Things To Do in Trier

Every day April to October, the tourist office conducts a 2-hour walking tour of the town in German, starting at 10:30am and 2:30pm. Tours in English are conducted only on Saturday at 1:30pm from May to October. The cost is 7.50€ per adult, 5€ for children 6 to 14.

Visiting the Roman Ruins

When the last Roman prefect departed from Trier in about A.D. 400, he left behind a vast collection of monuments from centuries of Roman domination. Built around A.D. 180, Porta Nigra (Black Gate) (tel. 0651/75424) is the best-preserved Roman structure in Germany, the only survivor of the great wall that once surrounded Trier. The huge sandstone blocks, assembled without mortar, were held together with iron clamps -- the marks can still be seen. From outside the gate, the structure appeared to be simply two arched entrances between rounded towers leading directly into the town, but intruders soon discovered that the arches opened into an inner courtyard where they were at the mercy of the town's defenders. During the Middle Ages, the Greek hermit Simeon, later canonized, chose the east tower as his retreat. After his death, the archbishop turned the gate into a huge double church, contributing to its preservation. When Napoleon came this way, however, he ordered all the architectural changes to be removed and the original Roman core restored. Porta Nigra is open daily April to September 9am to 6pm, October and March 9am to 5pm, and November to February 9am to 4pm. Admission is 3€ for adults and 1.50€ for children. A family pass is 6€.

The Imperial Palace district, stretching along the site of the former medieval wall of the city, begins with the Roman building known today as the Basilica, Basilikaplatz (tel. 0651/72468). Although much of the structure has been demolished, the huge hall that remains -- believed to be the throne room -- gives some idea of the grandeur of the original palace. The two tiers of windows are arranged within high-rising arches in which fragments of the original wall paintings can be seen. Five large heating chambers outside the walls sent warm air through the hollow floor, in the unique method of Roman central heating. Today the Basilica serves as the main Protestant church in the city. It's open April to October Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday noon to 6pm; November to March hours are Tuesday to Saturday 11am to noon and 3 to 4pm, and Sunday noon to 1pm. Admission is free.

Next to the Basilica stands the 17th-century Kurfürstliches Palais (Electoral Palace; tel. 0651/9494202), begun in the German Renaissance style as a residence for the archbishop-electors, the town's governors. Johannes Seiz completed its fancy rococo facade and interior, which cannot be visited due to its use as city offices. The adjoining Palastgarten (Palace Gardens), full of ponds, flowers, and rococo statues, are always open and free.

The Imperial Baths (Kaiserthermen) (tel. 0651/44262), at the south end of Palastgarten, were erected in the early 4th century by Constantine I. Of the huge complex, only the ruins of the hot baths remain. These were among the largest in the Roman Empire, and although never completed, they were used in connection with the Imperial Palace. They're open daily April to September 9am to 6pm, October and March 9am to 5pm, and November to February 9am to 4pm. Admission is 3€ for adults and 1.50€ for children.

The Amphitheater, Amphitheaterplatz (tel. 0651/73010), is the oldest Roman construction in Trier, dating from A.D. 100. The stone seats, arranged in three circles separated by broad promenades, held at least 20,000 people. The ruins are open daily April to September 9am to 6pm, October and March 9am to 5pm, and November to February 9am to 4pm. Admission is 3€ adults, 1.50€ children. A family pass is 6€.

A collective ticket, which grants admission to the amphitheater, the two sets of Roman baths, and the Porta Nigra, costs 8€ for adults and 5.60€ for students and 4€ ages 17 and under. It is available from the tourist office.

Trailing Bacchus into the Underground

Since medieval times, Trier has served as a warehouse and distribution center for thousands of liters of wine fermented in its underground cellars. At least 40 of these cellars lie beneath the streets of the city and surrounding suburbs and hamlets. The oldest and most venerable of these is owned by Vereinigte Hospitien, Krahnen Ufer Strasse 19 (tel. 0651/9451210; www.vereinigtehospitien.de), an organization that's also involved in running a network of local hospitals and hospices. Tours include tastes of some of the vintages and cost 11€ per person. Be warned that if it's inconvenient for the staff to receive you, they'll be quick to tell you. The local tourist office will usually help you arrange a tour of either of these cellars or of others belonging to local competitors.