Scenic drives along the Moselle
The Moselle is Germany's most famous wine river, and a firm holiday favourite with Dutch and Belgian visitors for decades: steep Riesling slopes, sharp river bends, half-timbered towns and castles. These are our 3 measured Moselle loops, from the lower valley to the upper reaches, each with its own character, all on quiet riverside roads without a single metre of motorway. Drive them as they are, or let the planner build one from your own starting point.
Three measured scenic drives along the Moselle
Moselle scenic drive: Cochem, the Calmont and the wine villages
The lower valley around Cochem: the Reichsburg high above the town, the half-timbered gem of Beilstein, the Calmont at Bremm (the steepest vineyard in Europe) and the sharp loop of the Zeller Hamm. Burg Eltz is around the corner.
Middle Moselle scenic drive: Bernkastel and Traben-Trarbach
The wine heart around Bernkastel-Kues with Burg Landshut, the Sonnenuhr and Würzgarten vineyards at Zeltingen and Ürzig, and the Art Nouveau town of Traben-Trarbach in its great Mosel loop.
Upper Moselle scenic drive: Trier, Elbling and the tri-border
The quiet upper reaches: Roman Trier with the Porta Nigra, the Elbling wine villages at Nittel, the Roman mosaic of Nennig and the three-country corner (Dreiländereck) at Perl and Schengen, back past Saarburg.
Generate your own Moselle loop from your own start
Type your start town (for example Cochem) and we build a beautiful two-hour loop over back roads. Adjust everything afterwards: duration, start, vehicle.
Free, with a share link and export to GPX and Google Maps. A place name is enough; no need to share your location.
Why the Moselle is such good touring country
The Moselle winds in sharp loops through a deep valley, lined on both sides by Germany's steepest vineyards. That yields exactly the kind of roads a scenic drive asks for: winding riverside lanes along the water, and the Moselle heights above with ever-new glimpses of the river. Every few kilometres a new wine village, a castle or a panorama. And it is close: from the border at Aachen you reach Cochem in about two hours. From the lower valley with the Calmont to the Roman upper reaches at Trier: convertible, motorbike or camper, the Moselle is a joy to drive in all three.
Frequently asked questions
Which Moselle route suits me?
For the best-known images, the Reichsburg of Cochem and the steepest vineyard in Europe (the Calmont), choose the Moselle scenic drive around Cochem. For the wine heart with Bernkastel and Traben-Trarbach, take the Middle Moselle scenic drive. For Roman history and the tri-border, the Upper Moselle scenic drive at Trier is your route. Together they cover the whole German Moselle.
How far is the Moselle from the Netherlands and Belgium?
Close. From the border at Aachen you reach Cochem and Bernkastel in about two hours, and Trier in two and a half. The Moselle has been a firm holiday favourite with Dutch and Belgian visitors for decades.
What is the difference between the three Moselle routes?
Each takes a stretch of the river: the Upper Moselle is the upper reaches at Trier (Roman, Elbling, tri-border), the Middle Moselle the wine heart around Bernkastel (Riesling, Traben-Trarbach), and the lower loop the valley around Cochem (the Calmont, Zell, Burg Eltz around the corner). Together they form the complete German Moselle.
Are the Moselle routes suitable for convertible, motorbike and camper?
Yes. The winding riverside roads and the Moselle heights are ideal for convertible and motorbike. By camper the routes work well too; mind the narrow half-timbered village centres of Cochem, Beilstein and Bernkastel and park on the edge.
Are these routes free?
Yes. Viewing, generating from your own start, downloading the GPX and roadbook and sharing are free, with a small Touren.app credit. Plus adds ad-free and offline driving.