ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR VISITING TRIER, RHEINLAND-PFALZ
ONE OF THE TOP 10 CITIES TO VISIT IN GERMANY & IDEAL DAYTRIP FROM LUXEMBOURG
Trier, an authentic little German city, has an unusual population - residents who are mostly old people and college students of Trier University, plus tourists. But, the local old people, have such a flair, that even youngsters in most other cities don't!!!
The sheer number of bikers that I saw in this little city was so so so many. Guess what? Almost all of them were senior citizens!!! It was crazy to watch them remove their helmet... With the size and style of the bikes and their biking gears, its easy to mistake them for a college student till...... they remove the helmet! My jaw dropped!!!
Trier itself is a lesser known, non-touristy place to visit in Germany. It is a historic town which has a special place in the map as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany. The top things to do in Trier are, ofcourse, to visit the Roman Monuments including the face of Trier - Porta Nigra, Cathedral of St.Peter, and Church of Our Lady Trier, which are all listed under UNESCO.
MY COMPLETE TRIER TRAVELOGUE: Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St.Peter, Church of Our Lady Trier, Karlmarx Museum, Gandhiji statue, Luxemberg Turum, Petrisberg, Spielzeug Museum, Marktbrunnen, Mosel wines.
Here's more on other unusual, unique things to do and places to visit in Trier. The ultimate guide for visiting Trier - the non-touristy things to do in the non-touristy city of Trier!
UNUSUAL & UNIQUE THINGS TO DO IN TRIER
Trier has its fair share are public sculptures and I'm gonna mention 3, which caught my attention, which all are gifts to the city. Obviously these are free things to do in Trier as they are public art installations.
First is ofcourse KARL MARX, the son of the soil, a gift from the Chinese, for his 200th birth anniversary in 2018! There is a humongous statue, very close to Porta Nigra. Today, the house in which he was born has been converted to a museum. This is located very close to Residenz am Zuckerberg Hotel.
2nd sculpture is obviously, the Father of my Nation, India - GANDHIJI. I did not expect the sculpture. We were just walking towards the Cathedral, when we, by chance, spotted this sculpture of Gandhiji. This too is brand new, added only in Dec 2018, to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji. This gift from India, is just outside Auguste-Viktoria-Gymansium. This is a bronze sculpture made by Ram Sutar Fine Arts Studio from Noida, India. For reference, its the same studio that created the humongous sculpture of Sardar Vallabhai Patel - The Statue of Unity, the world's largest sculpture!!!3rd is the impressive LUXUMBERG TURUM or Turm Luxembourg. This is located very close to University of Trier and this is a gift from Luxembourg! This was once a military restricted area where French barracks were located, which was later redesigned as the University and public area. This is also called the TURM DER TRÄUME UND SEHNSÜCHTE (Tower of Dreams and Desires). Its a walk sculpture / art installation which also has a series of stairs that lead to 2 view points midway & atop!
Karl Marx Museum Tickets: €5
Karl Marx Museum Opening Hours: Varied timings. Refer here.
Gandhiji statue location in Trier (on Google Maps): Gandhiji Statue
Luxumberg Turum location in Trier (on Google Maps): Luxumberg Turm
Gandhiji statue & Luxumberg Turum Tickets & Timings: Free; 24 x 7
MOSEL WINE OF TRIER - RIESLING GRAPES VINEYARDS
The slate rock here provides the absolutely perfect sourness to the grapes by retaining heat, which results in the best wines of this region. A tour of Mosel Wine region beginning from here through the Mosel till Luxembourg would be an awesome thing to do. If you don't have time, do visit Petrisberg to atleast see the cultivation up & close!
Trier viewpoints &vineyards location (on Google Maps): Mariensäule, Petrisberg
WEINWIRTSCHAFT FRIEDRICH-WILHELM - BEST RESTAURANT IN TRIER
Talking of Mosel Wines, if you don't have time to go on a wine tour/tasting, do check out one of the restaurants in Trier that serve the authentic local wines. We had our dinner at Weinwirtschaft Friedrich-Wilhelm restaurant. The restaurant was beautiful with a huge outdoor seating (I fall for it always!). However with the weather, not so dependable, we chose to sit inside, esp., since we were with Atyudarini. The service is exceptional. The chefs did come up with interesting, salivating, off-the-menu dishes when we gave them the entire freedom to serve us anything, provided its eggless, fish-less & meat-less.
Our starters were Cheese Croquets with roasted nuts & lentils with wild herbs salad! The main course a quinoa dish & fried soya balls with tomato pesto, guacamole and roasted cashews! This was very tasty and very filling. I could definitely find similarities with Indian cuisine with this dish! The dessert was refreshing, gelato in 3 flavours. They were incredibly light and airy and ofcourse yummy!!!But the best part of the dinner was ofcourse the wine! Mosel wine is majorly produced out of Riesling grapes. The wine varies from pale straw to deep yellow color. The flavours are more flowery than fruity, and with its mild alcohol, its absolutely delicious. As veggies, it was indeed a perfect accompaniment for our cheese starters!
