Koblenz to Metz
Germany, Luxembourg, France Bike + Barge Tours
Bike in France, Germany, & a little of Luxembourg, too!
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length9 days
- Prices from€1775 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
Enjoy a week of cycling in Europe as you bike along the Moselle River, touching three countries. Paved bike paths, well-marked signage and easy cycling along the Rhine’s largest tributary make this a cycling paradise. Throw in medieval market squares, half-timbered villages, gothic cathedrals, castle ruins, and WINE and you have the complete wonderful package.
You follow the breadcrumbs of history. The Romans “civilized” this “barbaric” region bringing their culture and the first grapevines. On both sides of the river, the precisely-tended vineyards hug the steep slopes.
You will see the remnants of this glorious past in Germany, then onto Luxembourg and France, finishing your tour in Metz, with its great architecture and Gothic cathedral that took 300 years to build.
Highlights
- Trier, a former Imperial Roman city.
- Koblenz, gateway to the Unesco World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine
- Burg Eltz
- Cochem
- Reichsburg Cochem Castle
Make sure you check out our full list of bike and barge tours in Germany.
Itinerary
Day 1: Koblenz
Day 2: Koblenz - Burg Eltz - Cochem
Day 3: Cochem - Zell - Bernkastel, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 4: Bernkastel Railway Maare Mosel, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 5: Bernkastel - Trier, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 6: Trier - Saarburg, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 7: Saarburg - Remich (Luxembourg), 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 8: Remich - Metz (France), 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 9: Departure*All distances are approximate. The itinerary is subject to change, even on very short notice, due to variables in wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, docking location changes, lock repairs, etc. The captain and crew reserve the right to make adjustments at any time with safety as the top priority.
Day 1: Koblenz
Arriving in Koblenz you will find the Iris moored close to the Deutsche Eck, the triangular region at the confluence of the Moselle with the Rhine. You are welcome on board at 2 pm. Luggage drop off is possible after 9:30 am If you want a pre or post boarding excursion, climb to the mighty Ehrenbreitenstein fortress for an incredible view of the surroundings. The noble Riesling grape is the Queen of Cups in this region so be sure to have a taste. Don't expect sweet as many Rieslings are actually dry! If you prefer beer, visit the Koblenz’ Biergarten just steps away from the barge. Koblenz is a lively place and a wonderful start for your bike and boat tour.Day 2: Koblenz - Burg Eltz - Cochem
On a morning sail, you cross the first lock and enter the Moselle and are dropped off at the foot of the hills where the Burg Eltz is hidden. Untouched by wars or fires, you will find this beautiful castle worth the effort of walking to it. The included guided tour here takes you back through the ages. After your visit, you continue cycling to Cochem, the most visited village on the Moselle River. It is bustling and characteristic Mosel town with steep wine-clad mountains, wooded hills, an impressive castle, and a picturesque square with beautiful timber-framed houses and cafes. Time for a Moselle wine!Day 3: Cochem - Zell - Bernkastel, 31 mi. (50 km)
In the early morning, while you are having breakfast, the Iris sails to the medieval village known as the Sleeping Beauty on the Mosel. Lovely Beilstein has been the backdrop for many German films. You will have the chance to see the venerated and rare relic, the Black Madonna, in the chapel of the Carmelite Monastery overlooking the valley. After the visit, your bike route follows the river upstream passing the steepest vineyards in the world to arrive in Zell, a beautiful hamlet where the river slices through slate mountains in dramatic oxbows and S turns. This is home to Zeller Schwarze Katz (Black Cat) , a legendary Mosel Wine. The route then leads to Traben-Trarbach, featuring world-class Art Nouveau architecture. This village was important in the international wine trade during the 19th century. From here, you cruise to Bernkastel-Kues, a good size village with something for everyone. Wine aficionados will be in paradise. You will also find great shopping and most importantly, ice cream! Showing off one of the prettiest town squares in Germany, its timber-frame buildings date back to the 1400s! The castle ruins on the hill are lit at night and provide a lovely ambiance for an evening stroll along the river.Day 4: Bernkastel & Rails to Trails Maare Mosel, 28 mi. (45 km)
Leaving the river and vineyards behind, a bus transfer will take you up to an agricultural region called the Eifel (and yes, there is a connection to the famed Parisian tower). From here, it’s an exhilarating ride mostly downhill along a rails-to-trails path. It will be the ride of a lifetime for many, through German forests and former train tunnels, over bridges, and around small lakes formed from volcano craters eons ago. After the last tunnel, you can relax in the small village, enjoying ice cream on the terraces. This day will surely be remembered as a highlight of your bike and boat tour.Day 5: Bernkastel - Trier, 31 mi. (50 km)
From Bernkastel, the valley opens up and vineyards expand as far as the eye can see. Today you cruise past the heavy-hitters in the wine world: Brauneberg, Piesport, Trittenheim. Piesport is beloved by the Brits for the “little golden droplets.” Trittenheim lies in a sharp hairpin turn on the river surrounded by mountains coated with grapes. The chapel in the vineyard is one of the most photographed on the river. Later, you bike on to Trier, a lively university town, powerful Arch-diocese, and Imperial Residence of Constantine the Great. All roads lead to Rome as they say, but in this case your road leads to Trier, the 2nd Rome in the 3rd century. The history is fascinating.Day 6: Trier - Saarburg, 22 mi. (35 km)
