Overview
The Moselle Trail offers an incredible combination of panoramic views, nature and culture. Starting from the delightful little wineries in the border triangle, you will discover the charming Moselle and Saar scenery walking along old Roman roads and reach Trier with its lively old town and nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Spend the evenings immersing yourself in the region’s wine culture and cuisine, refuelling on meaty regional dishes marinated in local white wine. You can optionally extend your holiday to include an unforgettable boat trip and a walk taking you to the Eifel Trail highlights.
- Walk through the Moselle Valley, Germany’s wine paradise, along with one of Germany’s most beautiful hiking trails, through forest and vineyards, high above the river
- Explore Roman ruins and castles
- Stay in welcoming family-run hotels and country inns where you can relax with a glass of local Riesling
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Perl
You set off on your week’s walking holiday from the small wine growing district, Perl in the Saarland.
- Accommodation: Hammes or similar
Day 2: Perl – Palzem | 22km
The first walk will reveal views across the border triangle to Luxembourg and France. Your route takes you from the beautiful wine-growing region via quaint forests and expansive fields to the Palatinate wine village, Palzem, which welcomes you with famous wineries and vineyards. There you will meet the river Moselle again and enjoy a glass of the best Elbling wines.
- Accommodation: Zur Moselterrasse or similar
- Walking for the day: 5-6h, 22km, ↑400m ↓450m
Day 3: Palzem – Nittel | 16km
After visiting the double towered Helfant cathedral, you walk along the paths offering great views and steep but short ascents along the flourishing meadows and forests. Enjoy the views of the river Moselle before you reach the next wine district. Overnight in Nittel.
- Accommodation: Culinarium Nittel or similar
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 16km, ↑300m ↓350m
Day 4: Nittel – Trier | 23km
After heavy breakfast, walk along diverse paths through the nature protection area of Nitteler Felsen, to Wasserliesch. From there, by train to the culturally rich town of Trier, Germany’s oldest city. Trier was established by the Romans, and to this day, it is a treasure trove of Roman ruins.
- Accommodation: Hotel Deutscher Hof or similar
- Walking for the day: 5-6h, 23km, ↑450m ↓450m
Day 5: Circular walk Trier | 22km
Make sure that you visit the UNESCO-World heritage site Porta Nigra, the amphitheatre and the cathedral in Germany’s oldest town. You walk along the Traumsteig up to the Petrisberg, where you will get a breathtaking view of Trier and the Mosel valley.
- Accommodation: Hotel Deutscher Hof or similar
- Walking for the day: 2-3h, 10km, ↑150m ↓150m
Day 6: Circular walk Eifel Trail | 19km
Today you will switch from the Moselle Trail to the Eifel Trail. Walking through the romantic Butzerbach valley, take in impressive natural monuments like the Genoveva and Klausen caves or the view of the Kyll river meanders and the imposing Burg Ramstein. Return to Trier by train.
- Accommodation: Hotel Deutscher Hof or similar
- Walking for the day: 5h, 19km, ↑550m ↓500m
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in a mix of 3-star hotels, country inns and traditional guesthouses. All places have been carefully hand-picked by us, and their quality is regularly monitored. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a property of equal standard. We will provide full accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. Packed lunches are available from your accommodation (order the night before) or you can stop on the way; there are plenty of wine taverns and small shops to satisfy your thirst and appetite! Dinners are available at all overnight accommodations or close by.
Difficulty and terrain
The walking sections require a good fitness level; there are no steep descents and ascents, but the terrain is hilly and accumulated daily elevation gain can exceed 450m. You will walk mainly on well-marked walking paths or forest trails. Daily walking times are not more than 6 hours (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April till early October. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your holiday on any date in the season. The climate in the region is continental, cold and temperate. Depending on location and altitude, temperatures vary, but, in the June-September period, the daily averages are 20 – 25C. Spring and autumn are cooler with occasional rain.
Getting there
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By plane
Frankfurt is the most convenient airport. From Frankfurt, there are regular train connections to your starting point (1.5-2h). For further information, visit the website of Deutsche Bahn for timetables and tickets. Luxembourg is a much closer alternative but has less international connections. Frankfurt is about 6h from London St Pancras by train via Brussels (see more details).
By train or bus
Inclusions
Included
- 6 overnight stays in private en-suite double or twin rooms
- 6 breakfasts
- 1 Boat trip on river Mosel
- 1 Wine tasting
- Luggage transfers on walking days
- Detailed route descriptions, travel and tour documents (one set per room)
- GPS data to use via our smartphone app
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Local tourist taxes
- Any items not specifically mentioned in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights
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