Bernkastel-Kues

Bernkastel's market square with its half-timbered houses is one of the loveliest on the Moselle, and the ruins of Landshut castle tower above the town. Across the river in Kues, Nicholas of Cusa (Cusanus), one of the great thinkers of the 15th century, was born. The St. Nikolaus-Hospital he founded now houses a vinotheque with wines from the region.

The town's best-known legend explains how the "Doctor" vineyard got its name: in the 14th century the gravely ill Archbishop Boemund II of Trier is said to have been cured by wine from Bernkastel. The wine that helped more than any physician has been called "Doctor" ever since.

• The Spitzhäuschen of 1416 is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top – one of the most photographed houses on the Moselle.
• Bernkastel and Kues were long two separate places on either side of the river and only became one town in 1905.

The Bernkasteler Doctor is one of Germany's most famous vineyards, steep and sunny right above the old town. The town is full of wine bars and vinotheques where you can taste wines from across the Middle Moselle.

Restaurants, cafés and wine bars line the market square. Regional dishes go well with Moselle wine, and in autumn there's onion tart with Federweißer.

A path climbs from the old town to Landshut castle, with a wide view over town and river at the top. The Moselle cycle path links Bernkastel-Kues with the wine villages up and down the river.

Bernkastel-Kues lies downstream of the Trittenheim loop and makes a good day trip. Without a car, take the train to Wittlich and continue by bus. The old town is busy at weekends – come early.