Laced with castles, villages, and vineyards, the lengthy, winding shorelines of Germany’s Rhine and Moselle rivers are places of exceptional beauty.
Story and photography by Debra Bokur
Streams of Consciousness
A bicycle bell clangs, and I swerve my own bike swiftly to the right of the trail to avoid a collision. Clearly, I should be paying more attention to the route in front of me, especially given the fact that the path drops off on my side into a deepish river. Being surrounded by nature, however, never fails to put me in a contemplative state of mind – and the presence of water nearly always enhances that effect, sending me spinning off into daydreams. I suppose the wine tasting earlier today may also be a factor, though I prefer to think that any sense of intoxication I’m experiencing is purely the result of the scenery.
Here in Germany’s wine growing region, the steep slopes dropping to the water’s edge on the far side of the Rhine and Moselle rivers are covered with thick, terraced rows of grapes, except for the frequent sections of hillsides already occupied by dreamy castles. I’m told that the Romans who settled here oh-so-long ago disliked the taste of the local water, and, as an inspired solution, introduced the grapes that this region is now renowned for. My expedition to explore their legacy will take me down the Rhine to where the river is joined by the Moselle, from the town of Boppard to Wiesbaden, slowly – by boat, bicycle, and on foot – so that my senses can absorb as much of the landscape as possible.
Boppard
In the historic town of Boppard, located in the Middle Rhine area, I check in to the Best Western Bellevue Rheinhotel, a century-old, family owned-and-run spa hotel separated from the very banks of the Rhine by a wide promenade. Every corner of the stately hotel reflects charm and elegance, and I’m disappointed that I’m only here for the night. My room has a wrought iron balcony overlooking the water, and I spend a few moments admiring the view before setting off in the early afternoon sunshine to explore the nearby ruins of the sprawling fort left behind by those early Roman wine enthusiasts. It was completed in 357 AD, and a town and market area built up around the ruins, which today are filled with others like myself, pedaling or strolling the pathways adjacent to the ancient walls.
In the evening, while dining at the Vinery Engels-Weiler, I learn from owner Heidi Engels that Boppard’s vineyards are located on the biggest loop of the Rhine, and that the vast majority of the grapes produced in this region are Riesling grapes. The Engels family has been in the wine business since 1683, and Heidi tells me that bottles emptied in the area and returned to the vineyard are recycled and reused. I also learn that the Romans believed wine to be a preventive medicine, and each soldier was given a daily ration of one liter of wine, which he was expected to finish before the end of the day. I consider this bit of information carefully, finding it interesting that this practice didn’t result in the Roman soldiers being generally a little more jovial.
There’s no time for a spa treatment in the morning, but I slip downstairs to the hotel’s golden-hued, marble bathing area to enjoy a steam and sauna before breakfast, then gather my bags and head across the street to the boat landing to wait for my ship to come in. It does – one of the stately sightseeing boats that regularly make their way up and down the river.
Afloat to Moselkern
The boat moves sedately through the water, past a huge, imposing rock that’s said to be the home of the Lorelei, the legendary daughter of the river whose beautiful voice seduced sailors and led them to their doom among the treacherous currents swirling at the rock’s base.
Too soon, it’s time for the ship to make her transition to the Moselle. Here, the town of Koblenz (which translates, literally to “confluence”), rises from the banks where the rivers meet. A tall equestrian statue of Emperor Wilhelm I towers heavenward from the shore at the junction, and we enter the flow of one of the Rhine’s most beautiful tributaries. Ruins of ancient castles are silhouetted against the sky, slipping by, one after the other, far above the river’s surface.
Having my heart set on a close-up with at least one castle, I disembark at Moselkern and head from the dock along a hiking path that leads to Castle Eltz, one of the most well preserved medieval castles in all of Germany. The hike to the gates leads downhill, with panoramic views of its towers and turrets, moving in and out of view in the late morning mist that’s settled in the surrounding valley. My innate daydreaming mechanism is working overtime on the approach, and I wander the halls and twisting passageways for about an hour, imagining what life must have been like for the first inhabitants of this place.
