Cross Chapel view of Burg Eltz & Yellow Leaves

This image was taken at the south end of Cross Chapel, looking onto the Burg Eltz castle. Follow the GPS to see where I stood to get this view of the exterior of the castle and valley, framed by leaves. To reach the castle, you'll need a car. I recommend parking in the lot just north of the historic landmark (50.211700, 7.339096) and then walking to Cross Chapel. Also, be prepared to pay the 2€ parking fee if you park in the lot.

To capture the yellow leaves (like I have in my photo), I recommend visiting Burg Eltz from the Cross Chapel viewpoint in the fall.

In my opinion, you should definitely wake up early and make your way to the castle at sunrise. It can get very crowded during the day, so going as early as possible is the best way to avoid tourists. You'll also have the best chance of capturing some of the morning fog rolling over the hills at this time.

Make use of the natural formation of the leaves to guide the framing of your photo. Not only will the leaves add some depth and dimension, they'll also bring a pop of color to the photo.

Try to use the pathway to the entrance of the castle as a leading line.

You'll be able to capture the forest and the entire castle with a wider lens (e.g. 34mm).

After getting this perspective, head down to the castle's entrance and take some photos there. I have another locations here in the app, so check out it and see the other tips I have for shooting at this location.

There are countless historic castles nearby along the Rhine River and Mosel River. It's best to take a full day to see as many as you can — they're all beautiful and well worth the trip!