Overseas vacation tours, 2008

Tour of the Mosel and Rhine River Valleys

Summary of Itinerary July 19 through August 3, 2008

Riesling grapes

Saturday, July 19— Depart St. Louis—Check in at Lambert Field (St. Louis) at 11:30 AM. Leave St. Louis at 1:40 PM on Northwest Airlines Flight #1682 to Detroit, arriving at 4:16 PM. Depart from Detroit at 5:30 PM for Frankfort, Germany on Flight #52. The bicycles will be traveling with us, boxed up and delivered to the airline earlier. Don’t forget your passport, and review the current, ever changing air travel security regulations.

Sunday, July 20—Arrive in Frankfort—Land in Frankfort at 7:50 AM. Clear customs and travel by coach to Metz, France, 211km, arriving at around 2 PM. Your afternoon is free to explore Metz (population 118,500) while the bikes are made ready to ride. Metz began as the Gallo-Roman city called Metis, and is now the chief town of the Department of Moselle. Famous buildings in the city include the Saint-Etienne Cathedral, with the largest collection of stained glass windows in all of France, and the Musees De La Cour Dor, which houses and archeological collection from Gallo-Roman times.

We stay at the Hotel Du Theatre, 27 Rue Saint Marcel, 57000 Metz. Welcome Dinner is at the Restaurant Pont St. Marcel at 7:00 PM.

Monday, July 21—Cycle to Thionville—Today we ride along the Moselle from Metz to Thionville, a distance of 35km. Thionville (pop. 44,100) has many fine old buildings in its center, highlighted by the former convent building of the Poor Clares order. Other sites include the Tour aux Puces, a mighty 11th Century keep also known as the Tour au Puits (Well Tower); the Musee Municipal, displaying artifacts from the city’s history dating from Neolithic times through 1870; the Chateau de la Grange, a castle with fine collections of Boch and Chantilly porcelain, and a bath originally owned by Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister.

We stay at the Hotel Saint Hubert, 2 Rue Georges Ditsch, 57100 Thionville. The telephone is 33.382.51.84.22, fax 33.382.53.99.61. Group dinner at the hotel.

Tuesday, July 22—Cycle to Trier—We start today along banks of the Moselle in France, follow it as it becomes the Mosel in Germany, and end up in Trier, a distance of 70km. Trier was founded in the 1st Century by Emperor Augustus after Rome conquered the Celtic tribes from eastern Gaul. Trier became the capital of this region of the empire, and much evidence of this Roman past can still be seen today. Trier remained one of the key meeting points for Celtic, German and Latin cultures, the mixture of which led to modern Western civilization. Many physical structures hint at this rich history. The Porta Nigra (Black Gate) is the one remaining of four towers that guarded the entrances to the original walled city. The Imperial Baths were among the largest in all of the Roman empire. The Rhineland Museum holds many Roman antiques, Bronze Age pottery, and jewelry and glassware from Frankish tombs. The Church of Our Lady was one of the first Gothic churches built in Germany and dates from 1235.

We stay at the Hotel Mercure, Metzer Allee 6, 54295 Trier. Telephone 651.93.77.0, fax 65.31.78.15. Dinner on your own.

Wednesday, July 23—Cycle to Bernkastel-Kues—We ride 60km to Bernkastel-Kues, a pair of towns lying on either side of the Mosel. This ia a center for wine making in Germany, and the twin towns host many wine festivals during the year. The vineyards around Bernkastel-Kues are the largest in Germany, and they mostly produce dry Riesling wines, of which the most sought after (and expensive) is Bernkasteler Doktor. Many more economical but still excellent varieties are available too, and if you want to purchase some wine on this tour, Bernkastel-Kues is the place to do it.

We stay at the Hotel Drei Konige, Bahnhofstrasse, 54470, Bernkastel-Kues. Telephone 65.31.20.35, fax 65.31.78.15. Group dinner at Restaurant “Zinz”.

Thursday, July 24—Cycle to Zell An der Mosel—We ride 45km to Zell An der Mosel, population 5,500. This town has lovely old gabled houses and is one of the most beautiful towns on the Mosel. The town is famous for Zeller Schwarze Katy wine.

We stay at the Hotel “Zum Grun Kranz”, Baldurin Strasse, 13, 56856 Zell/Mosel. Telephone 65.42.45.49, fax 65.42.98.61.80. Wine tasting of five local wines followed by dinner at the hotel.

Friday, July 25—Cycle to Cochem—We ride 39km to Cochem, a town of 8,000 people. Cochem Castle sits on a vineyard-covered hill, and is one of the most famous in the Rhineland. Most of the original structure was torn down in 1689, but then rebuilt in the 19th Century in a 13th Century style with many turrets and pinnacles. The interior of the castle has Feudal period furnishings, and the daily tour is highly recommended. Other sites in Cochem include the baroque Town Hall, the Capuchin Monastery, town fortifications and the Endertor Gate dating from 1332, more fine examples of typical timber frame house construction, and a pleasant promenade along the river.

We stay at the Parkhotel von Landenberg, Sehler Anlagen 1, 56812, Cochem. Telephone 26.71.71.10, fax 26.71.83.79. Group dinner at the hotel. We have stayed at this hotel on every tour of this region, and keep coming back because of the excellent food and beautiful view of the Mosel from the hotel’s dining room.

A recommended stop along the route today is at Marienburg, an old convent turned into a restaurant near Zell. The views from the restaurant’s terrace and lookout tower are quite nice, and you can see several curves of the Mosel with vineyards on either bank.

Cochem Castle

Saturday, July 26—Cycle to Koblenz—We ride 69km to the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine rivers at Koblenz. This town is over 2000 years old, is surrounded by four low mountain ranges, and has a rich collection of fortress walls and towers, castles and palaces, monuments and parks.

