Rhine/Moselle

The Moselle joins the Rhine near Koblenz

The Moselle joins the Rhine near Koblenz and many cruises combine the mid section of the Rhine from Cologne and Dusseldorf southwards with the smaller and more intimate Moselle down to Trier. Take time to explore the Moselle terraced vineyards and south western Germany with its castles, fortresses, and villages.

Moselle

The Moselle is a small intimate river that is navigable for River Cruise ships for 160 miles through southwestern Germany past castles, fortresses, terraced vineyards and villages from the French border near Trier to its meeting point with the Rhine at Koblenz. In total, it flows for 341 miles (545 km) across northeastern France before leaving France to form the frontier between Germany and Luxembourg for a short distance and then entering Germany.

Navigable Moselle

At Trier, the river opens out into a broad plain, making Trier an ideal site for a Roman city. It is here that the Moselle is joined by two smaller rivers, the Saar and the Ruwer. It then starts its serpentine run to the Rhine River at Koblenz. The vineyards from which the famous Moselle wines are produced are in this part of the valley and there are about 70 villages to explore including Bernkastel-Kues, Zell and Cochem. There are riverside paths and cycleways on both banks in this beautiful stretch of the river.

Rhine

The Rhine flows from the Alps of Switzerland north and west through France, Germany and Netherlands to the North Sea.The Rhine is navigable for River Cruise Boats from Basle in Switzerland all the way to the sea near Rotterdam, passing historic towns (like Strasbourg, Worms, Mainz, Koblenz) and modern cities (Cologne, Dusseldorf) as well as fairytale castles in the Rhine Gorge.

 

WHEN TO CRUISE?

The main cruising season is March to October.

Spring and autumn temperatures can range from 10°C (50°F) to 19°C (66°F) during the day and as low as 5°C (40°F) at night.

Summer is typically 20°C (68°F) to 25°C (77°F) down to 12°C (54°F) at night. Rain occurs mostly during afternoon thunderstorms during the warmer period.