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A
wonderful itinerary for anyone wishing to experience the romantic Germany of
castles, vineyards, and half-timbered villages is a trip along the Mosel Valley.
Unlike the heavily touristed Rhine River, the Mosel allows the visitor to
meander at a leisurely pace among colorful markets and forested paths.
See
where the Mosel Valley is located in Germany.
Getting
There
With a route stretching 180 km (112 miles) from Koblenz to Trier,
you can easily travel through the Mosel Valley in a day. However, finding
overnight accommodations is no problem if you decide to take your time in this
beautiful area.
Traveling through the Mosel
Valley is straightforward. If you drive, the
highways that twist along the river are primarily the B49 and the B53. If
you are renting a car, it is cheaper to rent one from your home country than
from within Germany.
Rail tickets will be cheaper
than a rental car if there are fewer than four of you. Your mobility won't be as
flexible, but you'll be able to get to the major towns. The commuter train stops
every few minutes at another destination, allowing you plenty of opportunities
to get off and explore. You can also take a more direct train. Either way, the
ride from end to end is less than two hours.
If you want to get off the
beaten track, buses connect the smaller towns and villages and the bus schedules
usually coordinate with the train schedules. This area is also favorable for
bicycle trips, which you can combine with rail travel if you wish.
Places to
See - Trier
Start your itinerary
in Trier, Germany's
oldest city with roots going back to the Roman empire. You can easily spend
hours here, exploring the wonderfully preserved Porta Nigra (Black Gate) that
remains of the city walls the Romans built around the ancient city. I always
find fascinating that the bridge the Romans built across the river is still in
use today, strong enough for modern vehicle travel. There is also an
Amphitheater where Romans enjoyed watching the gladiators.
In Trier, you'll want to see
the pedestrian-only Market Square, ringed with colorful houses. Neat umbrellas
shade outdoor cafe tables and farmers' goods. In the center is the Market
Fountain, which shows St. Peter surrounded by depictions of Virtues, monsters,
and monkeys.
Trier also features abundant
natural beauty. The Palastgarten (Palace Garden) is a gorgeous marvel of Baroque
design. If you want wild nature, visit the Weisshauswald (White House Forest),
just a 30 minute walk from the city center where you can walk along paths
through the forest. There is so much to see in Trier that we will have to cover
it in depth in another article.
There
are many small towns and villages along the winding Mosel River, each with its
own charm and beauty. Below are just a few of the places your itinerary could
include.
Places to
See - Towns
Along the Way
Bernkastel-Kues
is one recommended stop along the way. To get there, follow the curves of the
Mosel 63 km (about 39 miles) to the northeast. An important vacation
destination, this small town has buildings clustered together on both sides of
the river, connected with a bridge. Its picturesque market square features
half-timbered buildings with bright flowers spilling out of window boxes. Stroll
along the clean cobblestone streets and look in the shops. Bernkastel knows how
to charm both Germans and international visitors.
The next small town is Traben-Trarbach.
See the late 19th century gate with its fanciful mixture of medieval towers and
Art Nouveau illustrations. This town grew rich from the wine trade during this
time, and the gate memorializes this time. The
town itself is charming, lying low on the river bed, with fields of grape vines
rising behind it. During
your trip, make plans to explore the wineries and partake of the region's fine
fruity white Riesling. The Mosel Valley is Germany's oldest wine region, started
when the Romans planted vines here.
You
might want to take a short hop to the nearby village of Zell,
the home of Schwarze Katz wine that is so well known in the U.S. The charming
houses stretch along the river bank, while a church steeple rises into the sky.
Buildings with round towers and windows edged with red are capped with black
spires.
The next stop is Cochem,
a town whose foremost sight is the large Reichsburg castle. Rising high above
the town, the castle's many spires and walls stand out against the green trees.
At night the castle is illuminated and sometimes there is a fireworks display.
The city's square has pastel-colored or half-timbered buildings and Baroque
towers. The nearby countryside lies idyllically in narrow strips of alternating
greens and squares of grapevines.
Our itinerary ends in
Koblenz,
which rests on the banks where the Mosel and Rhine Rivers meet. This larger city
of 100,000 residents also has its roots in the Roman empire. The tourism office
across from the train station can provide you with maps of what to see. You can
also get the Koblenz card there, which gives you full access to public
transportation and up to half-price on museum fees.
The Old Town has been reconstructed painstakingly after destruction during World
War II. The nearby Burg Eltz is an authentic castle built during medieval times
and, having never been destroyed, never had to be reconstructed. The Kaisserin
Augusta Park, located on the bank of the Rhine, offers a panoramic view of the
River and is a wonderful place to walk or have a picnic.
For shopping, visit the
Löhr-Center for three floors of shops and cafes.
The Mosel Valley offers many
other picturesque towns, forests, and wineries to explore and enjoy. Because it
is easily traversed and is populated with many villages tucked into the low
green hills, the Mosel Valley is a wonderful place to take a serendipitous
journey, wherever your fancy wants to go.
Online Resources
for the Mosel Valley
Cochem City Guide (in German)
Koblenz City Guide (in German)
Traben-Trarbach City
Guide (in German)
Trier City Guide
Zell City Guide (in
German)
Mosel River Cruises
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