I find my way to a small wine restaurant known for its rich and filling Riesling soup, then reboard the boat as far as the town of Cochem. Reputed to be the most romantic part of the Moselle Valley, old Cochem is ideally located for hiking and cycling in the countryside between the scenic, forested areas of Eifel and Hunsruck.
The hotel for this night’s stay, Moselromantik-Hotel Kessler-Meyer, also has a lovely spa, but I opt again for a long, relaxing steam and soak in the hot, reviving waters. Dinner tonight is at Lohspeicher L’Auberge du Vin (www.lohspeicher.de/en/index2.htm), an historic restaurant specializing in local wines and regional dishes. The building, with its charming rough-hewn beams, dates back to 1832 – but the kitchen staff definitely operates in the here and now. I order the specialty, filet of pike served with roasted potatoes and, since I’ve lucked out in seasonal timing, a serving of local white asparagus.
Cochem to Ediger Eller
After a deep and rejuvenating sleep, I head out on the bike path from Cochem to Ediger Eller, a distance of about 15.5 miles. The scents nearly make me swoon – freshly cut grass, a profusion of roses, and the deep, earthy fragrance of farmed earth. And, because it’s important to always be prepared, I’ve learned a potentially useful phrase over breakfast: Ich drinken zu viel wine und meine Fahrrad fiel in den Fluss – or, “‘I’ve had too much wine to drink, and my bike is in the river.”
The bike path is nearly level, and peddling along in the bright sunshine is completely enjoyable. Lunchtime finds me sitting down to another bowl of Riesling soup, and a plate of smoked trout and salad, in a wine café-inn in the small wine village of Ediger Eller. Along with, of course, a glass of sparkling Riesling. For a 16-week period each year, the winegrowers who own their own vineyards and produce their own wines are allowed to serve small meals and sell their wines to visitors who happen by, provided they don’t attempt to compete with the local restaurants. The couple who own this particular vineyard take me for a short tour, showing me pieces of the naturally occurring slate found in the ground, which helps create the unique flavor of the region’s Rieslings. The sweet wine seems to be a product of the very bones of the earth.
My path leads on to Bremmer Calmont, the steepest vineyard in all of Europe. The vintner has a special monorail device, a sort of tractor-train, that’s used to access the upper slopes. He jokes that the local vintners all have one leg that’s shorter than the other from working the extremely angled slopes, then loads me into the seating area and whisks me upwards for a tasting overlooking the river and the breathtaking surrounding landscape. I can’t believe I’ve actually been talked into this particular adventure, given my aversion to heights, but I’ve fallen so in love with the wines that fearlessness prevails.
The journey turns out to be worth every vertical foot uphill, and for the next hour, I sip a variety of wines and gaze out over the riverscape unfolded far below, including the ruins of a convent dating back to 1154. When I peddle away, the path transforms to dirt, and leads directly through the lower vineyards. Somewhere, someone is busy baling hay, and the aroma surrounds me as I make my way along the path between the vines.
Onward to Traben-Trarbach
The ride from Cochem to Traben-Trarbach takes me through the town of Zell. I’m feeling groovy – a combination of the satisfying kind of exhaustion that comes from outdoor exercise, dazzling scenery, pleasurable company, and marvelous food. The feeling increases when I check into my hotel for the night, the boutique Romantik Jugendstilhotel Bellevue (www.bellevue-hotel.de), which turns out to be a dazzling tribute to all things Art Nouveau. After touring the lobbies and common rooms downstairs, I head upstairs to my room – with enormous windows overlooking the river – and am delighted to discover that pink light is filling my exquisite bathroom, radiating from within the shower.
