Oct 13 - Cochem Germany

We are sailing when we wake this morning. We head to the bar and log onto the internet to do our mail around 10AM.
The crew starts setting up for a Bavarian Fruhshoppen (ship spelling) or fruehschoppen  at 11AM. There was sausages, pretzels and beer.

After this was lunch!

At 2PM we arrived in Cochem. It was a sunny Saturday and we headed into town to sample some of the local Mosel wine. We didn't have to be back on board until 6:15 so it was great to have so much time.

There’s no worrying about how to get around in Cochem; river cruise ships dock right in the centre of town.

The town was crowded with locals out shopping and socializing with friends and families in sidewalk cafes. Every cafe provides blankets and gas heaters so it makes it very easy to sit outside.

With an appearance that resembles something straight out of a fairy tale, the German town of Cochem is one of the prettiest towns in the entire country. With a population of roughly five thousand, this small town is also one of the most pedestrian-friendly. Indeed, the vast majority of the town can be covered completely on foot.

Situated along the banks of the Moselle, Cochem has been settled sine the time of the early Romans. The town’s rich history includes a bout with the feared plague in 1423, constant siege during the Thirty Years War, and a shift to French rule in 1794.

 Sadly, like many German towns, Cochem was heavily damaged during the Second World War. Fortunately, enough of the historic Old Town survivesthy tourist destination in its own right; a shining example of some incredible Medieval German architecture.

The area revolves around excellent wine and good food. A number of wineries have cosy restaurants where fine cuisine and regional specialties are served. While the town may only boasts a few churches, it makes up for it in the wealth of weinstübe, pubs, restaurants, bistros, cafes and hotels, offering traditional regional fare, in additional to dishes from many other regions exist.

Time for some local wine.

We decide to head back to the side of the river where the boat is docked and have another glass of wine before re-boarding.