Moselle River, Castles & Wine

Overview

Imagine a scenic river, winding through a hilly landscape. Steep hills on both sides, many covered with vineyards producing delicious white wines. Lovely villages with half-timbered houses. And here or there on a ruin or a fancy castle that could be Cinderella her second residence. Now open your eyes… That place exists, and we are going to travel there this summer. It is called the Moselle region in Germany. And the best thing is that we can visit it in a convenient daytrip from Brussels. After two earlier trips in 2014 and 2015, we are now going back to discover even more along this scenic river, including the famous Burg Eltz and the Cochem Reichsburg.

Pictures

Listen to what the world's friendliest travel expert has to say about Cochem, the Reichsburg and Burg Eltz... The floor is yours Rick Steves!

The Moselle region, steep hills that are perfect for viticulture.

Some hills are very steep and require special machines to harvest the grapes.

Endless vineyards along this entire river section | © Barmalini - Shutterstock

There are many bridges crossing this river, but only a handful that connect the upper areas | © Barmalini - Shutterstock

Burg Eltz or Eltz Castle is one of the gems along this river.

It looks certainly a bit like Neuschwanstein, except for some high towers missing.

The Burg Eltz is not immediately on the Moselle river, but hides in the hills behind it.

Great views over the Moselle river.

The Reichsburg in Cochem | © Don Fink - Shutterstock

A boat tour is a favourite activity on the Moselle | © LaMiaFotografia - Shutterstock

The Reichsburg is built on a high cliff looking out over the Moselle river.

Let's make a nice boat tour on the river to get a whole different perspective.

Vineyards right below the Reichsburg.

© Reichsburg

© Reichsburg

The Knight’s Hall | © Martin Jermann, F.G. Zeitz KG, Königsee.jpg

Rübenacher Untersaal | © Martin Jermann, F.G. Zeitz KG, Königsee.jpg

The Armoury | © Martin Jermann, F.G. Zeitz KG, Königsee

© Reichsburg

The lush green hills of the beautiful Moselle region.

Typical half-timbered houses

The old town seen from above.

The castle will loom up in the distance, seen from our boat.

Program

As with any Expat Club trip, our schedule today is carefully designed so you can enjoy all the places and have enough time for lunch, a coffee and some free time. Still, all times below are tentative and depend also on external circumstances, such as weather and traffic conditions. Together with the bus driver, local guides and welcoming destinations we will do our best to give you the most optimal experience. FYI, Expat Club loves being on time and we are very often spot on when it comes to keeping track of the schedule.

07h00 – Departure Place Schuman
08h15 – Coffee stop
11h00 – Arrival Burg Eltz
11h15 – Guided tour Burg Eltz
12h00 – Visit to Armoury
12h30 – Lunch time
13h30 – Departure to Cochem
14h30 – Guided tour in Reichsburg Cochem
15h15 – End tour & free time
17h30 – Wine tasting
18h30 – Free time
20h30 – Departure to Brussels
23h30 – Return to Brussels

Burg Eltz

We have been here for more than 850 years and are doing everything within our means to preserve our ancestral home. Experience the Middle Ages and nature in its purest form! We are proud of our fairy tale in stone and take pleasure in sharing it with you!

Eltz Castle is different. It remained unscathed by wars. It has been owned and cared for by the same family from when it was built until today. Its architecture has no comparison and many of the original furnishings of the past eight centuries still remain in place. There is a Treasury and Armoury boasting world-class artworks in gold and silver. It towers high on a large rock, but is still in a valley. The Eltz Forest, a nature reserve of serene beauty, full of rare fauna and flora, surrounds it. It is in the center of an attractive hiking region with the award-winning dream hike “Eltz Castle Panorama” and other walks for any level of fitness. (source: www.burg-eltz.de)

At Burg Eltz we will enjoy a 45 minutes private guided tour through the castle. A local expert will tell us about the incredible 850 years history of this place that stood the test of time and survived many wars. After the tour you are invited to visit the treasury on your own, and of course shop for some nice souvenirs in the gift shop. Needless to say we reserve a spot for you in the castle’s restaurant. During checkout you can indicate whether you would like to join us and what menu you would like.

To get to our next destination Cochem, we will take a boat from close to Burg Eltz. The cruise takes about 50 minutes and will lead us along small villages, steep hills with vineyards and here and there a ruin of foregone times. When we arrive in Cochem we will continue to the second impressive destination of this wonderful daytrip, the Reichsburg.

Cochem & Reichsburg

The Imperial Castle in Cochem is more than just a castle! The old walls, which throne majestically over the Mosel River valley, are an invitation for every history and culture enthusiast to enjoy a beautiful afternoon in one the highest hill castles on the Mosel river.

Soaring over Cochem on a mighty crag, the largest castle on the Mosel charms the eye with its delicate bays and imposing battlements. The medieval castle, which was heavily damaged while in the possession of the electoral princes of Trier during a war of succession, was bought and lovingly restored in the neo-gothic style associated with German castle romanticism in the 19th century by the Counselor of Commerce Louis Ravené. Guests will be delighted by the impressive interiors of rooms such as the Knight’s Hall, the Dining Hall, the Trophy Room and the Bower. (source www.reichsburg-cochem.de)

Also at the Reichsburg we will enjoy a nice guided tour through the castle by a private guide. After that you can enjoy free time, either in or around the castle, in Cochem or by discovering the surroundings.

Cochem is regarded as the main tourist center of the Moselle region. Besides a lovely town center with half-timbered houses, and of course the impressive Reichsburg, you can also opt for a chairlift ride that takes you to a nice panoramic viewing point. There is also a restaurant at the top, where you can enjoy nice afternoon tea or some snacks or early dinner.

Transportation

We will be travelling with a comfortable 4* luxury coach from Lauwers Reizen. The seats are configured in Princess Class, which means you will have extra leg space and can recline your seat. This way you can get some extra rest. All seats have footrests as well. There is a (small) toilet on-board and a DVD system with three flat screens, so we can show you a nice movie or documentary outbound and/or inbound journey.