 12 years ago. Nothing much has changed really. I remember the same places and the same albeit similar buildings on the main town square.
The Markt, the main town square is a very pretty area of town that is a must see. I just love standing there appreciating the beautiful half-timbered townhouses in different colours. They are real eye-candy German architectures. So gorgeous, the buildings looked like they just stepped out of the Grimm Brothers fairy-tale book. That is exactly what I remembered back then.
Because it is September, there are lesser tourists than the usual. Cochem is a very popular town in the Moselle River Valley and it can be very hectic here with day tourists during the spring and summer months.
I also had a restaurant in mind. The "Zom Hoffje" which is a traditional German cuisine restaurant. It had great ratings online hence the choice.
We were ready to have dinner so we searched for the restaurant and upon finding it I was not disappointed at all to see that the restaurant is housed in a very charming and traditional building.
However, it was full. Darn it, what a disappointment.
The restaurant was a very popular one in town and the best way to get a table is to reserve ahead of time. Who would have expected for a restaurant to be full in a small town in late September? Well, not us, but we were unlucky, helaas pindakaas.
I told the Dutchman that we'll walk along the promenade and check out the restaurants there. Perhaps we will get lucky. We earlier aw a number of good-looking places and the idea of having dinner on a terrace overlooking the promenade and the Moselle River has given me some hope and helped ease up the disappointment of being turned away by our first restaurant of choice.
You know, I can be quite picky with restaurants during my travels, but learning my lesson well that reservations are free and take a minute or two to do!
However, we found the restaurants on the promenade too casual and rather boisterous for our liking. They were more suitable for lunch and a quick snack whilst the rest function more like a bar with loud music. There were interesting restaurants as well but the ambiance didn't really speak to us.
I have to admit that we were a bit picky, or acting picky. I know I can be and believe it or not, the Dutchman can be very picky at times as well. He was picky that night.
Then I remembered passing a hotel restaurant around the corner of the promenade that has a nice open terrace with a pergola covered in lush grapevines -- The Beim Weinbauer.
The hotel, bar and restaurant are in a beautiful traditional building that looked more like the Step Gable Dutch architecture to me. The ground floor functions as the bar which was overflowing with people drinking at that moment and the upper floor with the open terrace area are where the restaurant is located. I really liked the vines crawling on the pergola roofing, quite romantic and elegant.
Standing from the street, I noticed quickly a free table on the terrace, so I hurriedly went up to grab it. I had to be quick as I was getting desperate. It's going to get dark very soon.
Because we are in Germany, we settled for the German food on the menu. Schnitzel, which actually originates in neighbouring German-speaking Austria but very popular in Germany as well.
The restaurant was very generous and gave us each a portion of 2 schnitzels which I couldn't really finish. Meat and potatoes are not the best combinations if you want to eat healthily. Thus 2 portions of meat is really a lot for someone like me who eats less meat. Luckily, we have the hiking scheduled the next day. Hallelujah =)
The route of our hiking will be starting in Bullay where we are staying, and going to Zell through the terraced vineyards. Going back, from Zell to Bullay, we will be taking the river route.
Before we knew it our first day in the Moselle River Valley was almost over and it was time for us to drive back to our B&B vacation base in Bullay. We had a great time in Cochem! We especially loved the last moments spent on the balcony of the restaurant and just chilling there with our drinks after dinner.
One of the things very important to me when travelling is "downtime". Having downtime in a nice place where I can sit back, relax and have a drink and watch the daily life of the city and town I am visiting unfold, even for just an hour or two is golden. It's like precious fresh air to my lungs.
Travel Period: September 2017
Destination: Cochem (Rhineland Platinate), Germany
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
All pictures were taken by a point and shoot pocket camera or a smartphone.
The main square in the village of Cochem (Markt). Isn't this place just so pretty?
Our very German dinner of schnitzels at the Beim Weinbauer Restaurant. We had a nice table on the terrace with the view to the Mosel River Valley.
My first reaction when I saw Cochem was total awe. It is one of the beautiful wine villages in the Moselle River Valley.
My lust for travel really started 12-13 years ago. I mean before this, I already like travelling, from time to time, but I never saw travel as a priority in my life. It was something nice to have and cool to do. Nothing less and nothing more.
I remember being in between jobs for a year in 2005-2006 and discovering that I loved travelling. It was a personal awakening for me. Perhaps because suddenly I had time on my hands to spare, I was then able to focus on other things in life that I may like and want. So the months have given me the opportunity to travel and I started exploring cities and towns in the Netherlands and in Europe.
The lovely town of Cochem has approximately 5,000 inhabitants.
The first city I explored solo was Haarlem in the North Holland province in the Netherlands. This was an interesting choice because the job I had prior to being laid off (company went into administration) was very near Haarlem. Every single day of the weekday I pass by the Haarlem station to connect to another train going to Leiden.
Haarlem was my first ever solo little city trip. It was quickly followed by more city trips and visiting towns and villages in the Netherlands and Belgium. I also remember dragging the then very obedient Dutchman along with me. He has since grown thick thorns and would resist like a headstrong bull if I even give a little hint that I want him to tag along. Oh well, that's relationship, it's all about compromise people, haha.
So after some time, the city, town and village trips became ordinary. I wanted to try something more adventurous so I decided to do a road trip -- My first ever solo road trip in Europe. It was also very timely as I have just accepted a job so I badly needed to do the road trip asap.
