Bike and Barge Merzig to Koblenz, Germany!
Beautiful landscapes along the Saar and Mosel Rivers; fall colors and cool cycling temperatures when all the tourist hubbub is done and we can enjoy towns and cycling without the crowds.
We board at noon and fit bikes. You are welcome to take a cycle along the River Saar or visit the lovely town- its Romanesque basilica of St.Peter from the 12th century and the former castle of the archbishop Sötern (1625) now Merzig's town hall and a jewel of the baroque architecture.
Today we pedal following the Saar to Mettlach to visit the famous earthenware factory of Villeroy et Boch. We mostly follow the river valley which is beautifully forested. We take a few opportunities to make slight climbs to find a view overlooking the river or a quaint village to take a break.
Our destination is historic Saarburg– nestled in the most beautiful part of the Saar valley. We will visit the exquisite ruins of Castle Saar built 964. In the town center we experience the imposing spectacle of the masses of water falling more than 20m over rock cascades. Originally a river flowed around the city and fed fish ponds and the moats of the castle.
Saarburg is adorned with colorful old fishermen houses from the 17th and 18th century which give the town a picturesque look.
Our cycling takes us to the border of Luxembourg and the village of Wasserbillig. Here the group decides to ride within Luxembourg with a hill or two or join the Mosel in Germany to our destination of amazing Trier.
Founded in 16 BC, Trier is an overwhelming journey through the millennia, with no other place in Germany able to give you a better chance to experience the time of the Romans. We enjoy highlights as the impressive Porta Nigra, Konstantin Basilica and the Roman Amphitheatre.
We pedal today discovering lovely vineyard landscapes along the mountainside. My aim today is to take a few hills to be able to cycle the quaint towns weaving in and out of the vineyards where we find wineries to visit and take a rest at a family-run biergarten.
Our views will be amidst the river hills with pauses to enjoy the water below. Final destination is Berkastel-Kues with its medieval marketplace, gabled timber-frame houses from the 17th century and Landshut Castle.
Today's cycling tour will take 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 you have the opportunity to get to know the good wines of the Mosel.
We pedal to Beilstein, 'the Sleeping Beauty of the Moselle' and one of the best preserved historical villages along the length of the Moselle. We take time to explore the town and a visit to the ruins of Castle Metternich. Today's tour will end in Cochem, a lovely little town that features historical half-timbered-houses, a picturesque old town and Reichsburg Castle.
Today we sail to Moselkern and a visit to the queen of the German fortresses, the impressive Burg Eltz. We need some time to take the easy 40-minute hike to the fortress from town. Our journey along the Mosel continues with quaint towns dotting the vineyard-swept hillsides.
We hope to stop at the adorable Brunnenhof Winery in Hatzenport and a look at the Burg Thurant in Alken on our way to famous Koblenz– our final destination of the trip.
Koblenz is a fascinating and historic city, and 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.
After breakfast we disembark by 9.30 a.m.
Information about your trip, what to pack, pre-trip transportation and lodging, traveling abroad, tips on airfare, and other important pre-trip details will be provided in your WELCOME LETTER sent to you when we receive your registration for the trip. We reserve the right to make changes in daily itineraries, routes and destinations in order to ensure the safety of our cyclists and/or to enhance the trip experience.