From Mosel Wines to the Mighty Rhine
Description -
A delightful trip spent cycling along the banks of the River Moselle through one of the most popular wine-drowing regions in the world. The holiday starts in the Roman town of Trier and then follows the course of the river to its confluence with the River Rhine in Koblenz. The villages through which you pass are quiet and very pretty with their timber framed houses bedecked with flowers. They are, nonetheless, well known to many as they have given their names to famous wines, including places such as Piesport, Bernkastel-Kues and Zell. As well as the villages and vineyards there are numerous castles to explore along the route, notably Burg Eltz.
Daily Program -
Day 1: Individual arrival in Trier, Germany's 2000-year-old city, or in adjacent Trier/Ruwer. Arrive in time to explore this historic town!
Day 2: Metz - Thionville Before leaving the Lorraine capital, you should have visited the sights. The over 3000 year old history of the city has many contemporary witnesses to offer. Cause of the bike path signage first time starts at Thionville you receive detailed description of the route together with the Moselle-Bike-Path-Guide. (ca. 36 km)
Day 3: Thionville - Remich From Thionville you always follow the valley of the Moselle river. Crossing wine yards and high forests you meet Germany, Luxembourg and France in the Schengener Corner. (ca. 38 km)
Day 4: Remich - Trier or Trier/Ruwer Following the German Moselle bank you reach Konz, where Moselle and Saar get together. From here you go further to Trier, which has to offer much historic and scenic interest. (ca. 42 km)
Day 5: Trier or Trier/Ruwer to Trittenheim Your cycling holiday follows, in the main, the Mosel Radweg or Moselle Cycle Way and you set off on this alongside the river leading north out of Trier. You are soon amongst the vineyards which characterise much of the holiday. The river leads you in sweeping curves to the pretty village of Trittenheim. (ca. 42 km)
Day 6: Trittenheim to Zeltingen Today you will cycle through pretty villages including Neumagen-Dhron, the oldest wine village in Germany. Piesport is a very familiar name to many, a small village with its prominent church spire, standing alongside the river. Just before reaching Zeltingen you will need time to explore the picturesque village of Bernkastel-Kues with its black and white half-timbered shops and houses. (ca. 35 km)
Day 7: Zeltingen to Zell The sweeping bends of the River Moselle with their hillsides covered in neat rows of grape vines accompany you again today. It is interesting to note just how many different varieties of Mosel wine there are. Each village, with its local families, has a proud tradition of wine growing and therefore its own label. The villages of Traben-Trarbach and Enkirch are highlights today but note too, the many castles on the hillsides overlooking the valley. (ca. 36 km)
Day 8: Zell to Treis-Karden After a few more bends in the river you come to Beilstein, only tiny but a real gem of a village set into the hillside. A little further on you reach Cochem, a pretty town with lovely old buildings and dominated by its castle dating from the 11th century. (ca. 47 km)
Day 9: Treis-Karden to Koblenz There is much to see on this, the last day of the cycle tour. A detour away from the river takes you up through the woods to the very impressive Burg Eltz. Allow time to visit the castle before rejoining the cycleway alongside the Moselle, which you follow into Koblenz, right to the Deutsches Eck, where the Moselle joins the Rhine. Standing high up on the promontory above where the two rivers meet is like standing on the bow of a ship and you can usually notice a different colour in the waters of the two rivers. (ca. 42 km)
Day 10: Individual departure or extra nights in Koblenz, "Gateway to the Rhine."
