juneabee

The thoughtful suggestions you are all providing is a huge help, and better than most guidebooks. It's interesting to read your different opinions and makes me consider other town and transportation alternatives. Your expertise especially encourages me to broaden my experiences and become more adventurous in traveling the area. Thank you!

bilboburgler

If you like walking along the tops of the Mosel cliff, or indeed walking up through the vines there are loads of places to do it. I can be pretty hot, so take water and be prepared for some steep bits but I've enjoyed doing it. A short article from the DT

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...hts-Trail.html

juneabee

Thanks for the article. It's a remarkable read!

PalenQ

Yes I've walked up to the top of the cliffs thru vineyards on workers' paths but be careful to NOT actually touch or go into the vines themselves - IME

bilboburgler

juneabee, you can see why I come back to the Mosel time and time again, for the wine you need to see it as part of a greater rhine wine area into which Alsace and the Pflaz also fall. But the walking in the Mosel is the best, the bike riding is on par with the other two.

PalenQ

I spent ten years leading bike trips along the Mosel - things I learned - winds can make the Mosel like a wind tunnel - plan you bike trip to go downstream not up to avoid strong headwinds that IME are not uncommon. If a chance rent a bike for a day and putz around - like taking the boat with bike to Beilstein then putzing back slowly to Cochem or riding downstream from Cochem to Moselkern - walk or bike up to Burg Eltz then take the train back to Cochem - or of course ride both ways - those are two easy trips. Bike rentals abound - some hotels may have them to rent.

PalenQ

Though the Mosel can be reached by train to a few river towns like Cochem and others only buses ply the river roads - this is one place a car would be very very sweet! Stop at wineries en route (but don't dare drink and drive - drastic penalties now).

juneabee

After the missed opportunity of a Fall trip to Amsterdam, Rhine River area and Alsace because of a broken ankle, we are back to planning basically the same trip. We have reread and appreciated your suggestions, but have a few questions that were put on hold and possible adaptions.

My husband and I will be arriving in Amsterdam early (6 a.m.) Thursday, June 16. We'll enjoy 3 full days and 3 nights in Amsterdam. We will then take a train on Sunday, June 16, for Cologne. Since it's a Sunday, a car rental, which was suggested, may be an issue. Using the baggage storage, we'll spend 1/2 day in Cologne, then continue to take the train to Boppard. Any problems we should be aware of with the baggage storage?

We hope to book a hotel in Boppard and stay 4 nights, with 3 days to enjoy the Rhine and Mosel area. Any Boppard hotel suggestions? Is it even possible to rent a car in Boppard, or do we need to rent it in Koblenz?

One day we will take a day cruise from Bingen (or Rudesheim) down the Rhine, hopping (?) off to visit some of the towns, including Bacharach. We intend to make our last stop at Braubach, visit the castle, and train back to Boppard. Timing or enjoyable village suggestions are welcome. We may use the local trains to visit other villages another day.

We'd like to visit a few towns along the Mosel including Cochem and maybe cruise to Beilstein. Bernkastel-Kues sounds lovely, too, though we'd probably need a car. Burg Eltz is still an option, but we've seen many castles in our travels and the ways of getting there may be limited (ankle thing!) I've read several mixed opinions about renting a car or using the efficient train and bus system. We're quite confused, though, if we don't rent a car, which pass would be best for us for the trains/buses/river cruise. There are so many options and we're not very savvy using a train system.


When leaving from Boppard on Thursday, June 23, we will be driving to Colmar with an afternoon stop in Baden-Baden. Because we will be renting the car in Germany, keeping it to tour the Alsace area, do we have to return it to a German city to avoid additional one-way, two country fees? As an option, we'll be visiting Strasbourg from Colmar, we could perhaps drive to return the car in nearby Kehl, Germany, from there take the train to visit Strasbourg, then take the train again back to Colmar.

We have 4 days and 4 nights to enjoy Colmar and visit the wine villages, with one day spent in Strasbourg. Eguisheim, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé are on our list of villages to see. We'd like to to stay in Colmar. Any suggestions for a hotel?

We left an open day before we leave from Basel Airport on June 28. Our flight is at 10:45 a.m., so we could take the train that morning from Colmar. That last day could be spent visiting Breisach, Germany. Or we could possibly spend the night near the Basel airport & use our last day to visit Basel. I'm concerned that we might be a little tired of "small villages." We haven't researched the Basel, yet, and know it only as a larger, departing city for many river cruises.

PalenQ

Bernkastel-Kues sounds lovely, too, though we'd probably need a car. >

Nope can take train from Cochem to Mehlem (I think I got it right) and then a rail bus to Bernksatle-Kues - there are closer and just as nice towns to Cochem you can reach directly by train - Zell for one and Treis-Karden - two cutesy wine towns.

Burg Eltz - train to Moselkern and then taxi or mini-bus up to the castle or a two-mile uphill stroll.

Check out the Lander (Regional) Ticket for the Mosel-Rhine area - unlimited travel on regional trains and buses the whole day for a pittance.

Trier makes an excellent day trip from Cochem by direct train - the best Roman ruins and relics north of the Alps that I've seen - the reason for visiting - like the Porta Negra, an intact Roman city gate that was once the gateway to the eastern part of the Holy Roman Empire - Trier being the capital of the western part I guess. Great pedestrian shopping street - suffered damage in WW2 so not that dreamy but really nice - think there are boat rides down the Mosel from here to Bernkastle.

PalenQ

for German train info like Lander Tickets check www.bahn.de/en - the official German Railways site with fares and schedules and other info and for general info www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - check out their online European Planning & Rail Guide's Germany section for lots on the Mosel/Rhine.

and you need no car to explore the Rhine - use the K-D boats (K-D.com) that let you get on and off at many neat places en route - from the boat you can see both sides of the river - in a car you're on fairly congested roads the whole way on both sides potentially.

Cologne to Cochem is a snap by train - no need for a car unless you really want to drive, which is fine.

juneabee

Oh, my gosh, PalenQ, you found me again. I wasn't sure my post was still active. I was so disappointed our trip had to be canceled, but am looking forward to it this year. Thanks.