We stay at the Hotel Trierer Hof, Clemensstrasse 1, 56068 Koblenz. Telephone 49.261.1006.0, fax 0261.1006100. Group dinner at the hotel.

A key landmark along the route today is Burg Eltz, a fortress on the river Eltz near where it enters the Mosel. The Burg Eltz has eight towers and numerous turrets, pinnacles and spires. The castle is well furnished in period style, and the interiors are well preserved. The 15th Century Rubenbach Lower Hall, the Gothic style Upper Hall, the Knights’ Hall and the original medieval kitchen make this castle well worth seeing.

Sunday, July 27—Free day in Koblenz—Spend today sightseeing, shopping, and doing laundry. The Koblenz city square is very lively at night, full of entertainment and sidewalk cafes. A worthwile side trip is to Festung Ehrenbreitstein, which was built between 1816 and 1832 by Prussia. There is a fine view of Koblenz from the terrace of the fortress.

We spend another night at the Hotel Trierer Hof. Dinner is on your own.

Monday, July 28—Cycle to Boppard—This is our first day along the Rhine River, as we travel 30km to Boppard. This residential town of 17,500 has a fine promenade along the river. The Gothic Carmelite Church in Boppard has a fine collection of art.

We stay tonight at the Best Western Bellevue Rheinhotel, Rheinalle 41/42, Boppard 56154. Telephone 49.06.742.1020, fax 49.06.102602. Dinner is on your own.

Tuesday, July 29—Cycle to St. Goar—St. Goar (pop. 3,700) is 20km from Boppard, and is a town that caters to tourists. This is where you go to purchase coo-coo clocks and beer steins. But our hotel tonight in in the Rheinfels Castle complex, and this makes putting up with the touristy aspect of St. Goar well worth it. Castle Rheinfels is perched on a ridge overlooking the river valley. It is a pretty good climb to get up there, but the effort is rewarded by stunning views of the turbulent Rhine, the nearby Cat and Mouse castles, and the maze of towers, gates, courts and casemates of the Rheinfels complex itself.

Our hotel is the Schlosshotel Villa Rheinfels, Schlossberg 47, 56329 St. Goar (inside the Rheinfels Castle complex). Telephone 67.41.80.20, fax 67.41.80.28.02. Group dinner on the terrace, be sure to bring your camera!

Wednesday, July 30—Cycle to Bingen—Bingen (pop. 24,000) was founded by the Romans at the confluence of the Nahe and Rhine rivers, and today is a port city and center of the wine making region of the Rhine. Our 35km ride to Bingen today takes us along the most famous portion of the Rhine valley, known as the Loreley, the steepest and wildest part of the river. The Rhine changes direction at Bingen, heading north through a narrow passage in the Hercynian Massif. This passage is known as Bingen Loch and is taken cautiously by river navigators.

We stay tonight at the Hotel Martinskeller, Martin Strasse 1, 55411 Bingen. Telephone 62.41.86.08.0, fax 62.21.13.52.30. Dinner is on your own.

Thursday, July 31—Cycle to Worms—We ride 46km to Worms, population 85,600. This town is in the middle of the Rhinehessen wine producing region of Germany. Worms is one of the oldest towns in Germany, and its St. Peters Cathedral, completed in 1230, is one of the finest Romanesque structures in all of Germany. This is the cathedral where Martin Luther nailed his 21 Theses, leading to his being banned in 1521.

Tonight we stay at the Asgard Hotel, Gutleut Strasse 4, 67547 Worms. Telephone 62.41.86.08.0, fax 62.41.86.08.100. Group dinner at the hotel.

Friday, August 1—Cycle to Heidelberg—Today we ride 53km to Heidelberg (pop. 130,500). This city is the center of the German Romantic movement in writing, is the oldest university town in Germany, and is a cultural center of considerable influence. We will take a guided tour of Heidelberg Castle, which features the German Pharmaceutical Museum and the “Great Vat”, a 49,000 gallon wine barrel and platform built in the 18th Century that hosts wine tastings and dances.

We stay at the Romantik Hotel “Zum Ritter”, Haup Strasse 178, 69117 Heidelberg. Telephone 62.21.13.50, fax 62.21.13.52.30. Dinner on your own.

Saturday, August 2—Free day in Heidelberg—We stay another day in Heidelberg, with time for further sightseeing and a tour of Philosophers Walk. This starts at the Bergstrasse in the suburb of Neuenheim and continues up the Heiligenberg slopes, offering enchanting views of the town and castle. Other sites include Marktplatz (central town square filled with gardeners’ stalls), the Knight’s Mansion, University Library (exhibition of rare manuscripts), Students’ Gaol (used until 1914 to house too-uproarious students), and the Electoral Palatinate Museum.

Stay another night in the Romantik Hotel. Group Farewell Dinner in the hotel.

Sunday, August 3—Return to St. Louis—Travel from Heidelberg to Frankfort Airport via coach at 7:00 AM. Depart on Northwest Airlines Flight #51 at 10:40 AM. Arrive in Detroit at 1:55 PM. Depart Detroit on Flight #1679 at 3:10 PM, arrive in St. Louis at 3:54 PM.

What the tour includes:

Fourteen nights in first class hotels. Nine dinners. Other meals will be on your own.
Transportation of luggage each day during the tour.
Mechanic and SAG support during each riding day.
Expert packing and reassembly of your bicycle at the start and end of the tour.

Price of this tour is yet to be determined.

For further information please contact:

Donald N. Humphries, President
tel: 314.739.4648
email: donaldh@touringcyclist.com

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