Moselle river cruises

WHY CHOOSE A MOSELLE RIVER CRUISE?

Wine lovers will be in their element on a Moselle River cruise. The Romans planted the first vines here in the 1st century and the slopes are still covered in vineyards to this day. If you’re looking for the Moselle River on a map, you’ll find the tributary to the west of the Rhine. You can expect similar scenery to its parent river, too – think charming villages, hilltop castles and hairpin bends. City-wise, things are on a much smaller scale. Skyscraper-filled metropolises aren’t the Moselle Valley’s thing. Instead, you can look forward to ancient cities, like Koblenz, where you can take the cable car up to the hilltop Ehrenbreitstein Fortress – the second-largest of its kind in Europe. Plus, you can step foot in Germany’s oldest city, Trier, which is a treasure chest of Roman ruins. It’s the Moselle River’s villages that steal visitors’ hearts, though. There’s Bernkastel-Kues, which looks just like a Disney-designed film set. Its cobbled streets are lined with wonky, half-timbered buildings. What’s more, they often house traditional wine taverns, so you can head inside for a tasting of the local Riesling. Winding round a few more bends, you’ll come across Cochem. This photogenic town’s arguably one of the prettiest in the Moselle Valley – which is saying something. Its riverside promenade is liveliest during the wine festivals of June and August. A 15-minute walk from the centre will lead you to the town’s 1,000-year-old castle. Plus, south of the town, Europe’s steepest vineyard – Bremmer Calmont – blankets the hillside.