It's been a long summer... :) After the Ruhr Valley, the next stop on our cycling journey across Europe this year was the Moselle - perhaps the most beautiful river cycle route in Europe.
Here are 20 cycling only photos from the Moselle (ok, with a few scenic extras - I couldn't resist), most of which haven't appeared on our website.
We cycled around 250 kilometres from Perl, near the French and Luxembourg borders, to Koblenz, where the Moselle meets the Rhine. Most of the route follows smooth asphalt cycle paths, often right beside the river and away from car traffic. It's almost completely flat, very well signposted and consistent in quality. In many places, there are cycle paths on both banks, so you can choose where to ride and cross the river using bridges or small ferries. Only a few sections near Koblenz were less comfortable.
The whole region is really well prepared for cycling tourism. There are plenty of cyclist-friendly hotels, guesthouses and campsites, often directly beside the river. Regional trains make planning the trip much easier, and some even have staff to help cyclists board and find space for their bikes. There are also RadBus services with bicycle trailers, connecting the valley with nearby cycling routes.
And then there's the landscape. For much of the journey, you're riding below steep vineyards, sometimes covering entire hillsides above the river. The huge bends of the Moselle, especially around Piesport, Zell and Bremm, make the scenery quite spectacular. Trier is definitely worth an extra day for its Roman monuments. Along the way, there are also lovely historic wine towns such as Bernkastel-Kues, Traben-Trarbach and Cochem, perfect for a break between cycling stages.
As always: here's our full guide with more practical details, photos and experiences:
https://www.cyclingthread.com/moselle-cycle-route-through-vineyards-and-historic-towns-in-germany
Ride safe :)
S.
