Photo By Senior Airman Elizabeth Baker | Swan Boats are available at Bostalsee lake in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, June 2, 2020....... read more read more
Subscribe
With the 4th of July weekend and the rest of summer coming up, members of the Kaiserslautern Military Community may want to take advantage of the mild weather and variety of travel opportunities. There are a variety of safe and budget-friendly destinations for personnel and their families to consider.
“Yes, you can feel safe as long as you respect the current regulations, like social distancing and wearing a face covering when necessary,” said Sebastian Risch, Rheinland-Pfalz Tourism Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung product manager.
Germany is back open for tourism and most hotels, restaurants and attractions are operating, with restrictions in place. The health measures are government-mandated to keep customers safe from COVID-19. Often-crowded tourist sites such as castles and downtown areas protect visitors by limiting the number of occupants, spacing out seating arrangements, requiring face coverings inside establishments and making hand sanitizer readily available. Customers may want to make reservations to ensure entry.
With a depth of historical, cultural and nature attractions, there is an active tourism industry in Rheinland-Pfalz.
Three of the state’s most popular cities for tourists are Trier, Koblenz and Mainz, Risch said.
The three cities are located in the Moselle Valley wine region and the drive from Ramstein offers views of rolling green vineyards and white windmills. Wine tasting and touring are popular activities throughout the region.
The city of Trier is known for Roman structures and Catholic churches. Visitors gather in the market squares for the architecture, food and drinks. Trier is located on the banks of the Moselle River and is about an hour and 15-minute drive from Ramstein.
Koblenz is located where the Moselle and Rhine rivers meet. It is known for its picturesque and historic architecture, museums and views of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization “Upper Middle Rhine Valley” World Heritage Site.
The capital of the Rhineland-Palatinate, Mainz, borders the Rhine River. It is known for its old-style architecture and medieval market squares.
One of Risch’s top Rheinland-Pfalz activity recommendations is hiking. The Rhine River, Mosel wine region, and Palatine forests are among the state’s hiking destinations.
“Take a tour on one of our many great hiking trails along rivers, forests and mountains, passing gorgeous castles,” Risch said.
Eltz Castle, sometimes called by visitors a “fairy-tale” castle, is one of the larger castles in the region. It sits on a hill surrounded by forest and is approximately a two-hour drive from Ramstein.
Another nature-engulfed destination is Geierlay suspension bridge, which is the second-longest suspension bridge in Germany. It connects two hiking trails and draws visitors for its panoramic views of the forested Hunsruck Mountains. The drive from Ramstein is about an hour and 45 minutes.
More of Rheinland-Pfalz’s most popular tourist activities are riverboat excursions, guided tours, museums and visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
For a relaxing afternoon, Bostalsee lake is a 40-minute drive from Ramstein and Gelterswoog lake is a 20-minute drive. Both lakes offer beach areas and a variety of activities.
For those who would like to travel beyond Rheinland-Palz, 86th Airlift Wing leadership announced during a recent town hall that travel restrictions have loosened due to a new order from U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa.
“There’s still going to be factors you’ll have to consider in regard to traveling to other countries, but it’s no longer absolutely prohibited to do,” said Chief Master Sgt. Ernesto Rendon, 86th AW command chief. “We will be pushing that guidance down to all levels.”
As each unit may have specific travel considerations, personnel need to check with their leadership before traveling.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2020 07:50 |
| Story ID: | 372799 |
| Location: | RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Bon voyage: stay safe, by SrA Elizabeth Baker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
