NEW TRIP
Vineyard Hikes, Wine-Tasting, and Hilltop Castles
Hiking the Moselle: Germany, France, and Luxembourg
Overview
Join us for hikes in the dreamy Moselle Valley, where the Moselle River flows from Germany to Luxembourg and France. This ancient valley, once a Roman trade route, has a fairytale setting of hilltop castles, half-timbered villages, and steep-spired Gothic churches. It’s one of Europe’s oldest wine-growing regions (and heartland of the Reisling grape) as well as a fantastic place for hikes on forested hillsides and along terraced riverside vineyards. Besides hiking (and wine tasting, of course), we’ll explore the spectacular Eltz Castle, the charming village of Cochem, with Reichsburg Castle towering above it, and Luxembourg City, one of Europe’s loveliest capitals, ending our journey in the cathedral city of Metz, France.
Arrive: Frankfurt, Germany
Depart: Metz, France
Highlights
- Hike across one of Europe's most treasured landscapes—the Moselle Valley
- Visit the fairytale castles of Eltz, Reichsburg, and Lieser, towering over the Moselle
- Enjoy wine tasting at traditional vineyards in Germany and France
- Ascend to the Calmont, “the steepest vineyard in Germany,” by via ferrata
- Ramble across Luxembourg's spectacular Mullerthal Trail
- Cross from Luxembourg into France's Moselle region—on foot!
Itinerary
From Frankfurt, we explore fabulous Eltz Castle, perched above the Moselle since the 12th century, then head to the charming village of Cochem, where the Reichsburg Castle towers above. Our first hike has fairytale views across the Moselle, Cochem, and the mighty Reichsburg, the largest castle on the Moselle.
After an exhilarating hike up to the Calmont, “the steepest vineyard in Germany,” our next hike brings us up to Heldensicht (Hero’s View) for one of the most incredible views across the entire Moselle region. We’ll also explore the riverside town of Bernkastel-Kues, with its Renaissance-era town hall dating to 1608.
In Luxembourg, we hike the Mullerthal Trail through the heart of an area called “Little Switzerland,” recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark for its unique landscape, then have a day to tour the walkable capital, with its thousand years of history.
From Schengen, birthplace of the European Union in 1985, we hike out of Luxembourg and into France—on foot! Along the way, we’ll have panoramas across the vast vineyards of the Moselle and the Sierck Castle in France’s “Route des Vins de Moselle” region. Our last day is in medieval Metz, with its intact city walls, massive Gothic cathedral, and leafy promenades along the Moselle and Seille rivers. Depart on Day 9.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated a Level 3, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. You will need to be comfortable hiking 4-7 miles a day and being on your feet for up to 5 hours a day. Trails can be quite rough in some places; be prepared for uneven ground.
Average Hiking Day
- 5-6 miles
- 3-4 hours
Challenge Day
- Day 3: 5 miles, 3.5 hours, elevation gain/loss 700'; includes steep sections on a via ferrata (which involves climbing up fixed ladders)
This trip includes both easy hikes and walks, traversing hilly vineyards, across historic towns, and over gently rolling hillsides. You will need to be able to hike over sections that contain rocky steps, uneven surfaces, and occasionally downhill over loose scree. There are some tight staircases in the castles, and trails may become muddy and unstable with bad weather. While this is not a challenging trip, it is active and you will need to be able to keep up with the moderate but steady hiking pace of the group.
We strongly urge you to train for your trip, as your enjoyment will be highly dependent on your level of fitness. The best training for a hike is to hike, especially over hills or rough terrain. Next best are running, swimming, bicycling, or other cardiovascular exercises. Stair-climbing machines are excellent preparation for hiking uphill. Your feet should also be well prepared—make sure your hiking boots are sturdy, comfortable, and thoroughly broken-in.
The weather in the Moselle Valley in the summer is usually very mild and pleasant, with temperatures in the 60s°F and 70s°F during the day and in the 50s°F and 60s°F at night. Cool breezes and showers can occur at any time, so layers and raingear are recommended.
Our accommodations are in hotels that selected for their location and comfort. While they are not the most luxurious options in the area, they are comfortable and in optimal locations. Since they are often in historic buildings, the rooms are not always of uniform or international size. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.
Lunches and dinners will be at local restaurants and cafes and at the hotels. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 pm.
Our bus will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need during the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if we are not transferring that day).
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.