Myths and castles on the Mosel and Rhine - Six-day trip from Trier to Koblenz

Day 1: Trier, the old Roman city

The journey begins in the Roman city of Trier on the Mosel. Roma secunda - "the second Rome", as the Romans then called the largest city north of the Alps. The size and amenities of the Roman city probably made up for the distance to Rome: In Trier, there were thermal baths, market halls, and an amphitheater. Even today, the mighty city gate, the Porta Nigra, the Imperial Baths, or the imposing Constantine Basilica testify to the history of the city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition, Trier is the birthplace of Karl Marx.

Day 2: Bernkastel-Kues and its half-timbered houses

Your stay continues peacefully in Bernkastel-Kues. The town impresses with its cultural diversity. The historic marketplace with the Renaissance-style town hall is a central point in the heart of the town, and Landshut Castle, which dominates the Mosel town, is a testament to European culture. The Celts, Romans, Merovingians, and Franks have left their marks here. The world-famous Riesling from the steep slopes of the Mosel is also part of the region's heritage.

Day 3: Traben-Trarbach and Art Nouveau

Traben-Trarbach is the cradle of Art Nouveau. The decorative bridge gate, symbol of the town, is worth a visit. It houses a cozy little café and an art gallery. The Villa Huesgen, today a wine cellar, was designed by the same architect, Bruno Möhring. Other Art Nouveau villas shape the aura of Traben-Trarbach. Around 1900, the town was the second-largest wine trading center in Europe after Bordeaux. Consequently, there is an extensive network of wine cellars under the town. A tour with wine tasting in this underground world is sensational.

Day 4: Cochem and Burg Eltz

Like a queen, the Imperial Castle of Cochem, built around the year 1000, proudly crowns a hill nearly 100 meters above the Mosel. During the wars of the 17th and 18th centuries, it was destroyed, and for two centuries only ruins remained. It was restored in 1868 in the neo-Gothic style. 30 km from Cochem, behind a dense forest, lies Burg Eltz. The scenery is simply fairy-tale-like. It stands on a rocky spur above the river floodplain and bears witness to eight centuries of regional history. Both castles are popular photo motifs for Instagrammers. 

Day 5: Boppard, in the heart of the romantic Rhine

The journey continues into the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley. In the heart of this picturesque region lies Boppard. In Roman times, the 4.7-hectare fort with its nine-meter-high walls was an impressive settlement, and today the ruins of the Roman complex, called "Bodobrica," surround the center of the former imperial city of Boppard. The fortress is one of the best-preserved Roman fortresses in Germany.

Day 6: Koblenz, the fortress city

From Boppard, the road leads to Koblenz past the Marksburg, and from the Koblenz Rhine shore, you can take a panoramic cable car to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. The fortress was built between 1817 and 1828 and is the second-largest preserved fortress in Europe. Today it houses the state museum. Koblenz is one of the oldest cities in Germany and at the same time romantic and lively.