Cidade Turismo
Germany

Before you go

Your trip to Trier.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Trier – Renânia-Palatinado Destination Vale do Mosela

How to get there

  • Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (FRA) Frankfurt am Main · 177 km
  • Trier Hbf 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

From Frankfurt or Cologne, take the train to Koblenz Hbf and change to the regional Mosela line to Trier Hbf; from Frankfurt it's about three hours. From Cologne there is also a regional train via the Eifel region. Luxembourg is about 50 minutes by train. Check before booking.

How many days

One day is enough for the main monuments, which are all within walking distance in the centre. With two days you'll have time for the Rheinisches Landesmuseum, the baths' underground galleries and the amphitheatre at a relaxed pace, plus a walk along the riverbank.

When to go

April to October, when the monuments have longer opening hours and there are staged visits at the Porta Nigra. The Christmas market at the Hauptmarkt usually runs from late November until near Christmas. In winter days are short and monuments close earlier.

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

Do you need a car?

No. Trier's centre is compact and the Roman monuments are within walking distance of each other; the amphitheatre is a 15-minute walk from the centre. The main station is close to the old town, and city buses cover the rest of the city.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Trier
  1. Morning
    Porta Nigra and Hauptmarkt

    Start at the Porta Nigra and climb to the upper levels. Continue along Simeonstraße to the Hauptmarkt, with the market cross of 958 and the Saint Peter fountain.

  2. Afternoon
    Cathedral and Liebfrauenkirche

    Visit the Trierer Dom and the Liebfrauenkirche, linked by the cloister. Avoid service times, when visiting is suspended.

  3. Late afternoon
    Konstantinbasilika and Kaiserthermen

    Enter the Konstantinbasilika, cross the garden of the Elector princes' palace and descend to the underground galleries of the Kaiserthermen.

  4. Evening
    Evening at the Hauptmarkt

    Return to the centre for dinner near the Hauptmarkt, with a Mosela wine, and see the Porta Nigra illuminated.

2 days in Trier

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Porta Nigra and Hauptmarkt

    Porta Nigra, with a climb to the upper levels, and a walk to the Hauptmarkt.

  2. Afternoon
    Cathedral and Liebfrauenkirche

    Trierer Dom, with the treasury, and the Liebfrauenkirche next door.

  3. Late afternoon
    Karl Marx House

    Follow Brückenstraße to the Museum Karl-Marx-Haus, the baroque house where he was born in 1818.

  4. Evening
    Dinner in the old town

    Dine in a tavern in the old town with a Riesling from the Mosela.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    Rheinisches Landesmuseum

    Start the day at the archaeological museum, with mosaics, the Neumagen wine ship and the hoard of gold coins. Closed on Mondays.

  2. Afternoon
    Konstantinbasilika and Kaiserthermen

    Konstantinbasilika and, via the palace garden, the Kaiserthermen with their underground galleries.

  3. Late afternoon
    Amphitheatre and Römerbrücke

    Walk to the Roman amphitheatre and go down to the arena's basement. Then head to the Römerbrücke, the bridge of Roman piers over the Mosela.

  4. Evening
    Mosela riverside

    Finish with a walk along the riverbank and dinner in the centre.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How to get from Frankfurt to Trier by train?

Take the train to Koblenz Hbf and change to the regional Mosela line to Trier Hbf. It's about three hours in total.

Is Trier really the oldest city in Germany?

It is considered the oldest, founded by the Romans as Augusta Treverorum shortly before the Christian era. Other cities, such as Cologne and Worms, also claim the title.

Are the Roman monuments close to each other?

Yes. Porta Nigra, the cathedral, Konstantinbasilika and Kaiserthermen are a few minutes' walk apart. The amphitheatre and the Römerbrücke are about a 15-minute walk from the centre.

Can you go from Trier to Luxembourg?

Yes. There is a direct regional train between Trier and the city of Luxembourg, hourly, taking about 50 minutes.

Is there a combined ticket for the Roman monuments?

State-run monuments, such as Porta Nigra, Kaiserthermen and the amphitheatre, often offer a combined ticket. Check options before you go.

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