Moselle: Ahr, Eifel, Kyll

Welcome to Koblenz, the city on the Rhine and Moselle. Take advantage of your arrival day to experience the special charm of the historic old town. Amid winding alleys, cozy street cafés, and impressive squares, you can savor the anticipation of your upcoming cycling tour. A leisurely stroll along the riverside promenades offers beautiful views of both rivers. If you’d like to go a little higher, visit Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, which offers a breathtaking panoramic view of Koblenz and the Rhine Valley. In the evening, traditional wine bars and restaurants invite you to enjoy regional specialties and fine local wines as you wind down the first day of your vacation.

You’ll start your cycling trip at a leisurely pace on the flat Rhine Cycle Route. Marvel at the many castles and palaces along the way. Sayn, Neuwied, Andernach, Namedy, Brohl, and Bad Breisig - all these castles and palaces look forward to your visit. Between Bad Breisig and Remagen, you’ll cycle through the so-called “Golden Mile.” It’s a particularly fertile farming region in the Rhine Valley. Thanks to the warm and dry climate, numerous vineyards, orchards, and vegetable gardens thrive here. After spending some time on the Rhine Cycle Route, you’ll turn into the sun-drenched Ahr Valley. It welcomes you in Bad Neuenahr with a spa park well worth seeing. Stroll through the beautiful medieval town center in Ahrweiler and enjoy the charm of the spa town. Together with Bad Neuenahr, the twin town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler is the largest wine-growing community on the Ahr.

You’ll cycle through Germany’s largest red wine-growing region on the Ahr Valley Bike Trail, which takes you through numerous wine-growing villages such as Dernau, Rech, and Mayschloß. Now the valley gradually narrows, and steep cliffs rise impressively along the route. In Ahrdorf, you’ll switch to the Kalkeifel Bike Trail. Marvel at the idyllic Ahbach Valley with the Dreimühlen Waterfall. It’s considered one of the most interesting waterfalls in the Eifel and was designated a natural monument as early as 1938. Continuing slightly uphill, you’ll cycle along a former railroad right-of-way past Kerpen with its imposing castle. Just before Hillesheim, you’ll finally reach the highest point. Enjoy the historic town center - and don’t be scared - because Hillesheim is home to Germany’s first crime-themed hotel, featuring various themed rooms, as well as the Kriminalhaus, which houses a crime archive and thousands of crime novels. You certainly won’t get bored! You’ll spend the night in Hillesheim or Gerolstein.

Look forward to your bike ride along the Kalkeifel Bike Trail, which takes you downhill right from the start through the Bolsdorfer Tälchen, one of the most beautiful stream valleys in the Eifel. This valley leads you all the way to the Kyll Valley. The Kyll is the Moselle’s largest tributary and the longest river in the Eifel! You’ll enjoy a pleasant ride along the well-maintained and clearly marked Kyll Valley Bike Trail to Gerolstein, home to its famous mineral spring. Today’s ride through the Volcanic Eifel will be much easier than yesterday’s. The Kyll Bike Trail leads gently downhill past castles and palaces, springs, extinct volcanoes, and remnants from Roman times. So this bike trail also offers plenty of variety. At the end, Bitburg beckons. In 10 B.C., the Romans built the highway from Trier to Cologne and established their first rest stop in Bitburg. Because of its strategic importance, the Romans built a fortified camp here with walls, gates, and towers, the remains of which still shape Bitburg’s cityscape today. On the “Roman Bitburg” archaeological trail, you can follow in the footsteps of the Romans and experience a touch of history at the original site.

The Kyll Bike Trail will delight you once again today. A long descent through the narrow Kyll Valley takes you through the Southern Eifel into the Moselle Valley. You’ll cycle past green hills and through vast forests, enjoying magnificent views along the way. On the Moselle Bike Trail, you’ll cycle swiftly to Trier, Germany’s oldest city, where a variety of sights and discoveries await you. Be sure to set aside plenty of time to explore the historic city center, the Imperial Baths, and the Porta Nigra, because there’s hardly any other city where UNESCO has listed as many architectural monuments on the World Heritage List as in Trier!

After breakfast, your eventful cycling tour ends in Trier, and you can begin your journey home with many wonderful memories. Perhaps you’d like to spend a little more time in Trier - why not book an extra night?