Moselle: thrilling ride ahead

Thrilling ride ahead

Allow yourself to be inspired to an enjoyable cycling trip by the Moselle valley. Follow the unconventional loops of the River Moselle in a brisk ride with daily stages of 40-56 km. As the bike course is completely flat, you will have enough time for all the wonderful sights, for the historical places and cities, for the 2000 year old history, for interesting museums, for small boat cruises and of course for many worthwhile stops in the pretty little wine villages.

1. day Arrival Trier

You should take your time for the visit of the historical centre, the Kaiserthermen (imperial thermal baths) and the Porta Nigra. Arrival is possible by German railway/parking site and rental bike at the hotel.

2. day Trier - Piesport 48 km

Today, Roman past and contemporary viniculture will meet. The Moselle bike trail leads you to Mehring, where the Villa Rustica waits for your visit. ‘Villa Rustica’ is the designation for a manor in the Roman Empire. Today, the reconstructed walls and foundations can be visited again. You will now cycle to Trittenheim, where a nature trail informs about the man-year of the vine-grower, the local variety of grape and the process of vine-growing. Just before reaching today’s destination, you will pass Neumagen-Dhron, Germany’s oldest wine-growing place! You should stop here to taste some of that wine!

3. day Piesport - Traben-Trarbach 40 km

The two famous Moselle towns Bernkastel-Kues and Traben-Trarbach and the well-known wine growing resort "Kröver Nacktarsch" are today’s highlight! Marvel at the colorful and manifold half-timbered constructions seaming the market place of Bernkastel-Kues. In Traben-Trarbach, you should take a boat trip and visit the bridge gate, the landmark of the old city. Built as a decorative bridge in 1899, it has housed a café-restaurant since its construction.

4. day Traben-Trarbach - Cochem 55 km

You will discover Enkirch today, a jewel of the Moselle region’s traditional half-timbered architecture. Later on, you will reach Zell, the wine-growing resort with the ‚Zeller Schwarzen Katz’ (‚The Black cat of Zell’). Take a relaxing break in the small town of Beilstein, proud of its surname „Rothenburg an der Mosel“. Then, you will reach Cochem with its picturesque centre and the ancient realm dating from the 11th century.

5. day Cochem - Koblenz 49 km

Before the Moselle bike trail takes you to the neat wine-growing villages like Koben Gondorf or Winningen and to the Deutsche Eck, you will have the chance to visit the medieval castle of Burg Eltz. Enjoy the wide view over the magnificent valley of the Rhine and be looking forward to a wonderful evening in Koblenz.

6. day Koblenz departure

Your bike trip ends in Koblenz today. Saying good-bye is never easy, especially not to the winding Moselle bike trail. Anyone who wishes to travel back to Trier should book our shuttle transfer. It will transport any luggage and the bikes as well. Departure will be at 9.00am, arrival in Trier around 11.00 am. If you wish to cycle even longer along the Rhine, you can prolong your trip to Cologne or Mainz.

Worth knowing about your Moselle Tour

Below please find more information about your bike trip. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us by phone: 0049 - (0)6421-886890.

Arrival by train

From Koblenz Trier is easily accessible by train. We recommend to take a taxi from the station to get to our partner hotels in Trier. Current schedule information and price information can be found at

Train schedule information

Parking facilities at the hotel

Our partner hotels in Trier always provide parking possibilities. Sometimes even free of charge, for the entire duration of your bike trip. There are always plenty of parking spots available, pre-reservation is not always necessary. Detailed information on parking at your hotel, you will receive together with the detailed travel documents two weeks prior to departure.

Condition of cycle paths

The quality of the bike tail is very good. There are practical no unpaved or poorly developed path. The route runs almost exclusively on paved roads and is very well signposted. The volume of traffic varies, but between Trier and Cochem there is almost always a seperate bike trail on the right or left shore side, off the main road. Only during your last day you have to cycle a section on a wide bicycle lane next to the main road. Detailed information about which shore side is best to cycle on, you will receive together with the detailed travel documents two weeks prior to departure.

