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Moselle & the Middle Rhine
Embark on a journey less travelled as we uncover the secrets of the Moselle and the Middle Rhine experiencing the mesmerizing hinterlands, the stunning wine valley routes, fairy-tale castles and villages and epicurean cuisines that are some of the finest anywhere in Europe.
HIGHLIGHTS
Experience enchanting villages of the Moselle and the Middle Rhine
Enjoy stays in unique and boutique hotels
Experience exceptional wine and gourmet experiences
Enjoy an intimate experience with local characters
ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVE FRANKFURT / MAINZ / RUDESHEIM AM RHEIN
Arrive into Frankfurt Intl Airport where you will be met and then begin a pleasant drive to the historical city of Mainz with our first glimpse of the Rhine River. Dubbed the "wine capital" of Rheinhessen, Germany's largest wine-producing region, we will enjoy a tour of its Roman heritage and wine-growing traditions that spanned more than 2,000 years. We will discover some of the city's finest highlights which include the impressive Mainz Cathedral with its iconic 6 towers rising above the charming old town and regarded as the finest Romesque cathedral in Germany. A walk around the old town introduces us to beautiful half-timbered houses, a permanent fixture that we will see throughout the journey in this part of Germany. Worth a visit is the Kupferberg Sekt Celler Museum, built in 1850 on a site where the Romans cultivated vines and built cellars. The Kupferberg family expanded the cellars into 60 seven-story deep vaulted cellars - the deepest in the world. See the “Traubensaal” (Grape Hall), a tremendous example of the art nouveau style.
Later, a short drive across the Rhine River again arrives us at the charming town of Rudesheim am Rhein, gateway to the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley where we enjoy some of the most mesmerizing views of the Rhine River and its towns. We begin a walk through Rudesheim am Rhein's Drosselgasse, a narrow alley dotted with fairytale half-timbered houses, shops and restaurants which used to be merchant houses for transportation of goods up and down the Rhine River. Later, we make a visit to the photogenic Eibingen Abbey, a Benedictine abbey surrounded by verdant vineyards founded in 1165 by Hildegard of Bingen. Finally, we will arrive at the gastronomic hotel Burg Schwarzenstein where we will stay for the next 2 nights where this evening, enjoy a gastronomic adventure as we savor to the exquisite cuisine of Michelin star Chef Nils Henkel, awarded Chef of the Year in Germany in 2017.
Overnight: Burg Schwarzenstein, Rudesheim am Rhein
Meals: Michelin Dinner
DAY 2: RUDESHEIM AM RHEIN (GEMS OF THE MIDDLE RHINE)
Today, we enjoy a magnificent day witnessing some of the most stunning and beautiful towns along the Rhine River studded with the crenellated cream of Germany's castles, bustling towns with pretty half-timbered houses and stunning cathedrals. Begin our visit to the storybook village of Bacharach, with its time capsule demeanor offering some of the most beautiful scenes of the Rhine River with its skyline dominated by the bell tower of the St Peter's Cathedral and the ruins of the unfinished chapel, Wernerkapelle and the most photographed building, Altes Haus, built in 1568 and is now a restaurant. Not far away down the river is one of the most beautiful and unique castles in Germany, the Pfalzgrafenstein Castle, built in 1327 by King Ludwig of Bavaria, nestled in the middle of the Rhine River on a tiny islet which used to serve as a toll station until 1866. Later our journey continues as we navigates the bends of the meandering Rhine River passing more gorgeous towns and villages with the option to pause for photos. A short and pleasant drive arrives us at the incredibly-beautiful town of Boppard, once a Roman fort and now an important wine-producing area with the largest vineyards in the Middle Rhine. The vineyards of Boppard Hamm, which dominate the banks of the Rhine are visual proof of Boppard’s reputation as the home of a very special wine-growing area. Visit a winery of our choice for the day for a sampling tasting and enjoy photographic moments in the vineyards. Later, we continue our excursion to the city of Koblenz, located at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, the city’s name was derived from the Latin word for confluence. Discover the old town with its romantic narrow streets, picturesque courtyards and small, cozy squares, especially Munzplatz where the Romans first founded their “Castellum apud confluentes” (fort at the confluence), to which Koblenz owes its name and admire the stunning architecture of the Liebfrauenkirche and the St Castor Basilica in undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. From here, we return via the opposite bank of the Rhine River to Burg Schwarzenstein.
