The starting point of the western circular hiking trail is about 70 metres from Sankt Thomas station and can be reached by public transport. The Kyll Valley Cycle Route also runs right through the village; its route is mostly flat. For a stay where arrival and local routes matter, Sankt Thomas offers useful starting points for planning. Hiking and cycling days can be considered as distinct focuses.

Getting here and finding your way

Sankt Thomas station provides access to the Eifel railway line between Trier and Cologne, with hourly train services in both directions. Check the timetable before travelling. Sankt Thomas can also be reached via the VRT bus network in the Western Eifel. By road, take state road 24 through the Kyll Valley; the A 60 is accessible via the Badem interchange. The different modes of transport offer various ways to get here, which you can match to your planned stay.

Hiking and cycling routes in the Kyll Valley

The St. Thomas Monastery Loop starts at the monastery in Sankt Thomas, passes through the Kyll Valley and circles the village. Wooded sections alternate with expansive views across the valley. The signposted St. Thomas Nature Trail offers a different focus: it is 2.5 kilometres long and runs through the Heilenbach Valley in the Zwischen Ueß und Kyll landscape conservation area. The difference is clear when choosing a route: for the Nature Trail, its stated length and the Heilenbach Valley are the key points; the Monastery Loop circles Sankt Thomas, with wooded sections and expansive valley views. The Kyll Valley Cycle Route is a separate, mostly flat cycling option that runs right through the village.

A viewpoint offers a view of Sankt Thomas in the Kyll Valley and a place to sit and rest. Other hiking and cycling routes lead to viewpoints overlooking the village; circular tours start both in Sankt Thomas and in nearby Kyllburg.

Monastic history and the church

The former Cistercian nunnery was founded in the Kyll Valley around 1185. A fire destroyed the former abbey in 1742; only the church remained standing. A relic of Thomas Becket is set into the church altar behind a cross-shaped medallion. The medieval prayer book from St. Thomas dates to around 1300, contains the oldest known form of the Rosary of the Life of Jesus and is kept in Trier. The timeline runs from the monastery’s foundation around 1185, through the manuscript from around 1300, to the fire of 1742.

Choose accommodation to suit your travel plans

When choosing a holiday apartment, it is worth deciding in advance what you would like to focus on during your stay. Are you looking for valley views and circular routes, the nature trail through the Heilenbach Valley, or a cultural connection to the monastery’s history? This can help you choose a base that suits your planned activities.

Discover more destinations: Irrel, Zendscheid, Seffern, Weilerbach, Wawern, Hamm, Giesdorf, Schloßheck

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