Vale do Mosela, Germany: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The Mosela rises in France, passes through Luxembourg and enters Germany to run in tight bends until it meets the Rhine in Koblenz. In the German section, the valley is in the state of Renânia-Palatinado: slate-covered slopes planted with vineyards, half-timbered towns clinging to the water and castles atop the hills.

Cochem is the best-known stop of the lower Mosela, with the Reichsburg above the town and Burg Eltz, a medieval castle that was never destroyed, hidden in a side valley a few kilometres away. Upstream, Bernkastel-Kues combines a market square surrounded by half-timbered houses, the ruin of Burg Landshut and the St.-Nikolaus-Hospital, founded by the philosopher Nicolau de Cusa.

In the far west lies Trier, founded by the Romans as Augusta Treverorum and considered the oldest city in Germany. The Porta Nigra, the Konstantinbasilika, the imperial baths, the amphitheatre, the Roman bridge, the cathedral and the Liebfrauenkirche form an ensemble declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986. Karl Marx was born in the city, and the house where he was born is now a museum.

Wine is part of the local culture: Riesling dominates the slopes, and wine festivals take place from late summer into autumn. The regional train connects Koblenz, Cochem and Trier along the river, and the excursion boats usually operate from March or April to October.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Cochem, Bernkastel-Kues, Trier.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Vale do Mosela is

Contornos: © BKG (2026), dl-de/by-2-0. Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Vale do Mosela

✈ Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (FRA), in Frankfurt am Main · 133 km to Cochem

The gateway is Frankfurt Airport. Check before booking. From Frankfurt or Cologne, the train goes to Koblenz, where you change to the regional Mosela line, which stops in Cochem and continues to Trier. Bernkastel-Kues has no station: you get off at Wittlich and continue by bus.

Suggested arrival point: Cochem

Renânia-Palatinado · Vale do Mosela Suggested arrival point

Cochem

Cochem is a small town of just over 5,000 inhabitants on the banks of the Mosela, at the foot of the Reichsburg, the castle rebuilt in a 19th-century neo-Gothic style. The market square has half-timbered houses and the baroque town hall. A chairlift rises to the Pinnerkreuz viewpoint, and Burg Eltz, a medieval castle that has belonged to the same family for centuries, is about half an hour away.

Renânia-Palatinado · Vale do Mosela

Bernkastel-Kues

Bernkastel-Kues are two towns joined by a bridge over the Mosela. In Bernkastel, on the right bank, the market square brings together half-timbered houses, the Renaissance town hall of 1608 and the narrow Spitzhäuschen, dating from 1416; atop the hill lies the ruin of Burg Landshut. In Kues, on the left bank, is the St.-Nikolaus-Hospital, founded by Nicolau de Cusa. The Riesling from the slopes, like that of the Doctor vineyard, is part of the town's identity.

Renânia-Palatinado · Vale do Mosela

Trier

Trier, on the banks of the Mosela and near Luxembourg, was founded by the Romans as Augusta Treverorum and is considered the oldest city in Germany. Porta Nigra, Konstantinbasilika, Kaiserthermen, the amphitheatre, the Römerbrücke, the cathedral and Liebfrauenkirche are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Rheinisches Landesmuseum houses the Roman finds, and the house where Karl Marx was born has become a museum. The Hauptmarkt is the city centre.

The local experience

Things to do in Vale do Mosela

Bernkastel-Kues · Renânia-Palatinado · Square

Marktplatz Bernkastel

Medieval square of Bernkastel, surrounded by half-timbered houses from the 16th and 17th centuries, with the Renaissance town hall of 1608, Saint Michael's fountain of 1606 and, on the corner, the narrow Spitzhäuschen dating from 1416.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Monument

Porta Nigra

Roman sandstone gate built around AD 170, the only one of the four gates of the old Augusta Treverorum still standing. It became a church in the Middle Ages and was returned to its Roman form by order of Napoleon.

Cochem · Renânia-Palatinado · Castle

Reichsburg Cochem

Castle on a hill about 100 meters above Cochem, of medieval origin, destroyed by the French in 1689 and rebuilt in a neo-Gothic style in the 19th century. Visits are by guided tour only.

Bernkastel-Kues · Renânia-Palatinado · Ruins

Burg Landshut

Castle ruin atop the hill above Bernkastel, former summer residence of the archbishops of Trier, destroyed by a fire in 1692. The tower and terrace are viewpoints over the Mosela bend.

