Cindy-Lou Dale

Straddling both banks of the Moselle River is an architectural treasure set in an ancient landscape, once Europe’s second largest wine trading district after Bordeaux

Be it a day trip or a weekend escape, just a two-hour drive from Brussels is a whole range of discoveries which await you at the heavenly setting of Traben-Trarbach.

The amazing landscape of the baroque riverside town resembles a tall amphitheatre and is surrounded by vineyards clinging to breathtakingly steep hillsides of slate where fine vintages ripen – a sight to quicken the pulse of all wine lovers.

Festivals are an important part of the Moselle experience and as one would expect, most festivals focus on the regions produce and sees wine growers opening their wine cellars inviting visitors to enjoy their tangy Rieslings and delicious food. On Saturday’s some wine growers offer guided walks through their hillside vineyards followed by a wine-tasting, which is a great way to find your favourite local label.

On the second weekend in July the Moselle Wine Festival presents culinary and cultural specialties from all over Europe under the theme of Europe a la carte. On July’s last weekend the guild of wine carters, Die Zunft der Stadtschröter, hold their traditional St. James's Day celebrations and crown the town’s new wine queen. The happy atmosphere continues till the middle of September then resumes at the wine harvest festival in early October.

Local cuisine

Traben-Trarbach’s taverns, restaurants and bistros are a rendezvous for local culinary pleasures, including Weincräwes (pork ribs with sauerkraut and bacon), Moselle Wingertspoal (grilled neck-end of pork, marinated in spices), Schoales (potato and meat casserole) and of course, river fish such as trout and pike. From sidewalk cafes, gourmet fine dining experiences, to a rustic wine grower’s meal with a glass of full-bodied Riesling, each has a different feel, a different menu, but all are of the highest standard.

A family work-out

There are many ways to discover and experience the region - a half-day riverboat cruise, cross-country Nordic walking or mountain biking the Velto route, as well as themed trails and footpaths.

For families who enjoy taking to the water, the Moselle offers boating, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing. For those with an extreme sense of adventure the Moselle can be discovered from the air by taking off in a glider or light aircraft from the Mont Royal airfield, which is directly beside the recently opened Mont Royal’s ultimate adventure park where families with children of all ages can join in the fun and do rope courses, climbing courses, and all things adventure park related.

What’s to see

Make contact with an English-speaking guide through the local tourism office and arrange for a two-hour walking tour through the historic town centre and visit the Middle Moselle Museum, the Icon Centre, the toy museum and Grevenburg Castle. Discover the secrets hidden behind ancient doorways and concealed alleyways where designer store like SurSur and Heidi Bogner’s art gallery secreted away in a barn can be found, or the ancient village church beneath which are cellars to which farmers transport their harvested grapes and where they are left to mature after picking. You’ll be certain to come across some local colour along the way too.

Gotham city revived

There is no lack of bow windows, domed towers, gables, or stained glass in Traben-Trarbach as renowned architect Professor Bruno Möhring rebuilt most of the grand art nouveau style buildings. In fact, one of Möhring’s mandates was to completely rebuild the burnt down Hotel Claus Feist, now renamed as the Hotel Bellevue - one of the finest hotels along the Moselle.

Whilst unwinding on a patio overlooking the gently flowing Moselle, Riesling in hand, take a moment to reflect after the times when the town was frequented by early 20^th century gentry like Baron von Thyssen, Count von Anhalt, Baron von Richthofen (the Red Baron), or more recently Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary who’s airline service Frankfurt-Hahn, just 15km away. You may soon conclude that life could not get much better than this.

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