EifelSchleife On the Trail of the Romans (Municipality of Blankenheim)

The idyllic half-timbered town of Blankenheim at the foot of the castle Blankenheim, built in the twelfth century, is the perfect starting point for exploring the Roman history of this region. You hike through the surrounding meadows and forests of the nature reserve, where fox and hare say good night to each other, and repeatedly encounter relics and traces left by the Romans since the first centuries AD. The path leads you along the “Agrippastraße”, one of the main arteries of the Roman Empire.

A special highlight is the Roman villa Blankenheim – one of the most important archaeological monuments of the Rhineland. The installation of a former estate, perched on a hill, stands on ancient foundations and impressively demonstrates the size and splendor of a Roman residential and economic complex.

Besides these cultural insights, the Seidenbachtal nature reserve offers a blooming paradise for butterflies and promises pure relaxation!

From the starting point in Blankenheim, follow the path to the right onto Ahrstraße and then onto Bahnhofstraße. At the bus station, turn left and after a few meters you will reach the grounds of the Roman villa. Pass the installation on the right and turn left onto In den Alzen. Take Königstraße to the right and then turn right onto Dörfer Weg.

Follow the path until the sharp left turn onto Im Weiler. Now Nürburgstraße leads you to the right and Olbrücker Weg to the left through Blankenheimerdorf. In the forest, turn left onto Römerstraße and follow the signs for a short stretch over the K70 and later the K69. A left turn before the Nonnenbach takes you past Schlemmershof and after crossing the K69, turn left back into the forest. Follow the signposts through the forest. Then follow to the right the Nußhecker Hof, which continues into Nonnenbacher Weg, and keep left until you meet Lühbergstraße again on the right.