The Moselle in Luxembourg (also called the Luxembourg Moselle) is definitely one of our favorite regions in our small neighboring country, Luxembourg. It forms a natural border between Germany and Luxembourg and awaits you along its 39 kilometers with great highlights, picturesque villages, numerous vineyards, and a diverse network of hiking trails. In perfect weather, we were able to explore the region on our own and get our own impression of what it has to offer. We can already tell you: The trip is worth it! We would have loved to extend it a few more days and visit other parts of the country. But at least we have a pretty good reason to come back to Luxembourg. In the following article, we’ll take you through the Moselle region and reveal our top highlights. Enjoy browsing!
- General information about the wine region
- Our hotel on the Moselle in Luxembourg
- Palmberg Ahn wine and nature trail
- Wine tasting at the Cave St. Martin wine cellar
- Haff Rémeich & Biodiversum
- The small village of Schengen
- Other sights along the Moselle
- Conclusion about the Moselle region in Luxembourg
General information about the wine region
In Luxembourg, almost exclusively dry white wines are produced; red wines are rare. The approximately 1300 hectares of vineyards are cultivated by around 450 winegrowers, both full-time and part-time. Well-known and popular grape varieties include Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Elbling. To ensure the vines receive sufficient sun, the slopes are south-facing. If you’re there, you’ll certainly notice this right away. A true specialty are the Luxembourg sparkling wines, also known as Crémant de Luxembourg. During our tour of the Cave St. Martin winery, we learned how this sparkling wine is produced and how it is strictly controlled. More on that later…
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Our hotel on the Moselle in Luxembourg
We stayed at the Hotel de l’Ecluse*, which is located in the small village of Stadtbredimus, directly on the Moselle. Here in the 3-star superior hotel, a beautiful double room with shower and balcony, as well as wellness facilities, a bar, restaurant, and garden, awaited us. In the restaurant, you can enjoy fine cuisine with influences from France and around the world. Due to the current Corona situation, there was no breakfast in the hall in the morning, but rather directly in your own room. The beautiful sauna area with a view of the vineyards was unfortunately still closed (it should be open again by now).
But back to our room. The furnishings made a good impression and seemed very high-quality and modern. We were able to end the day on the balcony in the evening with a glass of wine. In the morning, it was unfortunately far too noisy to have breakfast on the balcony, as the hotel is located directly on the main road. But of course, the breakfast tasted very good at the table in our room too. From the hotel, we could reach all the important highlights along the Luxembourg Moselle, so it was a very good location. Book your room here*.
Palmberg Ahn Wine and Nature Trail
Numerous hiking trails await you throughout the Moselle region; at first, we couldn’t decide. In the end, we chose the Palmberg Ahn Wine and Nature Trail, which, at 3 to 4 hours, best fit our schedule and itinerary. There are three dream loops (premium hiking trails) in Luxembourg, each offering unique highlights. The Palmberg Ahn Wine and Nature Trail particularly impressed us with its beautiful views over the Moselle, meter-high shell limestone cliffs, numerous vineyards, and the lush green Donverbach Valley. It’s best to plan 3 to 4 hours for this idyllic hike.
Dreamy views
We started the hike in the picturesque wine-growing village of Ahn, located between Wormeldange and Machtum. The first few meters led through the village, and a few minutes later, up to the vineyards and the high, steep cliffs. This was, in our opinion, the most strenuous part of the hike, as it was very warm that day. Along the way, we admired the many vines and enjoyed the stunningly beautiful views over the Moselle Valley and the small wine-growing village of Ahn.
The second part of the hike took us past a huge rapeseed field and ended in the lush Donverbachtal. In the hot temperatures, it was a refreshing way to cool off by hiking through the shady ravine forest and occasionally dipping our hands into the cold stream. At the end, we returned to the small village of Ahn and were able to drive to the next highlight of the region. But do take a moment to stroll through the picturesque village! It’s truly beautiful! For all the details of the hike, click here.
Wine Tasting at the Cave St. Martin Wine Cellar
Here on the Moselle in Luxembourg, we naturally wanted to learn more about the wines and try a few drops. We opted for a guided tour of the “Cave St. Martin” wine cellar, located at the end of the town of Remich. Here, we were greeted by nearly 1 kilometer-long underground passages carved into the limestone cliff. As soon as we entered, we immediately felt the temperature difference: While we had perfect weather that day with almost 30°C, the 12°C in the corridors was a pleasant cooling effect.
The Caves St Martin were founded in 1919, shortly after the end of the First World War; several pictures on the grounds commemorate the pioneers of the past. The winery offers six different tours; we opted for the traditional tour. This tour lasted around 45 minutes and ended in the beautifully decorated wine shop, where we were able to sample a glass of Crémant. Of course, a bottle of Pinot Gris also ended up in our backpack (tour cost: €7 per person). In the Moselle region, you’ll find numerous other winemakers and wine cellars; a good overview can be found here: Winemakers of Luxembourg.
Haff Rémeich & Biodiversum
The Haff Rémeich Nature Reserve and the Biodiversum Visitor Center near Schengen are highly recommended. After our program, we enjoyed the sounds of nature and the wonderful idyll here by the water to the fullest. The nature reserve is known for its large diversity of bird and plant species, which you can explore on the two adventure trails (lengths: 2.3 km and 4.6 km). Right next door, there’s a pond where you can cool off on hot days (entrance fee: €5 | children under 10 free).
Here in the nature reserve, there’s another attraction: the Biodiversum Visitor Center, which was built on an artificially created island. This architecturally striking and very futuristic building is somehow reminiscent of the time of the Celts. Inside, you can learn all about the nature reserve, sustainability, and environmental protection on two floors (admission free). We lay down on one of the piers by the water, looked up at the blue sky, and simply enjoyed the short break.
The small village of Schengen
Have you ever wondered where the term “Schengen Agreement” actually comes from? Here in the small wine-growing village of Schengen, the agreement was signed on June 14, 1985, by Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. This abolished controls on the movement of people and goods at the common land, air, and sea borders. At the “Place des Êtoiles,” the national columns and the flags of the individual countries await you. In the museum just behind it, you can learn all about the history of the euro and the Schengen Agreement. Admission is free.
Behind the museum, the narrow streets lead you through the pretty village of Schengen and to the adjacent lush vineyards. Incidentally, you can also start the premium hike “Dream Loop – Schengen Without Borders” from here. This hike takes you through Luxembourg and France, offering fantastic views of the border triangle (France, Luxembourg & Germany). All the information here.
More sights along the Moselle River
There’s so much more to discover along the Moselle River in Luxembourg. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to visit all the other highlights. We’ve listed some tips below that we received from the community. Enjoy browsing!
- Explore Remich
- Musée “A Possen”
- View from the Koeppchen vineyard
- View of Deisermillen in Machtum
- Nature reserve “A Wiewesch”
- Musée et Maison du Vin
- Mediterranean garden near Schengen
- Spa town of Bad Mondorf
Conclusion on the Moselle region in Luxembourg
Whether as a day trip, for a short vacation, or for a longer stay – the Luxembourg Moselle is an absolute MUST if you are traveling in our small neighboring country. We were lucky with the weather and were able to explore the region under sunshine and blue skies. We particularly liked the mix of hiking trails, nature, culinary delights, and wine culture. If you ever travel to the Luxembourg Moselle yourself, we would be delighted if you would leave a comment below this post and share your thoughts with us. You can find more information, tips, and plenty of inspiration on the Visit Moselle website.