Overnight: Burg Schwarzenstein, Rudesheim am Rhein
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3: RUDESHEIM AM RHEIN / TRIER
Leaving Burg Schwarzenstein today, we make a drive into the heartlands of Rhineland-Palatinate for our journey to the ancient Roman city of Trier, Germany's oldest city dating back to more than 2,000 years where we will enjoy an insightful tour of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city and its monuments. Regarded as the "second Rome", due to its abundance of Roman artifacts and architecture, we visit sites such as the Kaiserthermen which used to be the imperial baths during Roman times. We will also visit the well-preserved emblematic city gate of Porta Nigra that dates back to the 2nd Century AD. Walk through the aisles and stalls at Trier’s busy Hauptmarkt and marvel at the Trier Cathedral before visiting the Aula Palatina, Constantine the Great’s Roman Throne Room. You will have time to enjoy the splendid ancient Roman civilization before we arrive to check in at the design-focused Becker's Hotel & Restaurant. This evening, be seated for an amazing degustation menu to 2 Michelin star Chef Wolfgang Becker exceptional culinary treats.
Overnight: Becker's Hotel & Restaurant
Meals: Breakfast & Michelin Dinner
DAY 4: TRIER / GEMS OF THE MOSELLE / COCHEM
We leave Becker's Hotel & Restaurant today as we enjoy a spectacular day on the banks of the Moselle River, a tributary of the Rhine that flows through France, Luxembourg and Germany meandering through stunning river valleys, vineyards and charming towns. First stop is the beautiful town of Bernkastel-Kues with its many charming half-timbered houses from the Middle Ages. No visit to the Moselle is complete without paying homage to the Bernkasteler Doctor, regarded as the greatest Riesling in all of Germany and even has a legend behind its greatness. Enjoy a walk through its town center with the Marktplatz adorned with beautiful houses. Not far away, make a second stop in the town of Traben-Trarbach, easily the most charming wine town along the Moselle River and once the second-largest wine trading destination in Europe after Bordeaux, France. Using this wealth, wine merchants built in the style of Art Nouveau to display their wealth. Attend an introduction to the town's Jugendstil architecture.
Nearing lunch, we then continue to the small town of Beilstein, with its charming alleyways and pretty houses offering scenes akin from a fairytale. Thereafter, a brief drive arrives us at the highlight of the day in the gem of them all in the Moselle River, the pretty town of Cochem, encapsulating the medieval atmosphere and charm of the Moselle.
Overnight: Villa Vinum, Cochem
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5: COCHEM / BURG ELTZ / LIMBURG AN DER LAHN / FRANKFURT
We leave Cochem today for a short drive to the stunning medieval Burg Eltz Castle, hidden away in the mesmerizing Eltz Forest and one of the most emblematic sites in the Moselle region. The castle was named after the stream Eltzbach, which in old German Els/Else is the name for Black Alder a tree that is found along the river. Eltz is one of only three castles on the left bank of the Rhine River that hasn’t been destroyed over the centuries. Construction started in 1157 and building lasted 500 years. Thereafter, we cross the Rhine River to the striking town of Limburg an der Lahn with one of the most incredible and well-preserved medieval atmosphere, colorful houses and the beautiful Romanesque St George's Cathedral offering a lasting memory for a fitting finale to the journey. Finally, we arrive into Frankfurt where we say farewell or continue your trip to East Germany or south to the Black Forest and Bavaria region.
Meals: Breakfast
HOTELS
Burg Schwarzenstein is tucked away in Mediterranean-style parkland surrounded by vineyards overlooking the Rheingau wine-growing region with stunning vistas of the Rhine Valley. Rooms are appointed with luxurious furnishing and food lovers will savor to the magnificent cuisines of 3 Michelin star Chef Nils Henkel.
Nestled amid the vineyards and rolling hills, Becker's Hotel & Restaurant lies in a picturesque valley in the ancient city of Trier. set in the almost-rural Olewig district. A rich family tradition of wine-making that dates back five generations, it is also renowned for its sophisticated gourmet restaurant that earned an impressive two stars in the Michelin Guide and 18 points in Gault Millau.
Villa Vinum is a boutique hotel in the town of Cochem on the banks of the River Moselle carefully restored since 2012 to provide a comfortable and unhurried environment and abode for the discerning traveler with 12 well-appointed rooms designed with a combination of modern meets antique.