Weinwirtschaft Friedrich-Wilhelm restaurant location (on Google Maps): Weinwirtschaft Friedrich-Wilhelm restaurant
Weinwirtschaft Friedrich-Wilhelm restaurant Timings: 11:30AM to 9:00/10:00PM (closed in afternoon in weekdays). Reservation recommended.
SPIELZEUG MUSEUM - BEST OF THINGS TO DO IN TRIER WITH KIDS
Traveling with a toddler, has it own challenges, but I tend to also introduce a couple of things that are special for Atyudarini. In Trier, it was the Toy museum! She was totally floored. She was irritable and a bit sleepy when we were entering Spielzeug Museum. But all that vanished 5 minutes into this place. She went totally crazy happy... The sheer number of exhibits (more than 5000!) is just mind boggling. There were quite a few working models as well, including a Carousel, some train etc that totally captured Atyu's attention.
There were dolls that were as old as 50-70 years till recent past. There were some that were extensive with their own stroller/crib etc. There were some which were even life sized. There were quite a few doll houses with miniature set-ups. There were hoards of cars, trucks & other automobiles! There were several stuffed plush toys with some as old as a 100 years old. Atyudarini got too excited spotting the various animals, from gorillas to raindeers to squirrels to owls to mice and many more. There there were quite a few metal miniatures, painted with enamel. There were vintage working toys too!!! I did have a tough time to get Atyudarini outside of the museum!
Spielzeug Museum location (on Google Maps): Spielzeug Museum
Spielzeug Museum Tickets: €5
Spielzeug Museum Timings: Tue-Sun 11:00AM to 5:00PM
MARKTBRUNNEN - FREE THINGS TO DO IN TRIER
Spielzeug Museum is located very close to Marktbrunnen, where there are a few buildings as old as 1602, 1605 still exist! The Renaissance styled buildings are very similar to the ones I also spotted in Liege! Marktbrunnen is the heart and the most happening place of Trier where all major restaurants fast food are located. All the shopping streets branch our from Marktbrunnen. Evenings at Marktbrunnen are very lively with people, music and occasional performers.Marktbrunnen Location (on Google Maps): Marktbrunnen
DAY-TRIP TO SCHENGEN and/or MOSEL WINE TOUR and/or HIKING
Last but not the least, if you're here for a few days, make sure you visit Schengen. Its just 1 hr from here by train. Schengen, being Schengen, the heart of Europe was where the Schengen agreement was signed which marked the beginning of European Union!!! If you have a car, the trip could be awesome along the vineyards, exploring them with some wine tastings and finally reaching Schengen.
Last but not the least, if you're here for a few days, make sure you visit Schengen. Its just 1 hr from here by train. Schengen, being Schengen, the heart of Europe was where the Schengen agreement was signed which marked the beginning of European Union!!! If you have a car, the trip could be awesome along the vineyards, exploring them with some wine tastings and finally reaching Schengen.
If you love wine like me, you could probably skip Schengen and do an extensive Mosel Wine tour (guided, coach tour) that stops at several vineyards along the Mosel river. This is available as a half day or even full day tour including a gourmet meal, obviously paired with local wine!
If you're the adventurous type, head to Mariensäule atop the hill, the perfect place for hiking in Trier. The hike is a 7.5km loop route. The level is medium-difficult. But it is totally worth it with a beautiful walk along Sirzenicher Bach and a stop at the stunning waterfalls, Sirzenicher Wasserfall.
TRIER ITINERARY (WHAT TO DO IN TRIER FOR 1-4 DAYS)
- What to do in Trier in one day (a perfect day-trip from Luxembourg): Porta Nigra, Karl Marx statue, Dreikönigenhaus, Church of Our Lady Trier, Marktbrunnen (for lunch), Spielzeugmuseum Trier, Trier Amphitheatre. If its summer/sunny, wrap up the day with Petrisberg vineyards & viewpoint.
- What to do in Trier in two days (weekend trip to Trier): Day 1 - Porta Nigra, Karl Marx statue, Dreikönigenhaus, Church of Our Lady Trier, Cathedral of St.Peter, Gandhiji statue, Marktbrunnen, Spielzeugmuseum Trier, Frankenturm Trier. Wrap up the day at Roman Bridge looking at Mariensäule. Day 2 - Imperial Bath, Barbara Bath, Aula Palatina, Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier, Kaiserthermen, Trier Amphitheatre, Petrisberg Viewpoint and by late evening head to Turm Luxembourg.
