Day trips

Day trip to Remich and the Moselle from Luxembourg

6 min read

Vineyards sloping down to the Moselle river at Remich

Getting there

There's no train to Remich. Take bus 175 from Luxembourg Hamilius direct to Remich, 45 minutes, free. Buses run every 30 minutes on weekdays. If you want to start further north, train to Wasserbillig then bus 130 down the wine road (Grevenmacher, Ahn, Wormeldange, Ehnen, Remich).

Wine tasting

Remich is home to Caves St Martin, dug into the hillside in 1919 and producing crémants (Luxembourg's champagne-method sparkling wine). Tours run daily, $15 with 3 tastings. In Wormeldange, Domaine Alice Hartmann does more serious Rieslings — 5-wine tastings $22. Bernard-Massard in Grevenmacher is the big commercial house, $12 tour with a crémant flight. Space visits 2 hours apart to stay upright.

On the river

The MS Princesse Marie-Astrid runs river cruises from Remich to Schengen (yes, that Schengen, where the 1985 border-free treaty was signed) and back — 2 hours for $19, or with lunch $46. Sailings usually April-October. In Schengen, the free European Museum by the riverbank is a 20-minute stop worth making.

Eat

In Remich, Brasserie Restaurant Beau Séjour on the Esplanade has terrace tables over the river — $26 for pike-perch with Auxerrois. In Ehnen, the Wine Museum has a small café and the village is the prettiest on the route. In Wormeldange, Restaurant Mathes ($32 lunch menu) is the destination address if you plan ahead.

Frequently asked questions

Which wineries take walk-ins?

Caves St Martin and Bernard-Massard have set tour times daily without booking. Alice Hartmann, Sunnen-Hoffmann and most smaller estates want 24 hours' notice — email through their websites.

What's Luxembourg wine like?

Bone-dry Riesling, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois and Elbling on the still side. Crémant de Luxembourg is the sparkling — often better value than entry-level champagne at around $18 a bottle from the estate.

Can I bike the wine road?

Yes. The Moselle cycle path runs the entire length, flat, from Wasserbillig to Schengen — 42 km. Rent e-bikes at Wasserbillig station for $28 a day and drop off at any point.

Is Schengen worth the detour?

For 30 minutes, yes. The European Museum is small, free and explains why the town's name became a verb. The monument to the 1985 treaty is on the riverbank.