Trier trip report
 

This post is for the people who responsed to my thread about our just finished month in Germany/Belgium who asked about Trier specifically. <BR> <BR> Driving in Trier was a massive headache. We got very lost trying to find the hotel we had made advance reservations at. Lost over and over again. It took us well over an hour (probably close to 2 hours) between the time when we got to the city of Trier until when we reached the hotel. We were booked to stay at the Hotel Petrisburg (at Sickingenstrasse 11; telephone (0651) 464-0) high in the hills over the city of Trier, but the phone instructions we received from a female clerk were not adequate. I would recommend getting *written* directions in advance if you book at this hotel. The hotel itself was very nice and I would certainly recommend staying there to others. Every room has a private balcony and ours looked down on a wonderful view of the city and the hills beyond. There is a nice somewhat steep forested path that leads down from the hotel grounds to the city below. Once we got to the hotel we didn’t move our car again until we left Trier. The hotel owner (Herr Pantenburg) speaks many languages and is a helpful, efficient person. He does much of the work of running this medium sized hotel himself as he told us that way he is assured that things will be done in the correct manner. Our room was very pleasant and you get a good value for your money with this hotel. The two days we were there the weather was overcast most of the time and it drizzled a bit on and off. <BR> <BR>The main sightseeing draws in Trier are the Roman ruins, which were very impressive. <BR>The most famous ruin is the Porta Nigra gate which is the best preserved Roman structure in Germany. It’s amazing when you see it and climb up into it to know it dates from before the year 400 A.D. The interior is not very interesting in itself, but does give you an interesting view of the area all around. The other Roman highlight is the building now known as the Basilica. Now a massive, stark, unadorned, interesting box-shaped Protestant church. We sat inside for awhile and listened to an organist practicing for that weekend’s services. It’s surprising that a building that looks that strong and modern could have been built almost 2000 years ago. <BR> <BR>We also spent quite a bit of time visiting the two large churches that sit side by side. <BR>The more famous is the Dom (aka St Peter’s Cathedral) which was begun in 1035. <BR>Right now they are just starting a large remodeling/cleaning of the exterior of this cathedral so scaffolding was starting to go up all over it when we were in Trier. Extremely close by is the Liebfrauenkirche, which is in my opinion a more pleasing church inside. The interior is peaceful and quite beautiful in a simple way. The roof is supported by large columns inside instead of the more typical buttresses. Trier also has a long pedestrian mall near the churches and that’s were large amounts of people were doing their shopping. It’s a very active place with lots of bustling people, stores, cafes and street musicians (we even saw someone playing musical glasses). In the central plaza flower and vegetable vendors had set up standing and were busy selling their products. <BR> <BR>

Wow!

Glad to hear you liked Trier, Anna. I was there in 1980, invited to visit by a German woman I'd met the previous year at a B&B in Edinburgh, and I loved it! A great town. If she hadn't lived there, I'm not sure I would have ever visited it, or even heard of it. <BR> <BR>

Hello Anna, <BR> <BR>Your report was very interesting to me as Trier is a place I hope to visit this year - perhaps at the time of the Xmas markets, which always seems a lovely time to visit Germany. Thanks again! <BR> <BR>Steve

how about places to eat meals at in trier (not expensive)?

My first trip to Trier we stayed at the Petrisberg. It was nice and clean, but one night a friend took us to a place called the Eurener Hof for dinner. The meal was fantastic and reasonably priced. After dinner we took a walk and discovered that the Eurener Hof was also a hotel. Best of all it had an indoor pool!! On subsequent trips we have stayed and dined at the Eurener Hof and have been quite pleased. It's a little fancier and more expensive than the Petrisberg, but has ample parking and a really nice breakfast buffet. The rooms are very "woody" and would make Martha Stewart proud. It's on the way out of Trier toward Luxembourg. I haven't been there in 10 years, but I still hear nice things about it.

Sorry...I can't really comment on places to eat dinner in Trier. After a very full day: morning sights in Bernkastel-Kues and driving to Trier (and getting so lost on the maze like streets with the multiple round-abouts) and then lots of sightseeing in Trier, we went back up the forest trail to the Petrisburg hotel for my husband to take a nap. Then afterwards I felt too tired to go all the way down to the city for a late dinner, so we got the hotel staff to bring us a big platter of cold cuts and breads and we ate outside on our balcony with its pleasing view of Trier below. It was a nice "picnic". <BR> <BR>

My family and myself really enjoyed our trip to Trier last July. As far as places to eat we ate at a place called "Kartoffel und Bier". We just had to stop there and see how many different meals you can make from potatoes. I have to say everyone enjoyed their meals. Many different variations of potatoes, some fried with speck (similar to bacon), mushrooms, and onion...very tasty. Plus of course they had french fries.

I wholeheartedly agree with the wonderful assessment of Trier. We were there in 1999 on the advice of a co-worker who lived there while in the army. In addition, my husband was intriuged by the idea of Roman ruins. I laughed when I read of being lost while driving. We also had the same experience trying to find the city center. We did not stay in the city itself but rather headed out along the Mosel. We stayed at a B&B called Romervilla, but I have no idea as to the name of the village it was located in. For approx. $36 USD we had a plain, but very clean and comfortable room. We enjoyed our time along the Mosel immensely and were quite disappointed in the Rhine.

Anna has given a very good "quick review" of Trier. Couple of additional points. Don't miss the Roman Coliseum above the city. There is enough left to easily visualize how it looked and was used in it's prime. To help, there is a large pictoral representation of what it looked like at the entrance. I wish this was done at all ruins. It really brings things into perspective. Also, don't miss the Roman Baths, a very large ruin at the edge of the city. You can walk around and through this immense structure. Also, there is the "Pink Palace". Not the real name., but it is pink, is behind the Churches Anna refers to and worth visiting the building and the grounds. Keep walking through the grounds and toward the hills and you will come to the Roman Baths mentioned above. <BR> <BR>Our hotel was also in the hills above Trier (what a view), but we had good instructions. So, we had little difficulty finding it. <BR> <BR>About the view: On our first morning, we were looking out the balcony window when, all of a sudden, we saw a convoy of Army Tanks moving Westward a few kilometers from the hotel. What was this? There are a lot of shrubery and trees at the base of the hills. What appeared to be a moving convoy, was in reality a moving train with Tanks on flatbed cars. The tracks went around the hill we were on, so, the Tanks were not in a straight line. The greenery hid the flatbeds and all we could see was the "moving" Tanks. Surprise!