Koblenz has plenty of things to see and do that’ll cost you money. But we enjoy being thrifty, even if we forgo the “unmissable tourist spots”. If you’re looking for a low-budget day sightseeing, we’ll share 7 free things to do in Koblenz.
We spent a whole day sightseeing in Koblenz for free. Admittedly, we did spend ten euros, but that was an unnecessary expense! We also camped for three nights for free, not far from the city.
Read on to discover what we did, where we went, where we stayed, and where we spent our money.
Additionally, as we had a seven-month-old Baby M (the Vanbino) with us, we’ll highlight some of Koblenz’s baby-friendly features.
About Us
Hi there! We’re Jolly, Nemi, and The Vanbino, a travelling family living full-time in our self-converted Luton campervan “Vandertramp”.
We’re a thrifty family on a budget who loves exploring new places. We like to go at a steady pace and share with you our honest and realistic travel guides.
Table of Contents:
7 Free Things To Do in Koblenz
1. Walk Along The Rhine River
You can walk for about an hour into Koblenz Old Town along the Rhine River in a skinny park. There are two paths, both flat and perfect for pushchairs.
Keep your eyes peeled, as there’s lots of nature. We saw lots of pretty ducks and other river birds; we heard woodpeckers and saw a jay. We went in early March, so there will be much more later in spring and summer.
Also, keep your eye out for nutrias! When we first saw one, we thought it was a mutant beaver rat. The locals must feed this lot because they’re very friendly – they’ll come right up to you begging for food and even try to have a hunt in your bag for a snack. So, take some carrots or apples to feed them if you spot them.
2. Wander Around The Cobbled Streets
You’ll know when you’re in the Old Town (Altstadt), as there will be cobbles underneath your feet. We had Baby M in a carrier, but most pushchairs would be fine, although it might be a bumpy ride for your little one!
The Old Town is relatively small compared to the rest of Koblenz, so you can do a few laps and keep discovering new things. We invented a game of trying to find the oldest building – our winner was built in the 1500’s… let us know if you find one older!
The Old Town is beautiful, though. Everywhere you look, there are pretty buildings, murals, gothic road signs or winding streets. Wandering these old streets was definitely one of our favourite free things to do in Koblenz!
3. Hunt for Statues
If you’ve walked along the Rhine River, you’ll have already spotted some beautiful statues and monuments.
The most impressive statue you’ll find in Koblenz is part of a monument at the Deutsches Eck (the German corner), where the rivers Rhine and Moselle meet.
The statue commemorates German unity, and it’s MASSIVE. You can explore around it and walk up to the top section, although the stairway up to the top was closed when we were there. If you’ve got a pushchair, getting up the stairs might be awkward.
Other statues are dotted around the old quarter, all from different periods and in various styles. Some are very ornate and grand, while others are strange or silly.
4. Look For Fountains
Similarly, look for the fountains. They were all shut off when we visited, as it was just coming out of winter, and we guessed it was to stop them from freezing.
Our favourite was in Josef-Görres-Platz. The vast column tells the story of Koblenz’s 2000-year history in ten scenes, from Roman times to today.
5. Visit Government Buildings
As with most places, the government buildings are rather grand and impressive. We didn’t intend to visit one; it was just where we ended up around lunchtime. The grounds around it are pleasant, and there are free benches, tables, and a play park for bigger kids.
If you’re looking for free things to do in Koblenz, take a packed lunch rather than pay for lunch in one of the restaurants or cafes!
6. Find Jesuitenplatz
On your hunt for statues, you’ll no doubt find yourself in a Jesuitenplatz, a square with a statue of Johannes Müller. Finding this square might not be one of the free things to do in Koblenz, though, because this is a lovely place to part with some money, providing the weather is fair.
There’s a lovely bustling café, where you can sit and listen to the musical bells which play a different tune every hour. On the wall is a bell song schedule if you’re picky about which song you want to listen to.
7. Visit The Churches
We didn’t do this, but it could be on your list if walking around churches is your thing. There are lots to choose from, dotted all around the old quarter.
Additional Free Things In Koblenz
Free Camping
If, like us, you’re travelling by camper, finding free park-up spots is essential for saving money. This one was great, although there weren’t any facilities. So, you need to be self-contained with a toilet onboard and ensure you have plenty of water and gas.
The address is Rheinau, Oberworth, Koblenz,
Pros:
5-minute walk to the river Rhine.
Further 35-minute walk into Koblenz along the river.
Bike-friendly – there are cycle paths through the park into Koblenz
Two play parks – one just to the right of the park up and one less than five minutes into the park
Recycling point, although the rubbish bin was locked.
In a quiet neighbourhood – no disturbances at night
Cons:
There was a construction site opposite, which was quite loud during working hours. This site may also be a future con, as campers may have fewer parking spaces once they build the apartments.
The black bin next to the recycling was locked.
A fence runs behind the parking/camping, which ruins the view of the river. However, because Vandertramp is so tall, the view from our windows looked over the fence.
The boats chugging up and down the river were noisy, although this didn’t disturb us much.
Free Toilets
Visiting toilets obviously won’t be on your itinerary, but finding free ones is crucial when saving money! Quite a few public toilets are dotted around (marked on the tourist maps), so you don’t have to buy a drink somewhere to use their facilities.
So, going to the loo can be another thing on your “free things to do in Koblenz” list!
Where We Spent Our Money
So, you’re probably wondering where we spent our money. Well, with all this walking around, we needed a bit of a break and baby M needed time to wiggle around after being in a baby carrier for three hours. So, we stopped at Cafe Bistro Pfefferminzje on the edge of the old quarter which has vegan options. Nemi had a vegan power chai (probably a dirty chai?), and Jolly had a “really good” americano.
When you go in, it looks like a single room, but there is another room at the back with further seating and outdoor tables at the front and back.
Other Information
Baby Changing
Neither the public loos we went to nor the café where we had a coffee had baby-changing facilities. However, opposite the Schängel Fountain is the Town Hall (Rathaus). We used the toilets there, which had a large entry hall that could be utilised for a swift baby change (although the floor is stone, so take some padding!)
What To Pack
Having a free day out means carrying a bag full of goodies to help you avoid spending money. Here’s our Koblenz packing list:
Nemi & Jolly
Large bottles of water.
Flask with a hot drink.
Nuts and fruit for snacks.
Packed lunch.
The Vanbino
Pot of fruit/veg snacks.
Small toy/teething toy.
Nappies and change of clothes.
Roll up changing mat.
Koblenz Tourist Map
There are tourist maps dotted around Koblenz. Alternatively, you can find one here.
Recap
There are other attractions and sights around Koblenz that will cost you money to visit. But this list of free things to do in Koblenz took us around 6 hours, which was plenty of time to soak in the beauty of Koblenz without parting with our precious euros.
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Have fun exploring! Let us know in the comments what you got up to.
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