Castles, wine and trails — a weekend in the Ahr valley

Bizarre rocky landscapes alternate with lush vineyards. Castle towers peek out atop every hill. Dusty trails and gravel paths wind through the landscape. And a river meanders through it all. This must be somewhere in France, Spain or Italy—a holiday in an exotic corner of Europe. And while that assumption is fair, it couldn't be further from the reality: We're still in Germany, smack-bang in the middle of it—we're in the middle of the Eifel, in the Ahr Valley: Germany's red wine paradise. And all this barely a stone's throw away from cities like Cologne, Bonn and the rest of the Ruhr area.

On paper, the Ahr valley is really nothing special. The hills are not unusually high, the cities rather small and the river after which everything is named relatively unimpressive in size. But even the Romans appreciated what the Ahr valley really has to offer. This mix of sunny climate, steep vineyards, countless castles, rugged rocky landscapes, historic towns and wildly romantic meadows and forests. And it's this that makes the Ahr valley the perfect destination for your weekend bike trip.

The Rides
We start in the wine village Altenahr, the most famous and busiest place in the Ahr valley, where there is always something going on. Here, whether spring is being welcomed or autumn celebrated, a wine festival is always possible, and it's the perfect place to set up your camp with innumerable accommodation options to hand. And this is where our rides start and end.

The Ahr valley is a really interesting area for biking: There are many steep, technically demanding trails that offer a lot of elevation so that you should even prepare yourself for an Alpine style of riding. But, of course, there are also moderate routes that are suitable for a relaxed ride. We have put together three rides for you which represent a good mix. Enough for a long weekend - the right one for every taste and riding style.

Bike & Stuff
A normal all-mountain or enduro bike is absolutely fine. However, some trails are technically demanding. Beginners should, therefore, be prepared to descend from time to time. However, as we all know, you only really learn by doing, with each challenge propelling your skills forward leaps and bounds.

Get there
Altenahr is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Bonn and therefore easily accessible by car. But you can also get there quickly and easily by train. There is a direct train connection from Bonn if you'd prefer to leave your car at home.