After vibrant Trier, your path leads to a place that’s a throw-back in time. The name Saarburg means “fortress on the river Saar” to give you a hint of what to expect there. The ruins date back to the 10th century, a summer palace for the Archbishops of Trier—powerful men and power brokers in the Holy Roman Empire. You will love Saarburg. There’s a natural, steep drop between the “upper and lower” towns, but they connect by a high waterfall. Town fathers back in the 1300s diverted a local river to run through the center so they’d have access to water to fight fires quickly and have continual energy to run their mills. All of this is well-preserved in the 17th-18th century homes that cling to the hillside. It’s medieval German engineering at its best.Day 7: Saarburg - Remich (Luxembourg), 31 mi. (50 km)
From Saarburg, you pedal toward Luxembourg, the tiny nation about the size of Rhode Island. Don’t let the size fool you, Luxembourg is an important finance center and EU administrative city. On the way to the Grand Duchy, you visit a wine cellar to taste the whites from the upper Mosel. The wines here are different than the middle Mosel styles. When the terroir (geology) changes, so do the wines. We will also have the opportunity to visit a hidden gem. It’s a great story of historic preservation…imagine you’re a farmer in 1852 and you’re tilling your field. Suddenly, these colorful square pieces start appearing in the plowed sod. What that farmer discovered were pieces that belonged in a tiled mosaic floor—dating back 1,600 years! The tile floor which lies in its original place was once the centerpiece in a palatial Roman villa. The total piece(in 3 million individual tile pieces) reveals scenes from gladiator games in the amphitheater.Day 8: Remich - Metz (France), 25 mi. (40 km)
Leaving, Germany and Luxembourg behind , it is off to France. You pass the fortress high up on the rocky outcrop, one of the palaces inhabited by the powerful Dukes of Lorraine. The route is lovely French countryside, riparian landscapes, and tiny villages. You ride past wheat fields and pastures of white cows (charolais) praised for their strength as draft animals and excellent meat. Thionville was the center of the steel industry until the 1980s. That might sound modern and industrial, but the city is ancient. The historic center reveals medieval ramparts, lovely gardens, old streets, and St.Maximin basilica which houses one of the finest organs in the world. Thionville is also part of the infamous Maginot line, an enormous defense network of forts and bunkers built between World Wars against the Germans. It failed miserably—one of the worst military strategies ever conceived. After spending millions on it, the Germans simply marched around in their Blitzkrieg warfare style. You experience the last leg of the itinerary on board the Iris, cruising on to Metz, another ancient city strategically situated on a Roman trading route. St.Etienne Cathedral is the 3rd largest gothic church in France with flying buttresses and Marc Chagall stained glass windows. Metz is full of stunning architecture, flowers, and great cafes.Day 9: Departure
Your guided tour ends after breakfast. You can leave your luggage on board until lunchtime and go and enjoy more of Metz and perhaps spend some time visiting the Cathedral!Be sure to check out all of our featured bike and boat tours, or our full list of bicycle tours.
Boats
- Iris
Premium Class Barge
The Iris is a refitted freight barge that accommodates 24 overnight passengers. The interior of the Iris is fresh, tasteful, and comfortable. This vessel can navigate on most rivers and canals in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. On the top deck, you will find the lounge, a roomy sitting area, a cozy bar, and a sun deck. The whole barge has central heating and air-conditioning. Read More
Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodation for 8 nights in an air-conditioned cabin
- Breakfasts, lunches, & six dinners
- Packed lunches for cycling itineraries
- Coffee & tea
- Daily cabin cleaning
- 8-speed city touring bike with helmet, panniers, & water bottle
- Bike protection
- Tour guide (with more than 18 guests, a second guide will be added)
- Entrance and guided tour in Burg Eltz
- Wine tasting
- Transport to start of Rails to Trails ride
- Visit to Castle Eltz
- Visit of Cave Cooperative in Luxembourg
- WiFi (signal speed and strength varies)
What’s Not Included
- Miscellaneous beverages not mentioned as included
- Entrance fees not mentioned as included
- 2 dinners
- Gratuities
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates & Pricing
2021
Premium Class Boat
9-day tour
Friday departure
July 2, 2021Cabin Type Twin/double $ 2762 £ 1557 $ 2,757 € 1775 NZ$ 2961 kr 18229 $ 2,203 Twin for single-use On request Extra Options
Electric bike rental: $ 148 £ 83 $ 148 € 95 NZ$ 158 kr 976 $ 118
Please Note
- Rates are based on double occupancy
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy
This is an easy, guided bike and boat tour. Routes follow mainly flat areas on asphalted country roads or bike paths.
Airport Info
The closest international airport to your tour start in Koblenz is Frankfurt (FRA) located approx. 99 kilometers from Koblenz. You can depart from Frankfurt as well.
Local Travel
Frankfurt Airport is well connected by public transportation. Frankfurt Airport Train Station, located next to Terminal 1, offers connections to popular German cities via Deutsche Bahn, the national railway company of Germany. There are local S-bahn lines (lines S8 and S9) that take travelers into central Frankfurt in about 10-15 minutes. From the airport, it is approximately 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 travel time with generally one transfer.The German rail site, bahn.de, is good resource when researching train travel in Germany.
Climate
Please check local conditions before arrival. The Mosel wine region has a northernly cooler continental climate conducive to wine growing.
Day of Rest
If on any day, you do not feel like cycling, you can remain on board and enjoy the passing scenery!
Remarks
Due to steel construction of the ship, cruising locations, and other factors, WiFi signal speed and strength may not be what you are accustomed to and may not meet your expectations. If you are dependent on a strong, fast, and reliable signal at all times, please consider a personal hotspot.
Important to know
Documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.
*Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.Tour Operator
This tour is run by Bike Planet.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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