The Magic of the Mosel: Cycling from Cochem to Metz

Day 1: Cochem

Arrive and get comfortable in Cochem, a characterful Mosel town sitting majestically amongst the mountains, where wooded hills hide historical medieval fortresses. As part of the program, your group will explore the remarkable Reichsburg Castle (also called the ‘Imperial Castle’), allowing you an awe-inspiring experience within walls steeped in history and lore.

Embarkation begins at 2 pm, where the crew will greet you with a drink and provide an introduction to your terrific tour.

Day 2: Cochem - Zell
24 miles/39 km

After breakfast, you’ll pedal to breathtaking Beilstein, one of the best-preserved historic villages to grace the Mosel River, where you’ll find the magnificent remains of Metternich Castle sitting splendidly atop a steep hill. You’ll have time to explore these atmospheric ruins and capture photos to treasure against the romantic backdrop of the Mosel Valley.

Biking through Bremmer Calmont, you’ll pass the steepest vineyard in all of Europe, growing on an impressive 60 degree incline! You’ll journey on to Zell for tonight’s stay, a town known to be wonderful for wine tastings, especially of the famous ‘Zeller Schwartze Katze’ sparkly.

Day 3: Zell - Bernkastel-Kues
27 miles/45 km

Your brilliant bike tour continues on to a major center of the Mosel wine region - Traben-Trarbach. Lying in the so-called ‘Valley of the Dawn’, Traben-Trarbach is certain to awaken your senses as arresting art nouveau architecture, Jugendstil buildings, and woodland views vie for your attention.

You’ll cycle on through the wine city of Kröv, where Kröver wine originated, through to beautiful Bernkastel-Kues, where you’ll spend the night. Here, you’ll discover a postcard-perfect town with plenty of charm and a reputation for having the best wine regions in the Mid-Mosel area. The barge in Kues will be waiting for your arrival after you’ve taken a tour through town, which includes a visit to Market Square, known for its charming timber-framed houses.

Day 4: Cycle Bernkastel - Neumagen - Schweich
18 or 34 miles/28 or 54 km | Cruise Schweich - Trier

Today you’ll ride into ‘The Romantic Mosel’, the worthy nickname of the mid-Mosel region, where verdant vineyards glisten with sun-ripened fruit. If you haven’t heard of the wonderful white wine that put the Mosel Valley on the map, you’ll certainly get your fill of its flavorsome history on this leg, passing by Piesport, renowned for its popular ‘Piesporter Goldtrӧpfchen’. Just before, as you make an exciting hairpin turn, you’ll take in views of Trittenheim, where vineyards stretch in the shadows of majestic mountains, nestling the noble Laurantiuskapelle, known for its gothic choir.

Around noon, Neumagen appears on the horizon, an ancient wine center during the Roman period, where the barge will be waiting if you’d like to take a load off. Alternatively, if you’re in the rhythm of the ride, you can continue by bicycle to Schweich to reconvene with the boat in this serene town. By barge, you’ll journey to Trier, Germany’s oldest city.

Day 5: Trier - Saarburg
18 miles/28 km

Beginning the morning in Trier, your tour guide will take you on a leisurely walk around town to discover its remarkable Roman history. Trier is a history lover’s haven, boasting myriad impressive monuments from the Roman Golden Age. Founded around 15 BC by the imperious Caesar Augustus, ‘Augusta Trevorum’, as Trier was known at the time, became a prosperous trading town and proudly stood as one of the four capitals of the Roman Empire. These days, you can still see several remarkable Roman relics, including the Porta Nigra (Black Gate), one of the four gates formerly used to guard this city, and the largest Roman gate north of the Alps. No wonder it’s a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Back on your bicycle, you’ll set off towards Saarburg, a city seemingly frozen in time. This old city, with its beautiful architecture, wonderful waterway, and quaint character, sits unassumingly in the serene Saar Valley. You’ll find the river banks hooded with dense forest, adding to the magical charm of an area once commanded by a grand castle peering over the treeline. Fill your mind with wonder as you gaze upon the waterfall at the center of the city, which nestles a quaint mill at its base. As there’s no dinner on board tonight, take a stroll around Saarburg and enjoy a special dish in a local establishment.

Day 6: Saarburg - Remich
27 or 32 miles/45 or 53 km

From sublime Saarburg, you’ll make a choice whether to ride the easier but longer route (following the river), or the shorter but more challenging route (including hills). Both rides will lead you to Remich over the Germany/Luxembourg border, which is actually marked here by the Mosel River! Now in Luxembourg, you’ll be won over by a visit to a wine cooperative specializing in ‘Cremant’, the ‘Champagne of the Mosel’.

Riding towards the charming commune of Remich for your overnight stay, you’ll pay a visit to nearby Nennig, where an ancient Roman mansion still boasts its bedazzling mosaic floor, comprising over three million tiles and displaying fascinating gladiator scenes.

Day 7: Cruise Remich - Schengen | Cycle Schengen - Schengen
36 miles/50 km

Float whilst you feast as your boat cruises to Schengen during breakfast. From here, at the border point of three countries, you’ll pedal once more through glowing green hills past the castle at Sierck-les-Bains, once occupied by the powerful Dukes of Lorraine, which perches commandingly on the river’s bright banks.

Around noon, your tour will glide into Thionville, famed for its medieval ramparts and breathtaking St. Maximin Basilica. In the afternoon you will cycle back to Schengen where you will board the boat and enjoy dinner.

Day 8: Schengen - Metz

Following breakfast, by 9:30 am., you will say goodbye to the crew on board and take the bus back to Metz, checking into the hotel. In the afternoon, join a guided tour of Metz.

This lovely city, famed for its grand Gothic architecture and painterly promenades, boasts plenty of exciting eateries and inviting boutiques. The star of the show, however, is certainly St. Etienne Cathedral (Metz Cathedral), which casts glorious Gothic shadows over the city. St. Etienne has been nicknamed the ‘Lantern of God’ thanks to the mesmerizing displays of dappled light that filter through the Marc Chagall stained glass windows. It’s a sensational sight to top off your unforgettable bike tour.

Day 9: Departure from Metz

Enjoy a final morning in Metz following breakfast, check out by 9:30 am.

On the days that two cycling distances are offered, the tour leader, after conferring with the group, will choose to guide either the shorter or longer route. Not all the highlights will be visited during the shorter route.

You can also choose to ride self-guided utilizing maps available on board. GPS tracks will be sent to you 4 weeks before the tour start date.