Available rental bikes

If you choose to rent a Velociped-rental bike for the tour, we take it to your first hotel and pick it up at your destination. You can choose between woman’s and men's bicycles either with 7-speed gear shift and coaster brake or 27-speed gear shift and freewheel or electric bikes. All ladies' bikes have a low opening that makes mounting and dismounting much easier. The bikes are suitable for all ladies from 150 cm in height and for all gentlemen from 165 cm in height. You simply specify your wishes at time of booking.

Available rental bikes

Transfer back to the starting point of the journey

Daily at 9.00am there is the possibility to transfer back to Trier with a small bus (with bike trailer). Arrival at 11.00am. The driver comes to pick you up at your hotel and has much room for you, your luggage and where required your own bicycle. The bus takes you back to your first hotel, thus ensuring a perfect return service without transfer and the hassle of hauling luggage.

Train and bus in the Moselle Valley

In the Moselle Valley runs not always a train. After Trier the train is leaving the Moselle Valley and the nearest station is not before Bullay. After only a few kilometres, the railway disappears in the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Tunnel and only reappears in Cochem. From Cochem the train runs completely in the Moselle Valley to Koblenz.

In the period from 1.5. - 31.10. a bus operates daily between Trier and Bullay with a max. capacity of 22 bicycles.

Bus schedule information

Boat trips on the river Moselle

From April to October there are many passenger ships on the Moselle. Boat docks are available in almost all places on both directions. Often tours are offered. Information about the exact departure times you find at the bulletin boards of the shipping companies.

A regular ferry traffic exists between Trier and Treis Karden.

Boat schedule information Moselle

Additional nights during the cycling trip

We will be happy to book additional nights during your cycling trip. The booking of additional nights is possible in every regular accommodation place. 

The addtional night rates are as follows: 

Hotel category A
EUR 79, - per person / per night in a double room
EUR 119, - per person / per night in a single room

Hotel category B
EUR 65, - per person / per night in a double room
EUR 95, - per person / per night in a single room

Extra costs which are not inculded in the price

A possibly applicable city tax is not part of the travel price and therefore has to be paid at the hotel locally.

7 day hotline service

In case of chain breakdown, flooding or other bad surprises that makes a continuation of your tour impossible: no problem, we also work during weekends and you can reach us 7 days a week in case of emergency.

Passport and visa requirements, health regulations

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Corona travel information:
Before booking your trip, please inform yourself about the measures in place to contain the Corona pandemic.

Information on current decisions of the German Federal Government can be found here:
https://www.bundesregierung.de/corona-these-rules-and-restrictions-apply

Current information on entry requirements to Germany can be found here:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus

You can also find more information on our website at:
Corona virus and holiday planning

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Guided city walking tour Trier

Welcome to the oldest city in Germany! This romantic and historic city with its imposing buildings from the Roman era has a lot to offer! Marvel Trier with a worthwhile tour. 

Tourist Information Trier

Porta Nigra Trier

For the newly arrived guest, the Porta Nigra is the best place to begin a tour of Trier. The gate dates back to a time (about A.D. 180) when the Romans often erected public buildings of huge stone blocks (here, the biggest weigh up to six metric tons).

Porta Nigra

Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier

Marvel at archaeological finds at world level! The Rheinische Landesmuseum Trier is one of the most important archaeological museums in Germany.

Contact: Weimarer Allee 1, 54290 Trier, Phone 0651 / 97740

Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Trier

The Imperial Baths

Going to the baths was an important part of Roman life: Over 1600 years ago, the Romans built one of the grandest and most impressive baths in the world: the Imperial Baths. Today you can visit this gigantic bathing facility: go back in time to the Roman era, descend into the subterranean labyrinth and get a feeling for history!

Kaiserthermen

Amphitheatre Trier

Beyond the medieval city wall lies the Roman Amphitheater. Cruel games with animal and gladiator combats were conducted here popular public entertainment.

Amphitheater

Villa Rustica Mehring

Take a break in Mehring, at the Roman villa. Villa rustika is a country house or estate in the Roman Empire. With its corner towers and the colonnaded hall, the villa reflects the Roman residential culture of the 3rd century. The villa is open all year and freely accessible.

