Monschau, aka the “Pearl of the Eifel”, is a small, historic town in the German Eifel. Largely unchanged for over 300 years, the narrow, cobblestoned streets and traditional half-timbered houses have made this charming place one of the main tourist attractions of the region. Set in beautiful landscapes at a stones-throw from the Eifel National Park, it makes an excellent base for hikers and cyclists. While popular in summer, it only becomes truly overrun for its famous Christmas market in winter. Monschau is easily reachable from nearby cities like Aachen and Köln/Cologne, as well as from Belgium. Your best rail option is to get to Aachen. There are direct buses available from the main bus terminal Aachen Hauptbahnhof as well as from Aachen Rote Erde. Alternatively, from the Belgian side, you can get as far as Eupen by rail, from where you can catch the TEC bus that runs every two hours.
