After departing from Burg Eltz, our concluding destination on this road trip prior to our return to London was Aachen.
Situated near the borders of the Netherlands and Belgium, it proved to be an ideal location to rest before boarding our DFDS ferry back to London (which, to be precise, is actually to Dover followed by a drive to London).
Upon our arrival, we checked into the Innside in Aachen, and at that moment, I realized we had already spent approximately 14 hours on the road that day!
Although I was eager to discover Aachen, we concluded that it would be more practical to unwind for the day and dine at the rooftop restaurant at our hotel, which turned out to be quite enjoyable.
To be fair, I had not envisaged an extensive exploration of Aachen; there simply was not sufficient time to delve into everything comprehensively. Nevertheless, that did not preclude us from making the most of our visit.
The following morning, we accomplished precisely that — efficiently consuming breakfast before venturing into town to explore Aachen.
Given our limited time frame, two significant locations were prioritized for our visit: the Rathaus (the town hall) and the cathedral.
As we walked through Aachen, a notable juxtaposition between historical and modern structures was evident, likely consequences of wartime destruction and subsequent reconstruction.
The Rathaus was likely a sight we would need to postpone as, although entry was allowed, a guided tour was required to fully appreciate the premises, which we regrettably lacked the time to undertake.
However, the marketplace in front of it and the pathway leading to the cathedral are certainly worthy of exploration while in the city.
The cathedral, however, required no advanced arrangement and is one of the most magnificent sites we encountered on this road trip throughout Germany.
As we prepared to depart, we reflected on our drive from Aachen to Dunkirk in France to board our DFDS ferry to Dover. Although this distance may seem considerable, it actually comprises approximately a three-hour drive across three countries.
Reflecting on this journey has provided a remarkable reminder of the joys of road trips and the importance of including at least one each travel year.
Traveling by car not only enables exploration but also allows for visits to destinations that might otherwise be overlooked, especially when one can conveniently return to their front door with the car drop-off being just around the corner.
Until next time!
