Hike the shortened version of the famous Moselsteig route
Totally captivated! That's what many visitors tell us about their feelings after a holiday in the Moselle Valley. It's like diving into a slightly different world. Relaxed and idyllic - and yet full of superlatives. Not only do you find the steepest vineyards in Europe, but also the oldest city in Germany, Trier. Hike along the Moselsteig, where there are 24 stages to discover over a length of 365 kilometres.
On your journey from Trier to Koblenz, you will hike around 116 kilometres in seven stages. In the old town of Trier, one sight follows the last, nine of which have made it onto the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites - first and foremost the Porta Nigra.
With Bullay, Cochem and Treis-Karden, several gems await along the Moselle on the following days. Castles, palaces and monasteries line the paths and the steep vineyards rise imposingly into the air. Via sunny Löf, the last stage finally leads to Koblenz. Where the Moselle and Rhine flow together, you should definitely explore the old town, nibble an ice cream at "e Gel o Sia" and dare to take a cable car ride to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.
Highlights of the Best of Moselle Trail
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Best of Moselle Trail Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Trier
Trier is Germany’s oldest city, and it entices you with numerous historic sights. It’s highly recommended you visit the famous ‚Porta Nigra‘, Roman excavations and the opulent St. Peter’s Cathedral. A stroll through the bustling historic centre is the perfect way to prepare for the upcoming hiking week.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Trier
Distance: None
Meals: None
Day 2 Trek to Bullay
To start off your holiday you cross the river Mosel and ascend to the colorful sandstone rock located at the Trierer Stadtwald-forest. Along a marvelous high-altitude path with views into the depth onto the river Mosel and views into the distance all the way onto the Hunsrück-mountain range you proceed to Biewer and the Eifel-foothills. You hike through extensive forests and plateaus all the way to the Ehranger Kanzel and downhill to the river Kyll, onwards through the Eifel-forests onwards to Schweich. By train you reach the charming village on the river Mosel Bullay with its numerous inns called‚ Straußwirtschaften‘.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Bullay
Distance: 5 hours, 17km, 400m of ascent, 450m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Circular walk around Bullay
You reach the start of the tour via the legendary Mosel wine railway and cross Germany’s longest hanging viaduct in the art-deco town Traben-Trabach. You ascend on steep terrain to Grevenstein castle and proceed on the‚ Franzosensteig-trail via spiral staircases and via ferratas straight through the ruins. Spectacular too is the view into the depth down to the river. An alpine hiking section along the ridge Kirster Grat leads you accompanied with great views to Enkirch, where it is recommended you visit the historic half-timber houses. Onwards through wine growing areas and the vineyards you proceed to Bullay, where a wine tasting of the best Mosel wines awaits.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Bullay
Distance: 5 hours, 15km, 500m of ascent, 500m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Trek to Cochem
Beautiful paths lead you high above the river up Mount Petersberg, where the summit cross offers stupendous views down onto the Mosel river bend. After the descent and the river crossing near Neef you ascend Mount Calmont on the other side. You hike up Europe‘s steepest vineyard, where grapes are grown on an incline of up to 55 degrees. You proceed via a Roman high-altitude settlement with a view onto the rock spire ‘Eller Todesangst’ past the ‘Galgenlay-Pavillon‘ and reach Cochem by train.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Cochem
Distance: 5.5 hours, 19km, 650m of ascent, 650m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 Hike on the Moselle Trail to Treis Karden
You ascend to the Pinner-cross, a marvelous rock pulpit located above Cochem, either on foot or by chair lift. Along hiking paths high above the river you proceed to the legendary refuge ‚Wingerts Budche‘. The Dortebachtal-nature reserve, the Pommerer Forest and the via ferrata through the Schilzer-basin provide pleasant walking conditions in the shade. Through green vineyards you reach Mount Martberg, where you can visit a nicely restored Roman temple complex. Narrow trails snake their way through dense woodland down into the valley and into the Day Finish Treis-Karden.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Treis Karden
