Metlach Cochem Mosel & Saar tour 2026

Metlach Cochem

This bike and barge tour along the Mosel and Saar combines the best of the German ‘Bundesländer’ Rheinland Pfalz and Saarland. While cycling from Cochem to Mettlach you’ll discover the legacy of the Roman Empire, go beyond your limits and meet the ‘Queen of grapes’.

Roman villas and public baths

Go back in time and visit the Roman villas and public baths along the two rivers. In Trier you can visit the Porta Nigra. This ancient gateway is one of the best known monuments from the Roman era. On day six you go literally beyond your limits when we take a trip to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in the village of Wasserbillig.

While cycling through one of Germany’s major wine-growing areas this is an excellent occasion to taste a lot of different wines and see where they grow and how they are made. Get acquainted with the excellent but uncomplicated wines from the Saar and the so called ‘Spitzenweinen’ along the Mosel like the ‘Zeller Schwarze Katz’. The main ingredient for those wines is the Riesling, a white grape variety which dates back to the 15th century and is crowned the ‘Queen of grapes’.

Day 1 Mettlach 15 km

Your tour starts in the beautiful Saarland town of Mettlach, home of Villeroy & Boch and with a lot of shops and terraces. At 4 PM we will make a short trip along the Saar River to a beautiful mooring-place near the Saarschleife (Saar loop).

Day 2 Saarschleife – Saarburg 35 km

After breakfast we bike to the Saar-Canyon. Here we have the opportunity to hike to an outlook site on top of the Saar-Canyon where we have a magnificent panorama over the faraway surroundings. The hike is not steep and takes 1 hour uphill and half an hour downhill. At lunchtime we will arrive back in the town of Mettlach where we will have lunch and can visit the town with its outlet-shops. Of course we won’t forget to visit the biggest attraction of the town: The Villeroy & Boch porcelain museum including a cup of coffee in the beautiful Museum-Café. We will end this day-trip in the very scenic town of Saarburg with its huge waterfall in the middle of town.

Day 3 Saarburg – Nearby Trier 35 km

During today’s tour you switch rivers, leave the Saar behind and follow the Mosel. One thing’s for sure, you’re not the first tourist in the area: it was around the year 365 A.D. that the river inspired the Roman teacher Magnus Ausonius to write his hymn Mosella: ‘Greetings, river, framed by perfumed vineyard-covered hills, Framed by grass; river of greenest shores. Your strong waters carry ships, flowing in easy waves. Along the stream, and a glittering lake your depths emulate.’ We can take a detour and cross the border into the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In the afternoon we ride on to Trier where you’ll stay for around 3 hours. This city is known for its Roman legacies like the Porta Nigra, the Basilica of Constantine the Great and the amphitheatre. After visiting there is one hour cycling to the mooring-place of the barge.

Day 4 Nearby Trier to Bernkastel-Kues 50 km

Just like yesterday the Romans are still present today. Along the route you’ll find a lot of old Roman villas, public baths and other relics of ancient civilizations. All the historical buildings are placed on the slopes along the winding river. Especially the town of Neumagen-Dhron is interesting for its Roman remains. This used to be a Roman fortress and the place where the famous Romna whineship was found. The end point of today is the medieval town of Bernkastel-Kues with its romantic narrow streets, remarkable half-timbered houses and picturesque nooks and crannies. There’s the opportunity for a wine-tasting-excursion in a winery.

Day 5 Mosel–Maare cycling trail 55 km

In the morning the cycle bus takes you to Daun, to the start of the Mosel-Maare cycling trail, possibly the most famous cycling trail of the central Moselle. The track is built on an old railway line. There is no simpler way to cycle to the Moselle valley than on the former railway line through the Volcanic Eifel! The road runs through the landscape of volcanoes and crater lakes, along magnificent viaducts and past old railway stations. Light as a feather, it continues to roll on the Moselle bike path to Bernkastel-Kues.

Day 6 Bernkastel-Kues - Zell 40 km

As if it had imbibed a drink or two, the Mosel makes its way through a green and fascinating landscape with vineyards and forests. Along the way you’ll find some beautiful towns and villages like the so-called ‘Winzerdorf’ Wolf and even further around the next curve you’ll be surprised by the beautiful double city in Jugendstil, Traben Trarbach. Just before Zell you will bike to the “Marienburg” where you will be awarded by a splendid view over the Mosel Meander. The ship waits for you in the city of the black cat, Zell. The story goes that when some wine merchants from Aachen had to choose which wine barrel they should buy a black cat jumped upon one of the barrels to defend it. Of course this made it clear for them which barrel they needed to buy

Day 7 Zell - Cochem 35 km

The day starts with a ride to the almost vertical vineyards of Calmont near Bremm. Here you can take a hike up the slopes and see yet another wonderful bend in the Mosel river. After lunch we ride on to the beautiful village of Beilstein, décor of many movies. After the visit we cycle the last part of the trip along the Mosel to Cochem, the final destination of this cycling week. Cochem is famous for its wines and dominated by the old Reichsburg.

Day 8 Cochem end of tour

End of the tour after breakfast, before 10 AM

Included

• All nights on board (8 days / 7 nights), cabin in the booked category
• Full board (7 x breakfast, 6 x self-made picnic lunch for bike tours, 7 x three course dinner)
• Use of bed linen and towels
• Coffee and tea on board
• Free WiFi is limited available in lounge and on deck
• Tour guide, cycles with the group
• Moselle-Maare cycling trail
• Min. 3 city walks with tour guide
• Route information
• Bike maps, 1x per cabin
• GPS-tracks (on request)
• Ferry fares on the route

Not Included

• Reservation costs
• Contribution Dutch Guarantee Fund (Insolvency Protection) (€ 5 p.p.)
• Bicycle rent (optional)
• Entrance fees to museums; approx. € 25,-
• Other drinks on board
• Personal insurance

Extra

• Due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances, the route/program may be changed without notice.
• We do not allow private e-bikes on board (due to safetly regulations)
• If you have special meal requirements we ask you to mention this when booking, but at the latest until 14 days before arrival. Diets which need a special preparation or special ingredients can only be offered in limited form. We will do our best to meet your needs, but we also ask for your understanding as due to limited logistic possibilities on a barge we are not able to prepare complete specialized menus. In case of Celiac; gluten free diet; lactose free diet there is an additional charge of € 100, – per diet per week (possible on request up to 14 days prior to start of the tour). If ordered upon arrival this supplement is € 150,- per diet per week, to be paid on spot.
• Unfortunately, we are unable to offer vegan meals. The space in the kitchens on our ships is limited (for storage and preparation) and therefore we cannot guarantee that the meals are completely vegan.
• Dutch Barge Cruises reserves the right to cancel tours with fewer than 10 participants up to 21 days prior to the date of departure.