Mosel & Saar

Day 1: Embarkation in Mettlach between 2 and 3 pm, 9 mi. (15 km)
Day 2: Saarschleife - Saarbrug, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 3: Saarburg - outskirts of Trier, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 4: Trier - Bernkastel Kues, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 5: Bernkastel Kues - Maare cycling trail, 34 mi. (55 km)
Day 6: Bernkastel-Kues - Zell, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 7: Zell - Cochem, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 8: Cochem disembarkation before 10 am
 

Day 1: Embarkation in Mettlach between 2 and 3 pm, 9 mi. (15 km)
Your tour starts in the beautiful Saarland town of Mettlach, home of Villeroy & Boch and with a lot of shops and terraces. Do note that you can drop your luggage off at noon but cabins will not be ready for check-in. At 4 PM, the Zwaan will undergo short navigation along the Saar River to a beautiful mooring place near the Saarschleife (Saar loop). You can take a short test ride with your guide.

Day 2: Saarschleife - Saarburg, 22 mi. (35 km)
From Mettlach, the route leads north along the Saar. Around the little village of Saarhölzbach, the Saarland is left behind and the Rheinland Pfalz is entered. The history of this little village goes back to the year 802 and the government of Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, King of Franks, King of Italy, and the first Holy Roman Emperor. The destination today is Saarburg from where it is about 15 km. to the Mosel. Don’t forget to go for a walk through the old town center with the famous waterfalls and visit the old city castle. 

Day 3: Saarburg - outskirts of Trier, 22 mi. (35 km)
Today you switch rivers in the historical city of Konz,  leaving the Saar behind and then following the Mosel towards Luxembourg. It was around the year 365 A.D. that the river inspired the Roman teacher Magnus Ausonius to write his hymn Mosella:

‘Greetings, river, framed by perfumed vineyard-covered hills, Framed by grass; river of greenest shores. Your strong waters carry ships, flowing in easy waves. Along the stream, and a glittering lake your depths emulate.’

Along the old Saarschleife, to to the Igeler Säule, you cycle to Wasserbillig in Luxembourg.  In the afternoon you’ll turn eastwards to Trier where you’ll stay for around 3 hours. This city is known for its Roman legacies like the Porta Nigra, the Basilica of Constantine the Great and an amphitheater. Finally, approximately one hour of cycling remains to the mooring place of the barge.

Day 4: Trier - Bernkastel Kues, 31 mi. (50 km)
The route showcases Roman influence that is still present today in ancient villas, public baths, and other relics of ancient civilizations. The ancient remnants dot the slopes along the winding river. Destination today is the medieval town of Bernkastel Keus with its romantic narrow streets, remarkable half-timbered houses, and picturesque nooks and crannies.

Day 5: Bernkastel Kues - Maare cycling trail, 34 mi. (55 km)
In the morning you are transferred by bus to Daun, to the start of the Mosel-Maare cycling trail, possibly the most famous cycling trail of the central Mosel. The track is built on an old railway line. There is no simpler way to cycle to the Mosel Valley than on the former railway line through the Volcanic Eifel! The road runs through the landscape of volcanoes and crater lakes, along magnificent viaducts and past old railway stations and continues to roll on the Mosel bike path to Bernkastel-Kastel Kues.

Day 6: Bernkastel-Kues - Zell, 25 mi. (40 km)
The Mosel continues through a green and fascinating landscape with vineyards and forests and beautiful towns and villages like the  ‘Winzerdorf’ Wolf.  Further on, around the next curve,  you’ll be surprised by the beautiful double city in Jugendstil, Traben Trarbach. The ship waits for you in the city of the black cat, Zell. The story goes that when some wine merchants from Aachen had to choose which wine barrel they wanted to buy,  a black cat jumped upon one of the barrels to defend it. Of course, this made it clear for them which barrel they should buy. 

Day 7: Zell - Cochem, 22 mi. (35 km)
The day starts with a ride to the almost vertical vineyards of Calmont near Bremm. Here you can hike up the slopes to see another beautiful bend in the Mosel River. After lunch, you will ride towars Beilstein. After the visit here, you will cycle along the Mosel to the final destination of the week: Cochem, which is famous for its wines and dominated by the old Reichsburg.