Deciding to save the shower experience for the morning, I spend an hour before dinner in the spa’s bathing temple area, where a selection of water options are available to help ease my aching thighs. I make a circuit from sauna to steam bath to tepidarium to the heated pool, then relax in the rooftop garden. There’s a full selection of Ayurvedic and Asian-inspired body treatments, but once again I have to choose between time for a treatment and time for sightseeing.
As darkness settles on the sloping rooftops in town, I embark on a guided nighttime tour of Traben-Trarbach’s subterranean cellars, and a wine tasting at the Vinorellum. Instead of being spooky, the deep, heavily cobwebbed wine cellars are mysterious and strangely romantic. On my way back to the hotel along the quiet, peaceful lanes, it’s easy to pretend I’ve stepped back into another time.
Bike to Bernkastel-Kues
The next morning, another 15 miles or so brings me to the town of Bernkastel-Kues, and I take a break to wander the medieval market square surrounded by traditional half-timbered houses, including the famous Pointed House, dating back to 1416. I buy lunch from a street vendor, and settle onto the lower steps of the fountain in the center of the town to people-watch while I eat.
It’s 17 more miles along the bike path to Piesport, where I park my bike temporarily to take a short sailing tour aboard a replica Roman wine ship, the Stella Noviomagi (www.neumagen-dhron.de). The ship was modeled after one etched into a Roman tomb found nearby in Trier during building excavations. In July, the ship is part of an important wine festival held here that includes Roman games, festivities, and foods.
Historic Trier
Resting on the banks of the Moselle, Trier is Germany’s oldest city, founded before 16 BC. It’s also the location of its oldest wine cellar, the United Hospices. After a tour and a sip or two, I find my hotel, the Hotel Mercure Trier Porta Nigra (www.mercure.com) – named for its location facing the city’s famed Porta Nigra, or Black Gate, recognized as the most well-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps. There are ruins from three separate Roman baths here, along with the country’s oldest Gothic cathedrals, and the remains of a Roman amphitheater.
My tour of the amphitheater coincides with a visit from a local school group. The children, ranging from about 9 to 12 in age, are having a splendid time running through the stone passageways beneath the surface, calling out to one another. Clearly, they are slightly less impressed with the history than with how their voices echo.
I spend another hour or so on a self-guided walking tour of the old town, and linger over dinner at the wine restaurant Weinstube Kesselstatt. Inside the pinkish-peach colored building, the wood tables gleam, their polished surfaces reflecting warm lamplight. I raise my wineglass for a moment, and silently toast the Romans for their water snobbery.
Wiesbaden
On my last day of cycling, I reach the beautiful city of Wiesbaden. I’ve spent time here in the past, and am eager to revisit a few of my favorite places, including an old and very beautiful Russian shrine, and a few of the public drinking fountains where the locals come to sip the healing mineral waters. Dinner is at my favorite area restaurant, Webers Wikinger (www.webers-wikinger.de/), a historic restaurant that serves delicious regional fare and a great selection of the Moselle’s very best wines.
As a traveler, I’ve always embraced the philosophy that it’s the journey that matters, not the destination. After experiencing Germany at a deliberately slower pace, I’d add that how you make the journey can add exponentially to the joy. After peddling, walking, and floating through Germany’s wine country, I understand why this region has become synonymous with romance, and how meditating on my surroundings while traveling, instead of rushing headlong from one place to the next, seems to be the optimal way – at least for me – of moving through the wide, wide world. If there’s exceptional scenery and a glass of wine or two along the way, then so much the better.
Touring Germany’s Rhine and Moselle Wine Country
In wine country – and throughout Germany – any number of great cycling packages can be arranged. Signage is clear and easy to follow, and, depending upon which outfitter you choose, you can get passes that allow you to cycle, bring your bike on board the constantly passing river boats should the weather be uncooperative, or even opt for the train if sightseeing has you behind schedule to reach your evening accommodations. Boat service, however, is seasonal from April through November. For more itineraries and area information, visit www.mosellandtouristik.de, www.germany.travel, and www.romantic-germany.info
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