Southern Eifel

North of Trier is Bitburg (pop. 12,000). In Bedaplatz is the Haus Beda cultural center, with the Eifel-Ardennes Museum (pictures, fossils, Roman mosaics). In the eastern part of the center, on Denkmalstrasse, is the local Heimatmuseum (domestic interiors, folk traditions).

At Otrang, 6km/4mi north, are the remains of a Roman villa (first century A.D.).

European Folk Festival is an annual five-day event in early July and brings together folk dancers and musicians from throughout Europe.

In the center of the volcanic Eifel is Daun (mineral springs). Southeast of the town is the Gemündener Maar (bathing lido, boat hire), at the foot of the Mäuseberg (561m/1841m). Nearby is the Totenmaar.

East of Prüm lies Gerolstein, in the volcanic Eifel (mineral springs). In a 16th C. building is the local Heimatmuseum (art, domestic interiors, iron-casting). On the Schlossberg can be seen the ruins of the 13th C. Löwenburg (destroyed in 1691). Around the little town are steep dolomite crags.

In Gondorf, 10km/6mi east of Bitburg, is a leisure park, the Eifelpark.

Northeast of Bitburg lies the picturesque little town of Kyllburg. On the Stiftsberg stands an old 13th C. keep (views). The Stiftskirche has beautiful stained glass (16th C.).

Manderscheid is charmingly situated 90 m/300ft above the valley of the Lieser, with two castles once held by the Counts of Manderscheid (whose line died out in 1780). To the west is the Meerfelder Maar.

North of Bitburg (either direct on B 51 or via Kyllburg) is Prüm, with a former Benedictine abbey (partly by Balthasar Neumann). The most notable features of the church are the beautiful high altar and the tomb of Emperor Lothair I (d. 855).

From Daun, an interesting detour can be made to Ulmen (15km/9mi east), with the Bergkirche, a ruined castle and the Ulmener Maar.