The solo road trip will be to Germany and Luxembourg - the Moselle River Valley route. I started of course in Utrecht, the Netherlands going to Koblenz in Germany and then driving the snakey Moselle River Valley with stops in Cochem, Trabern-Trarbach, and Bernkastel-Kues before moving to Trier and then Luxembourg.
Cochem was then my second stop after a night in Koblenz.
And now, some 12 years later down the road, I came back.... this time with the Dutchman =)
The inner village of Cochem far away from the tourists. Cochem has many "day tourists".
Cochem Reichburgs Castle, the symbol of the town. Helaas, we did not go up here. It would be impossible to bring the allergic to castles Dutchman here, haha.
Dutchman and I were not staying in Cochem but in a small village, also on the river, called Bullay. It is approximately 30 minutes with the car further down the river to the direction of Trier. We arrived in the afternoon in the Moselle and we wanted to take the day slow since the next day we will be actively hiking. So I suggested to the Dutchman that we drive to Cochem and do a little walk on the river, then we check out the town after and have dinner there.
The plan was very well received by the Dutchman and you can see the pictures of our stroll here: Mosel., Germany: Gorgeous Cochem Panorama Skyline
This is the Markt, the main market square in Cochem.
So Dutchman and I did some walking around. It is exactly the same Cochem that I have seen and experienced 12 years ago. Nothing much has changed really. I remember the same places and the same albeit similar buildings on the main town square.
The Markt, the main town square is a very pretty area of town that is a must see. I just love standing there appreciating the beautiful half-timbered townhouses in different colours. They are real eye-candy German architectures. So gorgeous, the buildings looked like they just stepped out of the Grimm Brothers fairy-tale book. That is exactly what I remembered back then.
Because it is September, there are lesser tourists than the usual. Cochem is a very popular town in the Moselle River Valley and it can be very hectic here with day tourists during the spring and summer months.
I also had a restaurant in mind. The "Zom Hoffje" which is a traditional German cuisine restaurant. It had great ratings online hence the choice.
My first choice of restaurant in Cochem was Zom Stuffje, but it was full.
We were ready to have dinner so we searched for the restaurant and upon finding it I was not disappointed at all to see that the restaurant is housed in a very charming and traditional building.
However, it was full. Darn it, what a disappointment.
The restaurant was a very popular one in town and the best way to get a table is to reserve ahead of time. Who would have expected for a restaurant to be full in a small town in late September? Well, not us, but we were unlucky, helaas pindakaas.
I told the Dutchman that we'll walk along the promenade and check out the restaurants there. Perhaps we will get lucky. We earlier aw a number of good-looking places and the idea of having dinner on a terrace overlooking the promenade and the Moselle River has given me some hope and helped ease up the disappointment of being turned away by our first restaurant of choice.
You know, I can be quite picky with restaurants during my travels, but learning my lesson well that reservations are free and take a minute or two to do!
The view from the promenade across the river.
The restaurants on the promenade.
However, we found the restaurants on the promenade too casual and rather boisterous for our liking. They were more suitable for lunch and a quick snack whilst the rest function more like a bar with loud music. There were interesting restaurants as well but the ambiance didn't really speak to us.
I have to admit that we were a bit picky, or acting picky. I know I can be and believe it or not, the Dutchman can be very picky at times as well. He was picky that night.
Then I remembered passing a hotel restaurant around the corner of the promenade that has a nice open terrace with a pergola covered in lush grapevines -- The Beim Weinbauer.
The hotel, bar and restaurant are in a beautiful traditional building that looked more like the Step Gable Dutch architecture to me. The ground floor functions as the bar which was overflowing with people drinking at that moment and the upper floor with the open terrace area are where the restaurant is located. I really liked the vines crawling on the pergola roofing, quite romantic and elegant.
Standing from the street, I noticed quickly a free table on the terrace, so I hurriedly went up to grab it. I had to be quick as I was getting desperate. It's going to get dark very soon.
The Beim Weinbauer Restaurant (bar on the ground floor).
The terrace has a pergola extension with grape vines slithering through the wooden trusses. We did have as well a nice vantage to the promenade and water.
Dutchman and I ordered the same thing: Schnitzel with some side potatoes and veggies. Delicious.
Because we are in Germany, we settled for the German food on the menu. Schnitzel, which actually originates in neighbouring German-speaking Austria but very popular in Germany as well.
The restaurant was very generous and gave us each a portion of 2 schnitzels which I couldn't really finish. Meat and potatoes are not the best combinations if you want to eat healthily. Thus 2 portions of meat is really a lot for someone like me who eats less meat. Luckily, we have the hiking scheduled the next day. Hallelujah =)
The route of our hiking will be starting in Bullay where we are staying, and going to Zell through the terraced vineyards. Going back, from Zell to Bullay, we will be taking the river route.
Before we knew it our first day in the Moselle River Valley was almost over and it was time for us to drive back to our B&B vacation base in Bullay. We had a great time in Cochem! We especially loved the last moments spent on the balcony of the restaurant and just chilling there with our drinks after dinner.
One of the things very important to me when travelling is "downtime". Having downtime in a nice place where I can sit back, relax and have a drink and watch the daily life of the city and town I am visiting unfold, even for just an hour or two is golden. It's like precious fresh air to my lungs.
These are real grapevines and grapes draping the pergola of the restaurant in the balcony. We tried it and they are very sweet. Candy sweet.
We finished the evening with coffee.
Travel Period: September 2017
Destination: Cochem (Rhineland Platinate), Germany
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
All pictures were taken by a point and shoot pocket camera or a smartphone.
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