In Bernkastel-Wittlich, the volcanic Eifel, the romantic Moselle Valley and the HunsrĂĽck, rich in forests and meadows, meet. This diversity is also reflected in the discoveries to be made locally: wine tastings in historic vaulted cellars sit alongside medieval castle ruins, pilgrimage traditions and traces of Roman history. There are also hiking trails and winter sports opportunities on the Erbeskopf. For planning your trip, a simple question can help: Would you primarily like to experience the landscape and get active, explore history or discover regional wines?
Erbeskopf and the Manderscheid Castles
At 816 metres high, the Erbeskopf invites you to go hiking and offers a range of winter sports opportunities. At the National Park Gate on the Erbeskopf, visitors can learn more about nature and the environment. An interactive multimedia exhibition focuses especially on forests and moors. Here, time spent being active in the landscape goes hand in hand with a closer look at its natural features.
Two medieval castle ruins define the landscape in Manderscheid: they stand on steep rocky spurs above the Lieser River, facing one another. The Manderscheider Burgenstieg trail circles the castles on a moderately challenging 5.4-kilometre hike; the stated duration is two hours. The Burgenklettersteig offers a different experience: it consists of three sections around the two castles, is about four kilometres long in total, and has cable protection along one kilometre. These details highlight the difference between a circular hike and a route with secured sections. At the edge of Manderscheid, the Burgweiher pond is also located in the Lieser Valley and is designated a protected natural monument.
Wine Tastings in Historic Vaulted Cellars
The vinothèque in the historic vaulted cellars of St. Nicholas Hospital offers tastings of wines from the Moselle, Saar and Ruwer regions. A selection of 100 wines ranges from quality wines to ice wine. The three wine regions and the breadth of the selection give the tastings a distinctive focus: you can explore the differences within the range rather than discover just one place of origin.
Pilgrimage Traditions, Museums and Roman History
In Klausen, the pilgrimage church of Maria Heimsuchung was consecrated in 1502. To this day, Klausen is a destination for pilgrims every year. This links the church’s history with an ongoing pilgrimage tradition. In Kues, the Cusanus Birthplace is used as a museum and event venue; a permanent exhibition is dedicated to Nicholas of Cusa.
There are also tangible points of interest for the history of technology and culture: the Zylinderhaus presents 90 years of German automotive history and more than 100 cars, motorcycles and vans. In Neumagen-Dhron, the Noviomagi Museum displays original finds such as clay vessels and stone fragments from funerary monuments, taking visitors back to Roman times. The audio tour starts at the Neumagen-Dhron Tourist Information Office. Along its approximately 800-metre archaeological circular route, it passes historic sites, monuments and finds; the tour takes about 45 minutes. The STELLA NOVIOMAGI offers another perspective on the Moselle with a cruise departing from Neumagen-Dhron.
Cycling Routes and Practical Information
The Maare-Mosel Cycle Route runs for 58.5 kilometres from Daun to Bernkastel-Kues along a disused railway line. For the return journey from Bernkastel-Kues to the starting point, a bike bus brings cyclists back; the return journey can be booked in advance. Check the current timetable when planning, and allow for the advance booking required if you want to use the bus.
Bernkastel-Wittlich offers different ways to explore the destination: a circular hike or a via ferrata, a wine tasting or a museum visit, an archaeological walk or a Moselle cruise. The differences lie not only in the subject matter but also in the form of the experience—from the two-hour castle hike, as stated, to the short archaeological circular route.
Discover more destinations: Bernkastel-Kues, Manderscheid, Traben-Trarbach, Morbach, Thalfang Am Erbeskopf, Wittlich, Reil, Kröv-Bausendorf, Immert, Flußbach, Salmtal, Oberöfflingen, Ürzig, Osann-Monzel, Dierscheid.
For the regional travel overview: Rhineland-Palatinate.
