Your wine & architecture experience: The Roman Wine Route!

City, countryside, river

Wine and culture on the outskirts of Trier

The Roman Wine Route (Römische Weinstraße) and the Ruwer Valley belong to the sprawling periphery of the city of Trier; the area is very attractive to locals who want to live close to the city and enjoy rural life at the same time. And the area is, of course, just as appealing as a holiday location; you get to stay in a winegrowing village while still being close to the city’s attractions.

The Roman Wine Route is considered the gateway to the Middle Mosel and, as its name suggests, features a number of relics from Roman times. There are also a wealth of modern, architecturally interesting wineries and excellent restaurants to discover.

The Ruwer Valley is a top location for Riesling wines and it’s really easy to combine a visit here with trips along the Roman Wine Route and to the city of Trier. There’s even a surprise or two waiting to be discovered...

Exceptional wine architecture

Guest cottages designed by Matteo Thun

Ansicht auf ein Winzerhäuschen des WeinKulturguts Longen-Schlöder in Longuich.

Culture has long been the brand essence of the WeinKulturgutes Longen-Schlöder in Longuich, which is owned by Sabine and Markus Longen. When it came to adding guest rooms to the winery and restaurant business, the couple hired the renowned South Tyrolean architect Matteo Thun. The result is a series of small holiday cottages made from regional slate, which are bright, uncluttered and understated in design. Each has its own entrance and a small garden for retreating to. “Privacy is freedom!” was in fact Thun’s guiding architectural concept for this project. The location is ideal: close to the banks of the Mosel River with views of the vineyards. You can enjoy the convenience of savouring the winery’s wines out on your own terrace or treat yourself at the estate’s restaurant.

There are, of course, other lovely accommodation options on the outskirts of Trier, like the Hotel Weis in Mertesdorf (Ruwer Valley) for example, which is home to the renowned Weingut Erben von Beulwitz winery.

You can find more accommodation options at the bottom of this page.

The vinothek at Weingut F. J. Regnery

Ansicht auf die Vinothek des Weingutes Regnery in Klüsserath.

We have another special tip to share with you related to architecture: the vinothek at the Vinothek des Weinguts F. J. Regnery in Klüsserath was listed one of the TOP 50 vinotheks in Germany by the German Wine Institute in 2016. Architect Marco Hoffmann designed the circular building, which is clad with oiled, rough-cut oak beams. The inside features a modern sales area and stylish seating for wine tastings.

Cuisine

There are several excellent restaurants on the Roman Wine Route and in the Ruwer Valley. We would like to recommend these two in particular:

In the wine village of Trittenheim, Alexander Oos and his Austrian wife Daniela run the Wein- und Tafelhaus, which has a Michelin star. The fresh menu features predominantly regional ingredients, and specialities are sold in a small farm shop.

Ansicht auf den Innenbereich des Restaurants Lex.

Peter Lex, who has been running the Restaurant Lex in Leiwen together with his wife Katja since 2020, may not have a Michelin star of his own but definitely cooks at star level. “We want to show that top-class cuisine can be done in a very uncomplicated, informal and affordable way,” the couple says, describing their philosophy.

Another architectural and culinary gem is located close by; the vierzehn85 Essen & Weinin Leiwen. This was a tithe barn back in the Middle Ages and is now a beautiful, lovingly restored venue for food and wine lovers.

If you like gin...

...you should visit Christian Herzog’s Hero Wines distilleryin Minheim and take part in a gin tasting. His award-winning gin is made exclusively from high-quality botanicals, mostly from organic cultivation as well as from his own garden.

Find more gin makers on our page: Mosel-Gin.

Roman culture

Many wealthy Romans lived near the gates of the ancient metropolis of Augusta Treverorum, and some evidence of their imposing country villas and estates still survives. The Roman villas in Longuich and Mehring have even been partially reconstructed. Their complete architecture, as far as it can be determined, can be viewed via Augmented Reality. All you have to do is download the free ARGO app from an app store.

A section of a Roman aqueduct has been preserved at two villas in Pölich and it’s even still possible to walk along it (if you’re slim enough). You can also see a piece of Trier’s ancient water supply pipeline in Waldrach, in the Ruwer Valley. The ARGO app has augmented reality options for these two ruins too.

Of course, you should also visit the impressive ancient UNESCO World Heritage Site in Trier! Find out what is to see and experience in Trier in our tour tip feature"A fresh look at Trier".

Ansicht auf die Römische Villa in Longuich.

Sandsteingebilde eines Weinschiffes aus der Römerzeit

Blick auf die Eingangstür der Alten Burg Longuich.

A walk through historic Longuich

Ansicht auf den historischen Ortskern von Longuich.

A walk through the old wine village of Longuich is definitely worthwhile, and a wonder along Maximinstraße, which runs just about parallel to the Mosel, is a must. You will come across several really beautiful historic buildings, including a four-wing estate that once belonged to the affluent Trier abbey of St. Maximin and the former 18th-century estate of the Kratz von Scharfenstein family. The village’s castle, Alte Burg Longuich, is now divided into two parts and houses a winery and a hotel with restaurant. You should also visit the parish church of St. Laurentius, which dates back to 1771 and was in all probability built according to plans by Johannes Seiz. The rich, harmonised interior of the hall stems from the time of the church’s construction.

Stylish sun hats by Charlotte Kollmann

Ansicht auf die Modistin Charlotte Kollmann während ihrer Arbeit bei der Anfertigung eines Hutes.

It can get really warm in the vineyards along the Mosel and Ruwer. The weather is ideal for producing exceptional wines and also a great reason to buy yourself a new sun hat. Most sun hats and caps on the market are pretty nondescript and you only wear them if you need protect yourself from sunstroke. But fashion designer Charlotte Kollmann in Mehring ('hauptsache charlotte', Bachstraße 26) has stylish alternatives to offer. She creates formal hats, individual hair accessories and hair bands as well as caps and hats for everyday wear in her own workshop.

Discover the Wild West in the Ruwer Valley

Do you belong to the generation that devoured the stories of Winnetou in their childhood? Now is your chance to relive old memories! The heroic Native American and his friend Old Shatterhand are riding again, in an old quarry in the Ruwer Valley. Nostalgia at its finest!

The society Karl-May-Freunde Pluwig have been organising Karl May festivals on a specially built open-air stage for years with great success. The next performances will take place in summer 2025.

Go to 'Karl May Freunde'