Zell is a beautiful small town set along the Moselle River in Germany. Bright buildings line the water, and every inch of the hillside is filled with grape vines to produce the famous Black Cat wine! Here’s all you need to know about the world-renowned Zeller Schwarze Katz and what not to miss on your trip to Zell Mosel.
Planning a Trip to Zell Germany
☀️ The best time of year to visit is during the summertime. The Moselle region isn’t as popular for international tourists as other parts of Germany. Even during peak summer months, we didn’t find it to be too crowded.
🚗 The best way to experience the Moselle Valley is to rent a car. We’ve found deals in Germany for under 20 euros a day (check prices here).
✈️ If you’re flying into one of the larger cities like Frankfurt, it’s easiest to pick a vehicle up directly from the airport. Be sure to check out this website to scan through flight deals before you go.
🍷 In this article, we’ll cover some of our favorite wineries in Zell Mosel! Coming from the United States, we were blown away by the low prices of the high-quality wine.
⏰ So how long do you need to see Zell Germany? While it is quite small, you’ll want to dedicate at least a full afternoon. As you’ll see, it’s not just about the town, but all the fun outdoor activities around Zell.
🛌 It’s also the perfect spot to spend the night so you can truly enjoy the scenery and delicious Black cat wine. You’ll find plenty of small bed and breakfast style spots like Haus Marientaler Au and Haus Till E. There are even apartments for rent such as Apartment Hallenbach, Haus Brandenburg an der Mosel, and Mosel Ausblick.
The Story of Zeller Schwarze Katz
Without a doubt, the main draw to Zell Germany is the Black Cat wine! So how did Zeller Schwarze Katz come to be?
To start, you should know that wine has been grown in this region for over 2,000 years. The Romans were drawn to the fertile lands of the Moselle when they discovered how plentiful the grape harvest could be.
Still, the story of Zeller Schwarze Katz didn’t begin until the year 1863. A group of merchants were traveling through Zell and stopped into Mayntzer Winery for a tasting.
After drinking a copious amount of wine, they couldn’t decide on which was there favorite! Eventually, a black cat came down and hopped on one of the barrels. Once it sat upon one specific barrel and hissed at anyone who approached, the merchants decided this was the one!
Since then, the black cat has become the official mascot of Zell Mosel. You can see it all around town on wine glasses, large statues, and in storefront windows.
While they all technically share the Zeller Schwarze Katz folklore, there are now dozens of wineries around town to experience. Zell is home to over 4 million grape vines which are used to make all the amazing wine from the area.
Exploring the Charming Town Center
Zell extends far along the river, but know that the actual town center is small. Leading back from the Moselle, there is one long walking street lined with amazing cafes and restaurants.
We loved stopping in on Tuesday mornings when there was a small local market set up in the main square. With only a handful of stands, it’s not the largest in the area.
However, it was always fun to grab a bite to eat and a glass of wine here. We spent one month in the tiny village of Reil, which was just a 10 minute drive away.
This allowed us to visit often for hiking and wine tasting adventures. Some of our favorite places to eat were Alte Winzerstube and Nali’s Cafe. We also loved sitting at the kiosk on the water called Imbiss Mosel-Pavillion for a drink with a view!
Tasting the Black Cat Wine
We made many visits during our time in the Moselle, but our first trip here was actually part of a Boat Bike Tour. Our ship docked for one night in Zell Germany during this incredible one week cycling trip. Check out this article, which will answer all your questions about this unique style of river cruise.
This would be our very first opportunity to taste the famous wine of Zell. We had an official wine tasting set up by the boat at Weingut Treis.
Here we got to try five different wines and learn all about the history of the area. As you might’ve guessed, this would not be our last drink in Zell!
We made many trips back to town to enjoy the Black Cat wine in Germany. One of our most memorable days was during the Zeller Schwarze Katz summer festival.
They set up one long table along the main street where every restaurant and winery had a chance to showcase their food and drinks. This was not just a culinary celebration, but also of Zeller Schwarze Katz! The Black Cat wine was the theme of the party, and many kids were even dressed up as the lovable animal.
Hiking Above Zell Mosel
Aside from Black Cat wine tasting, there are so many great outdoor activities around Zell. This includes various hiking trails that loop from town into the stunning hillsides.
The most popular is the Black Cat Trail, which follows a small paved road through the vineyards. Yet, for the best view of Zell Mosel, you’ll want to detour onto the Collis Turm (Collis Tower) to the scenic lookout.
The climb to the tower is quite steep, so make sure to pack proper hiking shoes. You’ll also want to bring plenty of water if you’re on the trail in mid-July as we were.
On the way back down, we took one of the longer roads that cut across the entire mountainside. The views of Zeller Schwarze Katz and the Moselle Valley were absolutely breathtaking from here!
Is Zell Germany Worth Visiting?
Yes! Zell ended up being one of our favorite small towns on the Moselle River.
So much so, that we made multiple visits here during our monthlong stay in Reil Germany. During the summertime, there’s a different event or festival in Zell just about every weekend.
It’s small enough where you could enjoy it on a day trip, but there’s enough to do where you can easily spend a couple nights. If you decide to rent a car, Zell would also make a great home base to explore more of the area.
A few more towns nearby that we highly recommend visiting are Bernkastel-Kues, Beilstein, Traben-Trarbach, and Cochem. Saarburg and the old city of Trier are also worth seeing, but slightly farther away. Be sure to read our article about the 8 Most Magical Moselle Towns here!
Have any questions about Black Cat wine in Germany or want to share your own favorite things to do in Zell? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
