Trier: Germany’s oldest city, information and tips

Discover the glorious city of Trier

Trier is often described as Germany’s oldest city. The written sources go back to the year 16 BC. The region was Roman at the time, and the city’s original Latin name was Augusta Treverorum. Traces of those founding years are still to be found all over the city today. Its landmark is the Porta Nigra, a former city gate that has survived complete. There are Roman baths and an amphitheatre.

The city carried on developing after the Roman period. It remained a centre of social life and trade in the Middle Ages too. That era gave Trier the handsomely restored half-timbered houses you can admire in the city centre. If you would like information or tips once you are there, the tourist office is happy to help. It is in the centre of the city at Simeonstraße 60. The tourist office opens daily, with slightly shorter hours on Sundays.

Discover Trier with its historic old town, the famous Porta Nigra and the impressive amphitheatre. For countryside and relaxation, head to the Moselle.

You can still walk in the footsteps of the Romans in Trier today. Some of these buildings are thousands of years old, yet they have come through the upheavals of history in remarkably good condition. The city does a great deal to preserve its unique heritage. The Porta Nigra is the landmark of Trier and a favourite postcard subject closely bound up with the city. When you visit, you simply have to walk through the gate and let the sheer scale of it sink in. It is built in the familiar Roman style. In Roman times the baths were regarded as works of art. With an ingenious system, the Romans harnessed the forces of nature so that they could relax in hot water. For a sense of this hugely popular Roman pastime, visit the Barbarathermen or the Kaiserthermen, the imperial baths. These buildings have an interesting story to tell. The amphitheatre is still used for open-air events today. Let that unique setting work on you! When there is nothing on, you can visit the theatre itself. It gives you an imposing impression of social life in antiquity. The Konstantinbasilika is very well preserved too. It was once a palace hall in which the Roman emperors held their audiences, and you can go inside. One more building from Roman times is the Römerbrücke. It crosses the Moselle and still stands in its original form.

Trier in the early modern period

Alongside the ancient remains you will find traces of the early modern period and of the more recent chapters of the city’s history. The cathedral is part of that later story, as are the many museums devoted to Trier’s eventful past and to its present. If you fancy a wander, some shopping or a good meal, head for the pedestrian zone. As well as any number of cafés and restaurants, you will find plenty of small shops selling handmade goods and regional produce. The Moselle, winding its way through the city, is a fine sight in itself.

Attractions in the surrounding area

There are plenty of sights to discover during your stay in the region, not only in Trier itself but in the surrounding area as well. The Laacher See, the Rhine and the Moselle are among them. You can book a lovely day out by boat. Visit the small towns with their medieval half-timbered buildings. Maria Laach Abbey and Eltz Castle are popular far beyond the region. You can tour the castles and then treat yourself to a good glass of local wine. Those are only a few of the possibilities open to you around Trier. In autumn it is well worth taking in one of the wonderful wine festivals on the Moselle.

If you take a boat trip on the Moselle, you should visit Cochem with Cochem Castle and the lovely little town of Bernkastel-Kues.

If you are holidaying with children

Daun Wildlife Park is easily crossed by car on a safari drive. Plenty of stopping points let you watch the animals at close quarters. The Affenschlucht, the monkey gorge, is another special experience: Barbary macaques roam free here and you can move about inside their enclosure.

Klotten Wildlife and Adventure Park and Neuwied Zoo also make a wonderful day out for the whole family. If you want to find out more about dinosaurs, the Teufelsschlucht dinosaur park is the place to go.

If you are after the ultimate experience, head for the Nürburgring with its visitor world and book a lap with a racing driver, cross the Geierlay suspension bridge, or visit the Deutsches Schieferbergwerk slate mine in Mayen and take a trip underground.

For a fantastic view over the Vulkaneifel, with its wealth of wildlife and its remarkable geology, climb the highest mountain in the neighbouring Eifel, the Hohe Acht.

Peace and quiet in a holiday home in glorious surroundings

Would you like to discover what makes Trier special, but without booking a hotel, finding peace and quiet out in the countryside instead? Then choose a holiday in the Eifel. This unique nature park is an ideal starting point for any number of trips around Trier. Right by the Waldsee in Rieden you will find your own special place to stay in “Dream Holiday Home Susi”, “Dream Holiday Home Annika” and “Dream Holiday Home Tommy”. Awarded five stars by the German Tourist Association, these holiday homes offer outstanding facilities to a high standard, and they sit quietly in idyllic surroundings. City tours are not all there is: walking, cycle rides or a swim in the idyllic Waldsee in summer are ideal ways to spend your time when you rent a holiday home by the lake in the Eifel. How long you rent for is up to you; a week is a good length. That gives you time enough to discover this glorious area in all its facets. Combine your holiday at the Waldsee with one or more visits to the history-steeped city of Trier.

The city is easy to reach from every direction on the 64, 64a and 602 motorways. Do bear in mind, though, that car traffic within the city is restricted: there are only three roads by which you can drive into the centre. Four main roads (49, 51, 53 and 268) also lead to the city boundary. Trier has a main railway station and a wide network of bus routes. The nearest airport is in Luxembourg.

Events closely tied to the city’s history take place all year round. They include art and music festivals as well as historical events that hark back to the founding of the city by the Romans.

The city was founded by the Romans. Its Latin name is Augusta Treverorum, which translates as “the city of Augustus in the land of the Treveri”.

Trier is one of the oldest cities in Germany. According to various sources it was founded as a Roman settlement in the year 16 BC.

The city has six Roman buildings in an excellent state of preservation. Besides the landmark Porta Nigra, these are the Konstantinbasilika, the Barbarathermen, the Kaiserthermen, the amphitheatre and the Römerbrücke.