- Overview
- Trip Outline
- Trip Includes
- Gallery
Amazing landscapes along the Saar and Mosel Rivers; fall colors and cool cycling temperatures when all the tourist hubbub is done and we can enjoy historic towns and beautiful cycling without the crowds.
Itineraries
Day 1
Merzig
We board at noon and fit bikes. You chose to cycle along the River Saar, or train with us to Mettlach to visit the famous earthenware factory of Villeroy et Boch.
Day 2
Merzig - Saarburg (37 km/22 mi.)
After the distribution of bicycles, on your first day of cycling you will pedal to Mettlach where you may visit the famous ceramic factory of Villeroy & Boch. On your way there, you cycle through the Saarschleife, a natural wonder at Orscholz. From the top of the Cloef you can take in this beautiful river loop as the Saar meanders through the densely forested valley. In the afternoon you will return to the barge in Saarburg. An interesting old town, Saarburg is situated in the most beautiful part of the Saar valley, where the river banks are cloaked in forest. The castle of Saarburg was built here in the middle of the 10th century. In the town’s center you’ll encounter a 20-meter-high waterfall with an old mill at its base, which is driven by a stream. Most of the old houses in this part of town date back to the 17th and 18th centuries and are still intact, giving Saarburg its picturesque look.
Day 3
Saarburg – Wasserbillig (Lux) – Trier (32 km/19 mi. or 27 km/16 mi.)
Today’s tour travels from Saarburg following the idyllic nature reserve along the meandering banks of the River Saar. Continue to Wasserbillig in Luxemburg and from here to the monument of “Igeler Säule”. You will later reach Trier, your destination for the day, where the Flora will be waiting for you. A walk through Trier, founded in the year 16 BC, is an overwhelming journey through the millennia, with no other place in Germany able to give you such a sense of the Roman era. Highlights include impressive structures such as the Porta Nigra, the Konstantinbasilika and the Roman Amphitheatre. Dine in town tonight according to your own wishes.
Day 4
Trier – Schweich | Schweich – Bernkastel (27 km/16 mi. or 54 km/34 mi.)
Downstream from Trier, lovely vineyards traverse the landscape in many places. The white Mosel wine has become a household name far abroad, and for good reason. Today you cruise past Trittenheim and Piesport, both big names. The town of Trittenheim lies in a sharp hairpin bend in the Mosel, surrounded by mountains covered with extensive vineyards. The Laurentiuskapelle, with its gothic choir, sits right in the middle of the vines. Piesport produces a number of beautiful white wines, of which the “Piesporter Goldtröpfchen” in particular enjoys great fame. You final destination is Bernkastel-Kues, whose medieval marketplace, with its many wood-timbered houses, invites you for a rest.
Day 5
Bernkastel-Kues – Traben-Trarbach – Zell on the Moselle (45 km/27 mi.)
Today’s cycling tour takes you to the romantic village of Traben-Trarbach, located on the left bank of the Moselle and famous for its Jugendstil (art nouveau) architectural style. Further along the Moselle your destination for the night is Zell on the Moselle, well known in the wine industry for the wine “Zeller Schwarze Katz”. In Zell we recommend taking the opportunity to get to know the good wines of the Mosel.
Day 6
Zell – Beilstein – Cochem (39 km/24 mi.)
Beilstein, the “Sleeping Beauty of the Moselle”, is one of the best-preserved historical villages along the length of the river, and is the highlight of today’s cycling tour. Towering about the village are the ruins of Castle Metternich, which you’ll have the opportunity to explore. Today’s tour ends in Cochem, a lovely little town that features historical half-timbered houses, a picturesque old center, and Reichsburg Castle.
Day 7
Cochem – Karden | Karden — Winningen | Winningen – Koblenz (38 km/23 mi.)
Today you travel to Karden by barge, from where you will visit the queen of German fortresses, the impressive Burg Eltz. You are still in the midst of wine territory and will cruise past Klotten, Pommern, Karden and Alken, amongst others. These are all typical Mosel towns, with nice timber-framed houses and, of course, their own wines. The “Pommerner Sonnenuhr” comes highly recommended. From Winningen you will join the Flora for a final cruise to the tour’s destination: Koblenz. This fascinating and historic city has been an important defensive and economic center for centuries. Highlights include the old castle of Ehrenbreitstein, which dominates the right bank of the Rhine; the 12th century Alte Burg Castle; and old Koblenz town
Day 8
Koblenz
After breakfast we disembark by 9.30 a.m.
- 7 nights lodging on The Flora
- 7 breakfasts, packed lunches, 6 dinners
- Cable car ride
- Winery/Biergarten experiences
- Cafe stops
- 2 castle visits
- Town walks with locals in Trier and Koblenz
- Bike rental
- Ferry/train fees
- Suzie and Roger as hosts and ride leaders
- Other items as budget permits!
