In September 2026 we took our interrail cards to Vienna, visiting as we went five monasteries and their baroque abbeys and their libraries.
Day 1 Edinburgh to Koblenz
7 am Edinburgh to King’s Cross the start of a long day – a quiet train. Sunny conditions give way to cloud and it has clearly been raining when we arrive in London in time for a quick visit to Housman’s book shop nearby. Check-in at St Pancras poor as we are directed to longer queues and the wrong passport desk. A tasty gluten-free meal on the eurostar, having pre-ordered when we booked. The train becomes quiet between Lille and Brussels though there is still no scenery of interest.
It is raining in Brussels where the grey tower blocks give way to terraces of narrow Dutch-style houses and dry weather.
Liege station is the highlight of any rail journey.
At Cologne the platforms are hugely long an we make along them through crowds including football fans in red and white. There is half a coach in the Koblenz train for first class but it is full to bursting with passengers such that a wheelchair doesn’t make it on. Although it empties out as we progress, it is not seamless and we come to a halt at Sinzig where an advertised delay to 20.35 is belied by a departure at 20.13. Still, it is more than twelve hours since we boarded at Edinburgh.
On arrival at Koblenz, a branch of Lidl is on our route and we follow a large group of young people along the street only to find they are heading there too. The accommodation is a bedsit with a plug-in electric hob and inertia blinds. But welcome after a long day.
Day 2 Markburg
Bus substitution to Braubach and we set off uphill. Quite soon we are at a good height but on a hill opposite the one with Markburg Castle. We join up with Alex, an American who was unwise enough to follow us. He has been at the gaming fair in Cologne that was partly responsible for the overcrowding on yesterday’s local train. J, who has guided us so far, finds steps down to the village which stops us having to retrace our steps and gives us a good view of the castle.
We climb up to the castle and have time for coffee and apple pie in their self-service cafe before the 11 am tour. This is in German with a leaflet in English which is quite okay as there is a lot to see.
It is not for the disabled as the terrain is authentically original.
Back to the village for a doner kebab lunch. We arrive late at the bus stop for the rail replacement only to find it is running late and we are back in Koblenz by 1.30. Our walk in the town centre is not much of an event as shops do not open on Sunday in Germany. We reach the Rhine again, dominated by massive Viking River Cruise boats with their industrial rows of balconies. We walk along the riverbank to Deutches Eck where the Mosel joins the Rhine. The weather is warm but mostly cloudy which is great for tourism though not photography. Decent enough Thai meal near the accommodation.
Day 3 Koblenz to Memmingen
We are at the station early enough before the 9.48 to Mannheim to book our reservations between Stuttgart and Paris on the return leg. Although the interrail app says that this is from €21, the actual charge here is €0 which we prefer. A small carry-out coffee in the station, however, is €4.40.
Our train is double-decker and the upper first class is the quietest quiet coach we have ever been in. The journey from Koblenz to Mainz follows the Rhine for nearly an hour and is surely one of the great railway journies.
Many of the hills lining our way have a castle a top while the discipline of the rails stops us being lured onto the rocks by the maidens of the river – a particular hazard when the water is so low.
Rain gives way to sunshine as the river gives way to vineyards.
We are late at Mannheim but so is our connection so the hazard of the short connections that the app provides abates.
A short stop in Mannheim allows us to admire an apparently one-dimensional building. As the works are not finished at Stuttgart, we back out on our way to Ulm where we change for a regional train to Memmingen.
The regional train is spotless and new with a lovely picture window of the flat rural scene. We arrive at Memmingen in substantial heat and walk from the station to the hotel where there is no-one to answer the bell or the phone. Eventually J finds a man asleep in the bar who checks us in.
The town is picture-perfect old German town. The sun is hot but two ice creams on glass dishes are only €3.50. It is chantrelle season and the Swan Inn has a special mushroom menu of which my pork dish is €23.
Day 4 Ottobeuren
Up at 6 and breakfast at 6.30 – yoghurt and the rice cakes we brought with us. Bus number 955 from the railway station at 7.30 arriving at Ottobeuren at 8am. This is because the gates of the abbey open 7.30 to midday before shutting for one and a half hours. A dozen worshippers have gathered in the huge church opposite the bus stop, a massive baroque event that takes the breath away.
The monastery attached is also huge. Although we are warmly greeted by a receptionist who is a great fan of Edinburgh, neither the museum nor the library nor the Great Hall opens until 10am. The village down from the church seems largely to consist of cafes which indicates a good amount of tourism going on – but not yet. However, the bakery cafe has been open since 6 and we secure a coffee for me and a cake for J for €5.20. The cake goes uneaten as J prefers the complimentary pastry that comes with my coffee.
We head back to the church about 9. It is now unoccupied and a lovely place to spend time. The choir is roped off so we cannot see if there are misericords but, on return, our friendly receptionist takes us to inspect the stalls and there prove to be a complete set of matching misericords in a baroque (and frankly uncomfortable-looking) design.
€8 and €6 buy us entry to the public parts of the Abbey. This is mainly a museum stretching the whole length of a wing and very well done. On the way we see the library and the school and great halls – all entirely on our own. The library is unlit and all the books have been bound with white spines. The finished effect is of an austerity which is remarkable given how richly decorated it is.
We are finished soon after 11 with almost an hour until the next bus we make for the cafe which will close about the same time; we bring forward lunch. J has his second pretzel of the day, this one with spätzle, a local cheese and cream pate delicacy. I have a liverwurst salad, “Swiss” because it has cheese added. The effect is very German but I am very hungry.
Back in Memmingen, we visit St. Martin’s Church in the centre of town. It has misericords in the choir and throughout in large groups of individual stalls for ordinary church-goers. These are all of a turned style, nothing representational. Some have been covered in leather when the seats were done. This point to use in the 19th century with quite a lot of neglect since when the groups of family stalls were moved aside from the main part of the church.
Day 5 Memmingen to Metten
8.11 regional train to Buchloe to transfer to our first bus of the day – very full and unenjoyable but in good time at Munich HBf which is large and unattractive with no realistic prospect of coffee. However, we have snacks with us.
First class in the Alex train that will be in Prague this afternoon is compartments of six, quite an old fashioned experience from which those wihout first class passes are efficiently removed to the corridor.
However, the service has no catering while it is in Germany so no coffee.
Very soon off this and on to our second bustitution – less busy than the first but still uncomfortable and slow.
At Plattling, despite the extensive works, one platform is operating and a train comes along providing a ten minute journey to Deggendorf where we arrive to see the bus to Metten leaving.
The next one is at 3.25. The station is not in the centre and the walk into town strains relations. Reaching the town just on 2, there are several places with tables that look okay but kitchens close at 2pm. However, Bäckerei is open and provides a club sandwich and a schnitzel with potato salad and things begin to look up though wasps are a problem.
The local church a fine onion dome to the tower after which, with difficulty, we locate the Danube which has a path on the top of flood protection works.
Despite having our luggage with us, we follow the river to Metten, five kilometers away. This is an enjoyable walk though the road follows the same route.
The last kilometer is through the village which seems to be entirely modern. However, the Mettner Hof where we are staying is characterful. A key card is a folder pre-printed with J’s name awaits in the foyer. Our room is in two sections, the seond being kitchen/dining with a view directly on to the Abbey we have come so far to visit. Out to the Netto for smoked salmon and eggs and breakfast supplies.
