Moselle & Rhine: Castles & Wine Villages

Cologne Cathedral, with its two 157-meter-high Gothic spires, towers high above Cologne. Thousands of colorful padlocks adorn the iron railing of the railway bridge on the Hohenzollern Bridge. On the Alter Markt, waiters in traditional breweries serve the local Kölsch beer. In the Rheinauhafen district, the modern Kranhäuser, shaped like cranes, span the quay. At the Chocolate Museum, you have a wide view of the Rhine, where river boats pass by.

Eifel National Park is a vast landscape of beech forests and clear lakes, home to special wild animals. You discover the history of the historic complex Vogelsang IP, dating back to the 1930s. At the Urfttalsperre, a dam from 1905, you can see early hydraulic engineering. In the Wilder Kermeter area, barrier-free paths lead you through accessible nature. As an official Dark Sky Park, you experience a clear starry sky here, a tranquil place where wildcats and black storks live.

Ahrtal is known for its steep vineyards and red wine production. At the Nürburgring, you can experience motorsport history up close, a circuit built in 1927. Near Altenahr, the ruins of Burg Are, dating from around 1100, tower high above the valley. In charming wine villages such as Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, you can taste the local wines. You can hike along the forested slopes or cycle along the banks of the Ahr. In the peaceful surroundings, you can savour the atmosphere of the wine region, surrounded by the forested slopes.

The Moselle Valley is a river landscape with steep wine slopes where Reichsburg Cochem stands on a 100-meter-high rock above the water. At the Moselschleife in Bremm, you can overlook the sharpest river bend from the Calmont, Europe's steepest vineyard with a 65-degree incline. In Cochem, you can visit the Bundesbank Bunker, where an emergency reserve of 15 billion Deutsche Mark was stored until 1988. Here, you can taste Riesling at local wineries or cycle along the riverbank.

Bernkastel-Kues stands out with its medieval half-timbered houses showcasing the wealth of the wine trade. In the center is the Spitzhäuschen, a narrow building from 1416 resting on a remarkably small base. Those who climb the slope reach the thirteenth-century Burg Landshut for panoramic views over the Moselle. In a baroque palace, the Mittelmosel-Museum tells you more about local traditions. On the opposite side in Kues, a peaceful atmosphere prevails among the green grapevines that reach up to the houses.

As Germany's oldest city, Trier displays Roman monuments that are nowhere else as tangible. At the Porta Nigra, you walk under the heavy arches of a massive city gate made of black sandstone. In the Kaiserthermen, underground passages reveal the scale of a grand Roman bathhouse. The Trier Cathedral rests on Roman foundations and showcases the robust architectural style of a bishop's church. Along the banks of the Moselle, a lively hustle and bustle prevails at the boat moorings.

Rüdesheim am Rhein is a wine town at the foot of the Niederwald, known for the 144-meter-long Drosselgasse full of half-timbered houses and wine taverns. The Seilbahn (cable car) glides over the vineyards to the 38-meter-high Niederwalddenkmal, which was built between 1871 and 1883. In the fifteenth-century Brömserhof, you can visit Siegfrieds Mechanisches Musikkabinett, and hiking trails like the Rheinsteig lead along the slopes of the Rhine Gorge.

Bacharach is a medieval town on the Rhine with half-timbered houses such as the Altes Haus from 1368. The thirteenth-century Gothic ruin of the Wernerkapelle and the twelfth-century Burg Stahleck rise above the vineyards. From the fourteenth-century city wall, you can look out over the river and the passing ships. You can stroll through the narrow streets or follow the steep paths along the vines on the slopes.

The Loreleyfelsen is a 132-meter-high slate rock near Sankt Goarshausen, where the Rhine reaches its narrowest and deepest point at 113 meters. On the opposite side in Sankt Goar lie the ruins of Burg Rheinfels from 1245, a fortification with an extensive network of underground passages. Here you can walk along the steep slopes of the UNESCO World Heritage Middle Rhine Valley for views of the sharp bends in the river.

Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe in Kassel is a Baroque park landscape that has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2013. From the 71-meter-high Hercules Monument, water flows via cascades to Schloss Wilhelmshöhe. In this castle, you can view a collection of Old Masters and walk through the gardens past aqueducts and a recreated castle ruin. During the summer months, you can see the historic water features in operation here.

The Edersee is a reservoir created by the construction of the 47-meter-high Edertalsperre between 1908 and 1914. In the adjacent Kellerwald-Edersee National Park, you can hike through ancient beech forests that are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Baumwipfelpfad leads along the treetops, and at low water levels, remains of submerged villages become visible on the bottom. You can sail, canoe, or swim in the bays of the reservoir.

Winterberg buzzes with outdoor sports activities amidst the Sauerland landscape. Mountain bikers will find Bikepark Winterberg here with eleven descents. Hikers follow marked paths through heathlands and forests. The Kahler Asten, 841 meters high, offers wide views over the Hochsauerland. On the Herrloh, the St.-Georg-Schanze catches the eye. The scenic roads through the valley reveal a panorama of the surrounding mountain peaks.

Cologne Cathedral, with its two 157-meter-high Gothic spires, towers high above Cologne. Thousands of colorful padlocks adorn the iron railing of the railway bridge on the Hohenzollern Bridge. On the Alter Markt, waiters in traditional breweries serve the local Kölsch beer. In the Rheinauhafen district, the modern Kranhäuser, shaped like cranes, span the quay. At the Chocolate Museum, you have a wide view of the Rhine, where river boats pass by.