 Day 8: Cochem, disembarkation before 10 am

Day 1: Embarkation in Cochem between 2 and 3 pm, 9 mi. (15 km)
Day 2: Cochem - Zell, 27.5 mi. (44 km)
Day 3: Zell - Bernkastel-Kues, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 4: Bernkastel-Kues - Maare cycling trail, 34 mi. (55 km)
Day 5: Bernkastel-Kues - outskirts of Trier, 31 mi. (55 km)
Day 6: Trier - Saarschleife - Saarburg, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 7: Saarburg - Mettlach, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 8: Mettlach, disembarkation before 10 am

Day 1: Embarkation in Cochem between 2 and 3 pm,  9 mi. (15 km)
Your tour starts in the beautiful city of Cochem with a lot of shops and terraces. Cochem is famous for its wines and is dominated by the old Reichsburg. Do note that you can drop your luggage off at noon but cabins will not be ready for check-in. In the afternoon or after dinner the tour guide will take you on your first kilometers on the bike with a short ride along the river.

Day 2: Cochem - Zell, 27.5 mi. (44 km)
Through five remarkable bends, you’ll meander along the river to the famous vineyards of Calmont. The steepest slopes have a gradient of 65%, which makes it quite difficult for the farmers to tend their vineyards. The lunch stop will be at the beautiful village of Beilstein. The endpoint today is the city of the black cat, Zell. The story goes that when a few wine merchants from Aachen had to choose which wine barrel they should buy a black cat jumped upon one of the barrels to defend it. Of course, this made it clear for them which barrel they should buy.

Day 3: Zell - Bernkastel-Kues, 25 mi. (40 km)
The Mosel makes its way through a green and fascinating landscape with vineyards and forests. Just after leaving Zell, you will bike to the “Marienburg” where you will be awarded by a splendid view over the Mosel Meander. Along the way, you’ll find some beautiful towns and villages like the beautiful double city in Jugendstil, Traben Trarbach, and the ‘Winzerdorf’ Wolf. The final destination is Bernkastel-Kues, a medieval town with romantic narrow streets, remarkable half-timbered houses, and picturesque nooks and crannies

Day 4: Bernkastel Kues - Maare cycling trail, 34 mi. (55 km)
In the morning the transfer bus takes you to Daun, to the start of the Mosel-Maare cycling trail, possibly the most famous cycling trail of the central Mosel. The track is built on an old railway line. There is no simpler way to cycle to the Mosel Valley than on the former railway line through the Volcanic Eifel! The road runs through the landscape of volcanoes and crater lakes, along magnificent viaducts, and past old railway stations, and continues to roll on the Mosel bike path to Bernkastel-Kues.

Day 5: Bernkastel Kues - nearby Trier, 31 mi. (50 km)
Today, you'll cycle past Roman villas and public baths, along with relics of the ancient Cet civilizations. These historical buildings decorate the slopes along the winding river. "Special by the day" is the "Piesporter Goldtröpfchen", which is a local blended white wine that you can taste in a local wine bar. Further, you will visit the town of Neumagen-Dhron, an old Roman fortress containing many Roman remains, This town is where the famous Roman wine ship, a ship carved from stone, was found. A copy of the Wine Ship can be seen in the village center.

Day 6: Trier - Saarschleife - Saarburg, 22 mi. (35 km)
After breakfast, you can visit Germany's oldest city, Trier, where you can visit more Roman legacies, such as the Porta Nigra, the Basilica of Constantine the Great, and the amphitheatre. After lunch, you will leave the Mosel and bike south along the Saar. Before leaving the Saar, you can cross the border into the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, a common tourist site founded in 365 AD. It was here that Magnus Ausonius wrote his hymn Mosella. Once entering Saarburg, you can stroll through the old town centre, with its famous waterfalls, and pay a visit to the old city castle. 

Day 7: Saarburg - Mettlach, 22 mi. (35 km)
From Saarburg you cycle south along the Saar. Around the little village of Saarhölzbach, you leave Rheinland Pfalz behind and enter the Saarland. The history of this little village goes back to the year 802 and the government of Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, king of Franks, king of Italy, and the first Holy Roman Emperor. Today we will have lunch in Mettlach, a little town along the Saar River where we will visit the famous Villeroy & Boch porcelain museum. Today’s highlight is the beautiful Saarschleife (Saar loop). You will have the opportunity to hike to a panorama point where you can have a great view of the whole region. The highlight of today is the beautiful Saarschleife. The endpoint today is Mettlach. 

Day 8: End of tour
Disembarkation at 10 am