Distance: 6 hours, 24km, 700m of ascent, 700m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 Walk to Löf
The impressive boxtree-trail welcomes you with evergreen forests and steep rock steps. You start from Müden and proceed along historic pilgrim trails into the highlands to the legendary Eltz castle. After a break in the beer garden, you continue uphill to the Maifeld-area and along the steep edge via little climbing sections to Hatzenport. If you have energy left, you can climb over slate rocks up Mount Rabenlay.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Löf
Distance: 6 hours, 24km, 700m of ascent, 700m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Finish the Moselle Trail to Koblenz
For the finale again numerous highlights await: the castle ruin of Kobern Niederburg Castle, the Romanesque Matthew-chapel and again and again high-altitude paths with panoramic views. The Blumslay-viewpoint spoils you with spectacular views onto the mighty construction of the Mosel-valley bridge with a height of 136 metres. You continue for a final time through the lush vineyards all the way to Güls-Koblenz, the official end of the Moselsteig-trail. After a short train journey you reach the centre of Koblenz, where you enjoy the end of your impressive hiking week at the so-called ‘Deutsches Eck‘ (German Corner), the confluence of the rivers Mosel and Rhine.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Koblenz
Distance: 4.5 hours, 14km, 500m of ascent, 500m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Departure or extension
Departure your accommodation after the breakfast.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
Best of Moselle Trail Tour and Dates
This self-guided tour is always run as a private tour for your group only, where the pricing depends on your travelling dates, as well as the types of the rooms that you need.
2025 Departures:
The departures are available every Saturday and Sunday, from March 29th to October 12th, 2025.
- Single room: from $1,350 USD*
- Sharing a double room: from $975 USD*
*-Pricing for this tour depends on the dates of your trip. Please click the booking button below to get the exact pricing for your trip dates. The prices listed are per person.
Book NowAccommodation on Best of Moselle Trail Tour
Middle class hotels and guest houses. Accommodation on this tour offer modern conveniences that can make this trip more pleasant.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travellers
Rooms are double occupancy. You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel where possible. Solo travellers may be required to pay a supplement.
Hotels on Standard Tour
Hotel Deutscher Hof in Trier
In the heart of Trier, this 3-star-superior hotel features large rooms with hot drinks facilities, as well as free WiFi. The River Moselle and Römerbrücke Bridge are an 8-minute walk away.
Hotel Feriendomizil am Lindenplatz in Bullay
Offering free WiFi and flat-screen TVs, Feriendomizil am Lindenplatz has modern apartments with balconies. Panoramic views of the River Moselle can be enjoyed from the apartments’ gardens.
Hotel Cochemer Jung in Cochem
The 3-star-superior Hotel Cochemer Jung, the first zero-emission hotel in Rhineland-Palatinate, is centrally located in the old town of Cochem on the Moselle promenade.
Hotel Schlosshotel Petry in Treis Karden
Family-run since 1895, this historic castle hotel offers elegant accommodation in the picturesque Karden district of Treis-Karden, just 200 m from the train station and River Moselle. It has a new 300 m² spa area.
Hotel Anker in Löf
Opening in December 2016, Boutiquehotel Anker Luzern is located in a historical building in the centre of Luzern, right on the Pilatusplatz square.
Hotel Brenner in Koblenz ★★★
This attractive, 3-star hotel lies right in the heart of Koblenz’s Old Town, a 6-minute walk from the main train station and 600 m from the banks of the Rhine.
What’s Included in the Best of Moselle Trail Tour?
Meals
7 breakfasts and one wine tasting are included.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 7 nights are included.
Transportation during the Tour
This tour includes luggage transfers; however, you will be walking from town to town yourself.
Also Included
- Luggage transfer
- Welcome briefing (German, English)
- Transfers according to program
- Carefully elaborated route description
- Detailed travel documents 1x per room (German, English)
- App for Navigation and GPS-data available
- Service hotline
Not included
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Visas if required
- Meals, drinks, or snacks not previously mentioned
- Guide services
- Tourist tax
- Transfers not mentioned as ‘included’.
Optional Extras
- Additional nights before or after the tour
- Single occupancy upgrades
Frequently Asked Questions about Best of Moselle Trail
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