- What to do in Trier in three days: Day 1 & 2 as in 2 day trip. Day 3 - Half day tour of Mosel wine tasting & vineyards and half day trip to Schengen (or) full day of Mosel wine tasting (or) day-trip to Schengen.
- What to do in Trier in four days: Day 1-3 as above; Day 4 - Hike atop Markusberg to see Mariensäule up & close, as well as head to the waterfalls, Sirzenicher Wasserfall.
Nearest railway station: Trier HBF.
All the sites are a short walk away from Trier HBF, except Turm Lexembourg and Mariensäule which are about 4km away. However buses are available from Trier HBF to Turm Lexembourg and base hill of Mariensäule.
Rhineland-Palatinate Day Pass is a super-cheap 2 days ticket to travel throughout RLP Province that costs €25 for 1 person and upto €44 for 4 persons!
TRIER HOTELS
Hotels at all price points are available in Trier incl Holiday Inn Express Trier, Mercure Hotel Trier Porta Nigra, Best Western Hotel Trier City, Ibis Styles Trier etc. Click here to read the review of the very unique hotel - Residenz am Zuckerberg Hotel, which is not just a hotel but also has a senior citizens residence combined!
Hotels at all price points are available in Trier incl Holiday Inn Express Trier, Mercure Hotel Trier Porta Nigra, Best Western Hotel Trier City, Ibis Styles Trier etc. Click here to read the review of the very unique hotel - Residenz am Zuckerberg Hotel, which is not just a hotel but also has a senior citizens residence combined!
P.S: I was invited by Trier Tourism to experience the region for review purposes, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.
Wow! It's nice to see these senior citizens enjoying a hobby. Their bikes look so cool. I think I would also mistake them for youngsters.
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit their toy museum. As a toy collector, it would be a treat to see these 5000+ exhibits. Hope to get the chance to visit someday.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience.
Ha ha ...I could not help the smile when I read how your jaw dropped. Senior citizens and bikes - something that I have not seen too much of. But it also, shows the carefree spirit of the place. And stumbling upon a statue of Gandhiji. YAY! Loving your Europe Chronicles.
ReplyDeleteAlways great to see the oldies embracing their passions. This sounds like a great thing to witness as a tourist. That food looks pretty delicious too.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Trier before reading your post. It sounds like an interesting city, and with lots of bikers too! That's so cool that Luxembourg gifted them with a sculpture, that's something you can't miss in the city.
ReplyDeleteTrier does look gorgeous and really interesting!! We will have to visit one day. Love the old guys and their bikes - rock on! A wine tour also sounds like a fab idea.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I come from a family of motorcycle enthusiasts, many of whom are older now so I loved seeing the senior bikers, can't wait to show my dad LOL. It's funny that you expected them to be much younger, your jaw must have hit the floor! The wine tour sounds great, wineries are always a good reason to visit a lesser known place.
ReplyDeleteI like cities like this. They have nice vibes, tend to be budget friendly and put you in a relaxing mood. Make you slow down a bit and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteHaving lived in Germany so many years, I get used of drinking Mosel Wines.L have to confess, that I like the wine more than the town. Most of Mosel wines are sold locally, due to the limited production.
ReplyDeleteI love Germany and Trier looks like a fun place to see! I would visit just to enjoy the Mosel wines and take in the architecture. Places like this at are a little under the tourist radar are my favorite places to hang out when traveling.
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ReplyDeleteTrier is definitely a new German city for me! I love it's picturesque architecture and its historical background. I know a bit about Karl Marx so it'd be interesting to visit the city and add to that. I'd also make a pit stop for some fabulous wine and look at those beautiful sculptures.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an awesome trip! Something for grownups and kids which I'm sure keeps the peace. I love the idea of a wine tasting tour but the toy store sounds just as fun, particularly after the wine tasting ;) Crazy that they have 100 year old toys.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, I can't believe there are so many senior citizen bikers in Trier. I love Mosel wines, so it looks like I need a trip to the source to try these German wines closest to the bottle.
ReplyDeleteI would love to experience the culture of Trier after reading the post - meeting the lively, elderly locals would surely be such a fun experience. Fun to know that biking is so popular in Trier ! We love exploring cities by biking around - so this would be a fun experience for our family for sure while trying to find those beautiful sculptures you mentioned. I've tried Mosel wine earlier and it was amazing and a wine tasting tour in the region would be perfect! Plus I'd love to indulge in those delicious cheese croquets and pair it with the Mosel wine.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Trier, but it sounds like a very beautiful and interesting place. It's so funny that the older people are so hip and cool there! I'm a sucker for old buildings, so I would love to see Marktbrunnen. And a food and wine tour sounds perfect, German cuisine is so underrated!
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