Aqueduct of the former Roman canal near Mechernich-Vussem
Maximilian Hulisz, Tourismus NRW e.V., Aqueduct of the former Roman canal near Mechernich-Vussem

Römerkanal-Wanderweg

Nettersheim
  • Hiking, Regional hiking trail
  • 117 km
  • 38 Hours
  • simple
History step by step: The Roman Canal Hiking Trail follows a Roman water pipeline and leads in 7 stages from Nettersheim to Cologne in the footsteps of Roman engineering.

Tour details

  • Length:117.24 km
  • Duration:38 Hours
  • Uphill:787 hm
  • Downhill:1183 hm
  • Category:Hiking, Regional hiking trail

This wall trail invites you to travel back in time and offers the opportunity to discover the impressive remains of an almost two-thousand-year-old Roman canal in the Eifel.The Roman Canal Hiking Trail stretches over 116 kilometers from Nettersheim to Cologne-Sülz and follows the historic Eifel water pipeline, an engineering masterpiece of the Romans from the 1st century A.D. On seven stages between 13 and 22 kilometers in length, it follows the water in the direction of Cologne.

Along the route, hikers will come across numerous relics of the ancient water pipeline, including the "Grüner Pütz" spring near Nettersheim, the Klausbrunnen fountain and the aqueduct bridge near Vussem. Around 50 information boards along the route offer insights into Roman engineering and the history of the ancient water supply.

The well-signposted route can be walked in both directions and runs parallel to railroad lines, allowing for flexible stage planning. Numerous hiker-friendly hosts along the way invite you to stop for refreshments and overnight stays.

More tours at a glance

  • View of the Rhine
    Etappe 2: Köln – Düsseldorf/Neuss
    Düsseldorf
    From the Rhineland metropolis of Cologne, the route leads via the well-preserved, historic customs fortress of Zons - or on the right bank of the Rhine via Monheim - to Düsseldorf. Even from a distance, the television tower in the middle of Düsseldorf's media harbor points the way.
    Etappe 2: Köln – Düsseldorf/Neuss
  • Struffelt Heath in winter, Eifel
    Struffeltroute
    Roetgen
    Circular hike around the Dreilägerbach dam through the Struffelte Heath
    Struffeltroute
  • Erft cycle path
    Erft-Radweg
    Nettersheim
    A leisurely 110-kilometer route along the river: from the source of the Erft in the Eifel to its mouth in the Rhine
    Erft-Radweg
New tips every two months

Insider tips & excursion ideasNewsletter

Fancy some mail? Then subscribe here to our every two months newsletter with information on special travel offers, selected short tips for short trips and other insider tips for travelling in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Click here to register