Beneath the streets of Traben-Trarbach lie spaces that tell the story of the thriving Moselle wine trade. Long vaulted cellars, some stretching over 100 metres, were built in the 19th century as the twin town’s wine trade grew and needed more storage. From 20 November 2026 to 2 January 2027, some of these cellars will once again become market venues: the Mosel-Wein-Nachts-Markt (Moselle wine Christmas market) brings crafts, gift ideas and food and drink to these historic vaults.
The market takes place on selected weekends and additional opening days. The events calendar lists cellar venues including Hotel Moselschlösschen, the Altes Rathaus or Alte Zunftscheune, Weingut Axel Emert and Keller Galerie Bogner. A tour therefore takes you to several addresses around town; check the individual opening dates before travelling.
From wine storage to an underground world
The cellars are no accidental feature of the town. Traben-Trarbach developed into a major wine-trading centre whose merchants sold Riesling particularly to Britain and overseas. According to the Atlas der Weinkultur Rheinland-Pfalz, sales by 100 wine merchants, wine estates and large wineries exceeded 18 million litres in 1899. Railway expansion made trading easier, while growing demand led to a network of cellars beneath the town, some extending over several levels.
This economic boom also shaped the townscape above ground. Trade brought merchants prosperity and made grand buildings possible. Beneath the surface, the practical side of this success has survived: cool storage spaces, sturdy vaults and routes for the wine sold on from here. After the decline of the wine trade, the cellars became reminders of an era whose traces can still be read both in the town and underground.
A market across several cellars
The Christmas market puts these spaces to use for visitors today: rather than a single lane of stalls, the offerings are spread across different cellars. Alongside crafts and gift ideas, the events calendar promises culinary specialities as well as wine and wellness products. An accompanying programme of events and an ice rink are also part of the market. According to the organisers, standard admission to the cellars costs five euros; children aged 16 and under enter free, as do holders of the Mollie Gästekarte.
Anyone wishing to explore the historical context in greater depth can plan a guided tour of Traben-Trarbach’s underground world. The town describes visits to various separate cellars, covering the history of winegrowing, old cellar equipment and trade. During the market, tours are offered on Saturdays at 11am; the town gives their duration as around an hour and a half. The tours are a separate activity and should be booked in advance, with current details checked beforehand.
Exploring the twin town on foot
A cellar visit can be combined with a walk through Traben and Trarbach. Above ground, routes lead between the Moselle, the bridge and historic houses; beneath the town, guided tours open up individual sections of the underground world. Looking at façades and cellars offers complementary perspectives: the visible signs of prosperity on one hand, and the storage spaces that helped make it possible on the other.
Traben-Trarbach can be reached by train; the station is in town, and the Tourist Information office is at Am Bahnhof 5. Those arriving without a car can plan to explore the town on foot from there. Specific connections and journey times vary depending on the day of travel and should be checked in the current timetable beforehand. For a leisurely outing, combine a cellar tour, a market visit and a stroll around town – with the wine trade as the connecting thread above and below ground.
Original reviewed by the editors · 11 November 2026
