Mosel vs Rhine

Love the Mosel Valley. Years ago, we stayed at this place (one of many in the valley)
https://www.visitmosel.de/wandern/veranstaltungen/unterkuenfte/RPT/f14a0c4f-2e55-4881-a310-0e336b0384a4/weingut-reis-kroth?useDetailSearch=false/RPT/f1602107-405b-4a6c-b206-a647a2bfbbd6/dooscht

I see they only show one guest room now, used to be two. Anyway follow Visitmosel website to see other such places.

The Mosel is much less touristy. There are short cruises from Bernkastle. We stayed in Traben Trarbach years ago in Dreigebelshauskelerie - this was 1981.

Koblenz is the perfect answer.

With a car it doesn’t matter much where you stay. I would look for a hotel/b&b that suits you and stay there. Where I stay in Bacharach is only 3 rooms and only 1 has a private bath and no parking, so itbwouldn’t work for you. But the Im Malerwinkel would be someplace to look at. It has good parking and is a very nice location in Bacharach.

For cycling, the Mosel is quieter.

Restaurant - Cafe Bistro Noy in Bacharach

Mosel. My friend and I stayed here in 2024:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/46405565?source_impression_id=p3_1778509462_P3Kdh5V1uOSXaBcO
I have been wanting to go back ever since.
We had a great meal with a view of the river at this casual, mostly outdoor restaurant:
https://waldschenke-bernkastel.de
It really seemed like we shouldn't be driving on the road that went there, but then there was a parking lot at the top, so... Get the chef's platter. It says it's for 2, but it's enough for at least 3.

I've stayed in half a dozen different Rhine towns and done the same on the Mosel. Both rivers are wonderful in their own way. What makes me think "Mosel" in your case is the BIKING... Both rivers can be biked, but the Mosel is a lot quieter and impacted less by auto and rail traffic.or

The most touristy towns on the two rivers are Bernkastel and Cochem (on the Mosel) and Ruedesheim. But touristy isn't always a bad thing. Bernkastel and Cochem are maybe the most visually stunning towns in the area. Bacharach and Braubach (both on the Rhine) are also outstanding. Koblenz is an a metropolis compared with the other towns; I'd want to visit towns on both rivers, but the fact that the 2 rivers meet up in Koblenz doesn't mean you must stay in Koblenz, as there are certain towns on each river in the vicinity of Koblenz which are well located for visiting towns in "the other" river valley. Anywhere between Zell/Bullay and Koblenz might work well for you. It would be easy to access Burg Eltz and Marksburg Castle (in Braubach) from this part of the river, and perhaps to pay Bacharach a visit for a short while on your southbound drive to Fuessen.

Do you intend to visit TRIER? It's Germany's oldest city, a major destination.

Cruising is nice on both rivers but the Rhine Cruise (Bingen > St Goar) is at the top of the list.

Generally speaking, you do not drive to wineries. The places where you do wine tasting from different wineries are rooms/shops/vinotheks located IN TOWN, pretty much.

I think Fuessen is an absurdly distant destination coming from the Rhine or the Mosel. I don't know when your 3-night Rhine/Mosel stay will be, where you'll be arriving from (maybe FRA airport??) or how you landed on 3 nights there, or on Fuessen, or what happens after Fuessen... But I do think I'd want 3 nights on the Mosel - it takes a lot of time to bike, drive around the curvy river landscape, cruise, tour castles, etc. etc. Then in a day, perhaps, you could do the south end of the Rhine gorge... do a Rhine Cruise, tour Bacharach and Ruedesheim, etc. and spend a 4th night in the area... or make a little driving progress toward Fuessen and stay mid-way.

It would be a great help if you could supply your travel dates.

Stay in Koblenz* and do daytrips along the Rhine and Mosel with your car
First Mosel River and Eltz Castle
Second Marksburg on the Rhine and some villages
and finally on your way to Füssen see Bacharach and onto Mainz and further south
Stopover on the way to Füssen recommended ( Black Forest or Stuttgart etc)

• Koblenz founded by the Romans 2000 years ago named "Confluentes" of the two rivers Rhine and Mosel

Thanks everyone for the info
Our dates are Sept 27 arrive in Cologne
Sept 28 - Oct 1 Mosel Valley
Oct 1 drive to Rethenburger stay the night
Oct 2 Fussen (2 nights)
Oct 4 Stuttgart
Oct 5 off to Brussels

Well, unfortunately you will be in the Mosel Valley midweek, so you will miss the many weekend wine festivals throughout the valley, especially in harvest season. These are a special treat of visiting the region.