See 13 more places in Vale do Mosela

Cochem · Renânia-Palatinado · Square

Marktplatz Cochem

Cochem's market square, surrounded by half-timbered houses, with the baroque town hall from 1739 and the Martinsbrunnen. From here narrow lanes of the old town lead off and the path to the Mosela riverbank.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Cathedral

Trierer Dom

Catedral de São Pedro, with a Roman core from the 4th century, considered the oldest church in Germany still in use. It houses the Túnica Sagrada, a relic rarely displayed, and a treasury of sacred art.

Cochem · Renânia-Palatinado · Observation deck

Cochemer Sesselbahn

Chairlift-style cable car operating since 1955 that climbs to the Pinnerkreuz, a viewpoint with views over the Reichsburg and the valley. Along the way, on Endertstraße, is the Historische Senfmühle, a mustard mill.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Church

Liebfrauenkirche

Igreja de Nossa Senhora, next to the cathedral, built from around 1230. Together with the Elisabethkirche of Marburg, it is considered the oldest Gothic church in Germany.

Bernkastel-Kues · Renânia-Palatinado · Historic site

St. Nikolaus-Hospital (Cusanusstift)

Gothic hospice founded in 1458 by the cardinal and philosopher Nicolau de Cusa, born in Kues. It has a cloister, a chapel containing the founder's heart and a library of medieval manuscripts, and it still functions as a home for the elderly.

Cochem · Renânia-Palatinado · Castle

Burg Eltz

Medieval castle hidden in a wooded valley above the Mosela, with construction dating to before 1157 and never destroyed. It still belongs to a branch of the Eltz family and contains a treasure with items of gold, silver and suits of armor.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Historic site

Konstantinbasilika

Former audience hall of Emperor Constantine's palace, from the early 4th century, measuring 67 meters long and 33 meters high. Since 1856 it has been used as a Protestant church.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Archaeological site

Kaiserthermen

Imperial baths begun around the year 300 and never completed as bathing facilities. They became a Roman barracks and, in the Middle Ages, part of the city wall. The underground service galleries can be explored on foot.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Archaeological site

Amphitheater Trier

2nd-century Roman amphitheatre, with capacity for about 20,000 people, used for gladiator fights and animal spectacles. The cellar beneath the arena can be visited.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Bridge

Römerbrücke

Bridge over the Mosela with stone piers built between 142 and 150 AD, considered the oldest bridge in Germany. It remains open to traffic.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Museum

Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier

Archaeological museum with the largest collection of Roman mosaics north of the Alps, the wine boat of Neumagen and the Trier treasure of gold coins, with over 2,600 pieces.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · House museum

Museum Karl-Marx-Haus

Baroque house from 1727 where Karl Marx was born on 5 May 1818; today it is a museum about his life, his ideas and their influence, maintained by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Trier · Renânia-Palatinado · Square

Hauptmarkt

Main square of Trier, with the market cross of 958, the St. Peter fountain of 1595, the Steipe and façades from various periods. From here you can walk to the Porta Nigra, the cathedral and the Church of St. Gangolf.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From May to October: long days, boats and the cable car operating, and castles open daily. September and October bring the grape harvest and wine festivals. In winter (December to February) it's cold, days are short and many attractions reduce their hours; Christmas markets usually run from late November until close to Christmas.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three days allow you to see the essentials: one in Cochem (with Burg Eltz), one in Bernkastel-Kues and one in Trier. With four or five days you can include a boat trip, a walk among the vineyards and two full days in Trier, which has Roman monuments and museums enough for more than one day.

Which city to stay in

To explore the valley by train, Cochem and Trier are the most practical bases, with stations and a direct train between them. In Cochem, the old town by the river and the market square make everything walkable. In Trier, the old centre between the Porta Nigra and the Konstantinbasilika is close to the main station. Bernkastel-Kues has accommodation on both sides of the river: Bernkastel, on the right bank, has the historic square; Kues, on the left, lies next to the St.-Nikolaus-Hospital and the bus stop.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Vale do Mosela

How many days to reserve for the Mosela?

Three days is the comfortable minimum: Cochem and Burg Eltz, Bernkastel-Kues and Trier. Those who want a boat trip, walks through the vineyards or to see Trier at a relaxed pace should allow four or five days.

Do you need a car in the Vale do Mosela?

It's not necessary. The regional train links Koblenz, Cochem and Trier, and Bernkastel-Kues is reached by bus from Wittlich or Trier. A car helps to stop in the smaller villages between Cochem and Bernkastel, where there is no train, and to get to Burg Eltz early.

Can you do a day trip from Frankfurt or from Cologne?

Cochem is possible, with about two hours of train each way and a change in Koblenz, but the day will be rushed. Trier is about three hours by train from Frankfurt. Ideally you should spend at least one night in the valley.

Vale do Mosela

A region to enjoyat your own pace.