Municipality of Blankenheim
Thr picturesque castle town of Blankenheim is located in the heart of the Eifel, directly on the River Ahr and the EifelSteig. Since 1969 the municipality is the main locality of 17 villages : Ahrdorf, Ahrhütte, Alendorf, Blankenheim, Blankenheimerdorf, Dollendorf, Freilingen, Hüngersdorf, Lindweiler, Lommersdorf, Mülheim, Nonnenbach, Reetz Ripsdorf, Rohr, Uedelhoven, and Waldorf. Every single village has its own special charm and they are spreaded over an area of 14,900 hectares and include circa 8,600 residents.
The Grafenburg castle Blankenheim is located above the town center and is now being used as a youth hostel. From here you may have a wonderful view over the historic center, where visitors can expect to see the spring of the river Ahr, half-timber houses, old City gates, a late Gothic church, as well as romantic corners and lanes. Two of these quaint houses are home to the Eifelmuseum Blankenheim and the Documentation Center of the Roman Road Adventure Region. The historic carnival museum in the Georgstor explains the impressive 400-year old Blankenheim carnival traditions in particular the Blankenheim "Geisterzug". Another cultural and historical highlight is the "Tiergartentunnel"- the medieval water supply to the castle, which is a unique technical monument of European importance.
The newly redesigned recreational areas around the castle pond in Blankenheim invite you to linger. Water sports are offered at Lake Freilingen. Visitors to this recreation area can go fishing, surfing, boating, diving and rent barbecues here.
On numerous, even interregional, biking and hiking trails, such as the Ahr-rad-Weg, Ahrsteig and Eifelsteig, the unique nature and landscape around the village as well as the juniper conservation area, “Lampertstal”, or “Nonnenbachtal” with its numerous butterflies become accessible to visitors.
Information about Blankenheim and the northern Eifel region is available at the tourist information office in the Eifelmuseum in the center of Blankenheim.
Ideal starting and finishing point for hiking and biking is the “Rad- und Wanderbahnhof Blankenheim Wald” (cycle and hike train station Blankenheim Wald).