Vacation at the Moselle: Hiking Paradise and Wine Culture

The Moselle is one of the most important tributaries of the Rhine, especially for shipping. Along the banks, travelers find not only ruins and impressive buildings but primarily one thing: wine. Almost 9,000 hectares of the Moselle cultivation area are located in Germany. Viticulture and the Moselle simply go hand in hand. Even 2,000 years ago, the Romans took advantage of the steep slopes and sunny locations for wine growing. Today, there are tours including tastings through vineyards and wine bars. The famous Moselle wine is served to Moselle vacationers in every tavern and restaurant in the vacation region around the beautiful river valley.

You can also discover this wine during hiking tours through the Moselle areas. There are hardly any other places in Germany where wine and hiking are so well combined as along the Moselle. The Trier Wine Culture Trail takes Moselle travelers along approximately two kilometers of Roman monuments to the winegrower district of Olewig. At the end of the wine educational trail, you'll be greeted by a wine cellar visit and some of the finest drops. The Moselle Trail was officially opened in 2014, but it is already one of the most popular routes among hikers. You cross the Moselle 13 times during the tour and discover the most beautiful corners and places of the river's tributary during a vacation at the Moselle.

The Moselle is the ideal vacation destination for hiking enthusiasts and active travelers, as it offers a variety of challenging hiking and biking routes. One of the most famous paths is the Moselle Trail, which winds through the region for 365 kilometers. Over 24 stages of all difficulty levels and lengths ranging from eleven to twenty-four kilometers, you'll discover the most beautiful landscapes of the wine-growing region. The starting point is the small town of Perl, where you can enjoy views extending to Luxembourg and France. Even the fifth stage leads you to the Roman city of Trier. In the oldest city in Germany, there are numerous historical buildings that still bear witness to the Roman era. It is no coincidence that it is also considered the capital of the Moselle. On further stages, you will pass Cochem, Reil, and Löf to the mouth of the Moselle at the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz. Hikers can find variety on the numerous marked partner trails of the Moselle Trail. But the landscapes themselves also provide diverse hiking stages: forests and vineyards alternate with riverside paths and steep southern slopes. Its length makes the Moselle Trail one of the longest long-distance hiking trails in the Federal Republic.

Even before its opening in 2014, the European Hiking Association designated the Moselle Trail as a Leading Quality Trail - Best of Europe. More than 1,000 signposts ensure that you won't get lost, and winegrowers' taverns invite you to take breaks for hiking and tastings.

A challenge are the vineyards, with slopes of up to 75 degrees that push even the most experienced hiker to their limits. The Calmont is considered the steepest vineyard in the world. To conquer the 400-meter slope, the local Alpine club has even driven climbing aids into the rock. Vineyards and the many opportunities to sample the Moselle wine grown here are omnipresent on all hiking trails during your Moselle vacation. This wine has already been chosen as wine of the year several times.

Vacation at the Moselle: A unique experience is crossing the Geierlay Bridge, suspended 90 meters above the abyss in Hunsrück. Since October 2015, you can use your vacation at the Moselle to step onto the longest suspension bridge in Germany. At 360 meters long, it leads over the Mörsdorfer Bach. But the other sections along the Moselle also have much to offer. Trier is rightly considered one of the most beautiful cities in Germany, and the hiking trails bring the 2,000-year history of the river landscape to life.