7 events linked to delicious wine walks in Rhineland‑Palatinate


If you combine a walk through the vineyards of Rhineland‑Palatinate with a visit to one of the lively events linked to the refined wine juice, you get the perfect blend of foodie and outdoorsy holiday. Every step up the slope from the winemaking villages in the valley takes you past the vines, where you can feel the climate that lends the grapes their flavour and are overcome by the panoramic views of the spectacular scenery. In many places, you can enjoy events literally by the wayside as you head out into the countryside. For example, late April sees the WeinWanderWochenende, a weekend of 70 events in Rhineland‑Palatinate alone organised by the German Institute for Wine. There is bound to be something to suit all tastes!

1. Trullo in Flammen near Flonheim in Rhine-Hesse

Illuminated vineyard cottage for "Trullo in Flammen" on the Adelberg in Flonheim, Rhine-Hesse

Illuminated vineyard cottage for "Trullo in Flammen" on the Adelberg in Flonheim, Rhine-Hesse

One week before the WeinWanderWochenende is Trullo in Flammen in Rhine-Hesse, organised by AUSGEZEICHNET. It is one of the first events of the year and effortlessly combines wine and walking. From the starting point at the hikers’ car park in Geistermühle, the route criss-crosses the vineyards of this hilly landscape, leading you a total of seven kilometres past wine-fuelled stations to the trullo, from where the walk gets its name. The vineyard hut in the style of an Italian roundhouse has been protecting the winemakers from wind and weather since the 18th century. High up on the Adelberg, you are rewarded for the climb by a stand shared by the local winemakers where you can enjoy a range of regional wines. It is a lovely way to while away the hours until evening, when the lights come on in the pretty village down below and the trullo glows, ‘lit up in flames’.

2. Mittelrheinischer Weinfrühling near Boppard along the Romantic Rhine

At the same time as the WeinWanderWochenende, on the last Sunday in April every year, the little town of Boppard on the Romantic Rhine invites you to a hiking event with a difference: the Mittelrheinischen Weinfrühling or Middle Rhine Spring Wine Fair. For more than 30 years, they have organised hikes along the famous Bopparder Hamm vineyards with the opportunity to enjoy not only a drop of the estate’s prize-winning wines but also fantastic views over the loop in the Rhine and the UNESCO Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Site. Top tip: If the five-kilometre route through the vineyards is not enough, it also combines brilliantly with a circuit of the Rheingoldbogen Dream Trail. The route leads over forest and meadow trails up to the Rhine plateau, past the former Jakobsberg Jesuit Priory and into the Bopparder Hamm. On the way back, you can enjoy a stunning view of the mighty Marksburg Castle high above the Rhine.

View of the Rhine from the Gedeonseck at the Bopparder Hamm vineyard, Romantic Rhine

View of the Rhine from the Gedeonseck at the Bopparder Hamm vineyard, Romantic Rhine

3. Weinfrühling Mittelahr in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler in the Ahr valley

Hike through the vineyards of the Ahr on the Rotweinwanderweg, Ahr valley

Hike through the vineyards of the Ahr on the Rotweinwanderweg, Ahr valley

The Weinfrühling Mittelahr, or Mittelahr Spring Wine Festival, in the pretty Ahr valley between Marienthal and Altenahr even extends beyond the WeinWanderWochenende. This nearly 15-kilometre section of the Red Wine Trail primarily follows narrow paths or the agricultural tracks used by the winemakers above the river. From the last weekend in April until the third weekend in May, it is not only wonderful sweeping views that you can enjoy, there is also a range of stands offering delicacies relating to the region’s local, mostly red, grape juice. But it is still worth climbing down to the winemaking villages of the Ahr valley where further wine bars and restaurants await you. The revenue will also help towards the rehabilitation of the Ahr valley, where the aftermath of the floods is still very much in evidence, but the plucky valley folk will not let themselves be beaten.

4. Steillagenfest in Winningen in the Moselle valley

A mid-May event in Winningen on the Lower Moselle is all about Riesling. High above the charming winemaking village, the grapes are grown on sometimes perilously steep vineyards. The terraces in the area are the only place where they can get enough grip and give the winemakers the opportunity to produce excellent wines despite the harsh slate soil. Their hard work is rewarded at the relaxed Steillagenfest Winningen, where you are given an insight into their daily work. But you will need a good head for heights. On the roughly four-kilometre trail through the vineyards, you can join the locals in tasting exquisite wines and enjoying sunny panoramic views. Stage 24 of the Moselsteig trail from Winningen to Koblenz also leads straight through the Steillagenfest, so you can make sure you have really earned the excellent wines.

Visitors on the Brückstück Weinpfad to the Steillagenfest Winningen, Moselle valley

Visitors on the Brückstück Weinpfad to the Steillagenfest Winningen, Moselle valley

5. St. Martiner WeinWeg in the Palatinate

The St. Martiner WeinWeg festival on the Wein- und Steinlehrpfad, Palatinate

The St. Martiner WeinWeg festival on the Wein- und Steinlehrpfad, Palatinate

In early June, you can head to the Palatinate for the St. Martiner WeinWeg and a chance to enjoy a generous selection along the wine and stone trail. Although it is less than a kilometre long, the winemakers of the region showcase more than 60 wines from 25 different grape varieties. To ensure you get your exercise, the parish of St Martin marks the perfect intersection between the Palatinate Forest and the German Wine Route. It is the end of the fifth stage of the Pfälzer Weinsteig trail from Neustadt an der Weinstrasse and the beginning of the sixth stage towards Burrweiler. The stages are considered two of the loveliest sections of the Weinsteig trail and include two of the real highlights of the whole route: Hambach Castle and Villa Ludwigshöhe. What could be better than linking your stopover in St Martin with a visit to the WeinWeg?

6. Kulinarischer Wingertsbummel near Reil in the Moselle valley

Things are a little more relaxed in the Middle Moselle near Reil in the peak of summer: the Kulinarische Wingertsbummel is a leisurely stroll through the vineyards, known as ‘Wingerte’ in the local dialogue. On the first Saturday in August, winemakers line up along a six-kilometre route offering wonderful views of the meandering Moselle and a lively bustle with a glass or two of wine. If you fancy extending the Wingertsbummel by a kilometre or two, the village of Reil has prepared a couple of routes of different levels of difficulty. Even the fantastic Moselsteig trail passes through the village! Don’t forget: To take part in the event, you will need to book your ticket early.

Happy wine hiking to the Kulinarische Wingertsbummel near Reil, Moselle valley

Happy wine hiking to the Kulinarische Wingertsbummel near Reil, Moselle valley

7. Weinwanderweg Fest near Monzingen in the Nahe region

Vineyard hike on the Weinwanderweg Mittlere Nahe near Monzingen for the Weinwanderweg festival, Nahe

Vineyard hike on the Weinwanderweg Mittlere Nahe near Monzingen for the Weinwanderweg festival, Nahe

When the heat begins to subside and hints of autumn waft gently over the land, then it is time for the grape harvest along the Nahe, the hardest work of the winemakers’ year. At this time, a walk through the fully loaded vineyards becomes a real experience as you may get the chance to observe, without getting in the way of their work, of course. The Weinwanderweg Fest walk is perfect for this, with a total length of nearly 13 kilometres between Martinstein and Bad Sobernheim passing though the vineyards, with wonderful views over the peaceful river valley. A number of wine stands along the route of the Weinwanderweg Mittlere Nahe provide perfect sustenance, and with excellent public transport connections, there is nothing standing in the way of a more thorough wine tasting.

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