Blogger travel story Moselle trail families

Moselsteig Trail – 6 easy stages with kids

It’s early April, and we’re on the train from Munich to Bullay on the Moselle, ready to kick off this year’s hiking season during the Easter break. As a family, we’re planning to hike six stages of the Moselsteig Trail, from Bullay to Treis-Karden. For this adventure, we chose Eurohike’s 8-day holiday Best of the Moselsteig Trail for families.

Of course, setting off this early in the year comes with a bit of risk — the weather can be unpredictable, and both the region and our legs are still shaking off winter. But it’s a beautiful way to welcome spring, and having the trails and scenic viewpoints almost entirely to ourselves is a real treat.

As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather — only the wrong clothing (Eurohike travel checklist). And we’ve been looking forward to spring for weeks. The Moselle Valley is also a completely new region for us, one we’ve been curious to discover. So, it’s no surprise we’re feeling excited about this family time on the Moselsteig Trail.

Hiking with Eurohike. A safe family adventure

The Moselsteig is an award-winning quality hiking trail in Rhineland-Palatinate, consisting of 24 stages in total. But which ones are family-friendly? How do we handle luggage transport along the way? Which hotels come highly recommended? So many questions—and not always time to sort them out in the busy pace of family life. That’s exactly where Eurohike Walking Holidays steps in, providing the perfect solutions.

From the various stages of this long-distance trail, Eurohike has handpicked six family-friendly sections and created a hiking tour around them. The organizer takes care of hotel selection and bookings, as well as arranging luggage transport on site. The towns along the Mosel Valley are well connected by public transportation, and on days with bad weather or when the kids feel less motivated to hike, the daily route can be easily shortened.

The daily hiking stages are saved in the Eurohike on Tour app, which safely guides us through each day’s walk. It also highlights selected points of interest and recommended stops along the way and provides up-to-date information on bus and train departure times.

Our hike on the Moselsteig is a “safe family adventure” that requires little preparation and promises plenty of hiking enjoyment.

Climb on the Ellenz vineyard to Poltersdorf

Stage 1 - from Reil to Bullay

Today’s stage on the Moselsteig Trail leads us mostly along gentle paths and a few exciting trails from Reil to Bullay. We begin our journey with the Moselweinbahn, which swiftly carries us to Reil. From there, we wander straight into the vineyards, climbing gently uphill to our first resting spot. After a relaxing break, we continue on to the Prinzenkopf observation tower — the highlight of today’s hike. From this vantage point, we make our way back down to Bullay. Along the route, the charming Drieschhütte awaits, offering hikers, when the weather is good, a refreshing glass of wine or non-alcoholic drinks paired with a light snack.

Stage 2 - Traben-Trarbach to Enkirch

Today, we start our family hiking day on the Moselsteig in Traben-Trarbach. From the train station, we stroll across the bridge to the opposite side of the Mosel, where the Moselsteig trail begins. After a brisk climb, we arrive at the Grevenburg ruins, proudly perched above the river, and then tackle the Franzosensteig—a trail that challenges us with bridges, steps, and some rope-secured sections to scramble over.

The rest pavilions along the way provide a welcome shelter from wind and rain. Then, on the final stretch, high above the Mosel along the Kirster Ridge, the sun breaks through and gently warms our faces— and just like that, we’re hooked. Moselsteig, we’re absolutely thrilled!

Stage 3 - from Cochem to Klotten

Today, we’re taking a mostly rest day since neither the weather nor my kids’ feet are quite cooperating. But not wanting to give up hiking and fresh air altogether, we enjoy a relaxed 3.5-mile walk on the Moselsteig.

After arriving by train in Cochem, we surprise the kids by taking the chairlift for most of the ascent — and their excitement is contagious! At Pinnerkreuz, high above Cochem, the view is rather gray, with the wind whistling around us. Passing rain showers discourage long breaks, so we arrive in Klotten by early afternoon. The rest of the day is spent unwinding at the hotel and playing cards.

Stage 4 - Neef & Mosel loop

As soon as we step off the train in Neef, we make the most of the puddles to keep the kids happily motivated through the first 1.5 miles of a fairly uneventful stretch. After the climb up to the Bremmer Gipfelkreuz, we’re rewarded with a bright, sunny view—and our break naturally turns into a leisurely, extended pause. The descent to Ediger-Eller calls for sure footing and a steady head on the final stretch (we skipped the climbing route).

As we make our way down, we’re still glowing with gratitude for the perfect weather—after all, we’d hoped for just this, since the view of the Mosel loop from Bremmer Gipfelkreuz is said to be one of the most stunning along the entire Moselsteig.

Stage 5 - Bruttig-Fankel to Cochem

Our hike begins in Bruttig-Fankel, where we meander through the enchanting Kabainerbach Gorge. At the end of the path, a cozy rest spot awaits at the “Eiserner Mast,” complete with a reclining bench and a breathtaking view over the Mosel Valley.

The trail then winds through a peaceful forest, where a sea of spring blossoms adds color to every step, before continuing along the Appoloweg, high above the shimmering Mosel.

A delightful surprise on this stage is the descent through sun-drenched vineyards and past the Brauselay cliff, now draped in golden wallflowers. As we round the final bend, the majestic Reichsburg Cochem comes into view — the perfect ending to a truly memorable day of hiking.

Hiking trail along the stream through the forest to Cochem

The final stage from Treis-Karden to Moselkern

Today’s stage on the Moselsteig brings a real highlight: the fairytale Eltz Castle! We begin our hike in Treis-Karden on the Boxwood Trail, which is already lush and green—even in early April. After the climb, we’re rewarded with a breathtaking view, and the adults with a glass of wine at Kompes Käppche. We then take a shortcut along the Mosel-Camino, and before long, we’re standing at a scenic overlook across from this iconic landmark. The final descent to the Eltzbach stream is quick, and soon we’re exploring its towers, courtyards, and stories up close.

As we make our way to Moselkern through the Eltzbach Valley, we take our time, strolling leisurely. It’s not just the beautiful scenery that slows us down—a touch of wistfulness walks with us too.

Six days together as a family on the Moselsteig have truly brought us closer.

Thank you, Eurohike Walking Holidays, for another unforgettable journey. It’s been an absolute delight from beginning to end!

Moselle view between Treiskarden and Moselkern

My conclusion

The “Best of Moselsteig for Families” hiking tour was an unforgettable adventure for us—a journey we’d gladly take again. Eurohike thoughtfully selected six stages that are truly perfect for families. Each day, we covered around 10 kilometers on the long-distance Moselsteig trail, with elevation gains between 150 and 350 meters—just the right distance for us! The paths offered a great balance: not too demanding yet never dull—a perfect recipe for keeping the kids motivated along the way.

We also really appreciated the hotel choices, feeling genuinely welcomed as a family wherever we stayed. Thanks to good bus and train connections between stages, we didn’t need to switch hotels every single day. While this did take away a bit of the “long-distance hiking” vibe, I found it a real relief—not having to unpack and repack our bags every morning and evening made the tour much more relaxing. And on the days we did change hotels, the luggage transfer ran seamlessly.