Roman villa Mehring

Bernkastel-Kues

Immerse yourself in the thrilling atmosphere of an old town that is full of history and culture. Savour the celebrated Moselle wines in a tasting session or on a tour through the famous steeply terraced vineyards of the Middle Moselle. Bernkastel-Kues is absolutely perfect for hiking or cycling, while no Moselle experience is complete without taking a boat trip on the river!

Bernkastel Kues

Wine museum Bernkastel-Kues

The mild microclimate and the heat-storing shale soils are an ideal terrain for the Rieslingtraube, which is developed here in a wealth of individual nuances. The Mosel Wine Museum contains the tools of the winemakers from two centuries. The work of the winemakers will be presented during the year as well as the whole environment of the wine culture. On the upper floor there is a festival hall for wine-growing events, decorated by a collection of glasses and bottles of several centuries.

Wine museum Bernkastel Kues

Enkirch

When you enter, the 16th century half-timbered house, you will feel a different time and a different world. The small Enkirch Heimatmuseum with its many finds and exhibits not only provides a great impression of the historical past of the old Weindorf ANCHIRIACUM-ANKARACHA-ENKRICHA, as it was formerly called, but also about the daily life and work of the inhabitants of the old Moseldorf in the past .

Enkirch

Beilstein

Narrow streets and corners as well as the castle ruin Metternich make the winegrower place one of the most beautiful and romantic places along the Moselle. Visit the picturesque center and the castle Metternich above the charming village. It's really worth it!

Beilstein

Burg Metternich

Imperial Castle Cochem

The contours of the neo-gothic building rise more than about 330 ft above the river Moselle on an outstanding hill. The silhouette of the towering hill seems to continue in the building which is topped by the slate roof of the massive keep. As for its structure, Cochem Castle belongs to the category of castles protected by height that had to be protected all around. Romanesque fragments found in the well indicate a reinforcement of the castle around 1056.

Reichsburg Cochem

Eltz Castle

You are cordially invited to Eltz Castle and Eltz Forest - welcome! We have been here for more than 850 years and are doing everything within our means to preserve our ancestral home. Experience the Middle Ages and nature in its purest form! We are proud of our fairy tale in stone and take pleasure in sharing it with you!

Burg Eltz

Deutsches Eck (German corner)

The establishment of the Teutonic Order at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle in 1216 gave this historic site its name, the “Deutsches Eck” (“German Corner”). Koblenz also owes its name to the meeting point of the Rhine and the Moselle - from “Castellum apud Confluentes”, Latin for “fort at the confluence”, which over time became the current name of Koblenz.

Deutsches Eck

Fortress Ehrenbreitstein

At 118 metres above the Rhine, the fortress has the most fantastic views over Koblenz and the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, the second largest preserved fortress in Europe, was constructed in its present form between 1817 and 1828. Its origin dates back to the year 1000. Today the fortress is home to the Landesmuseum Koblenz with its diverse exhibitions (e.g. the technical history and archaeology of the country, fortress history with over 20 exciting stations, multimedia presentations and much more), and is also home to the Ehrenmal des Heeres army monument and the Koblenz youth hostel.

Fortress Ehrenbreitstein

Shipping on the Moselle

The Moselle travels a total of 520 kilometers from its source at the Col de Bussang in the Vosges to its mouth at the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz - the airline between the source and the mouth is only 278 kilometers - overcoming a gradient of 676 meters. As a true European river, it flows through France for a distance of 278 kilometers, then forms a natural border between Luxembourg and Germany over 36 kilometers to flow into the Rhine after 206 kilometers in Rhineland-Palatinate. The Mosel can be navigated from Thionville in Lorraine to 392 kilometers, but 15 barrages with locks are necessary to compensate for the difference in altitude. The "White Fleet" in the Moselle region offers very special experiences: behind each bend, there is a new view of steep vineyards, romantic villages and historic sights. From the tour over extensive day trips to the romantic evening ride with music ranges the range of steamers and excursion boats.

Shipping on the Moselle