Pallien – Trier's quiet side, ten minutes from the Porta Nigra.

Pallien sits on the left bank of the Moselle, directly opposite the old town – and yet it feels like a different Trier. The houses here stand on a narrow strip between the river and the red sandstone cliffs that give the district its character. Our two apartments, the Red Rock Home and the LOFT34, share a building on Bonner Straße, right beneath those cliffs. We live in Trier ourselves and like Pallien for a simple reason: you're in the heart of the city within minutes, and just as quickly back in the quiet in the evening.

Why Pallien

The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke links Pallien with the Zurlauben riverside and the Nordallee – on the far side, a short stroll brings you to the Porta Nigra. Allow a good quarter of an hour on foot from the house to the landmark; by bike it's quicker still. So you can leave the car behind for the old town – and at our house you park for free.

The second reason is the landscape. The hillside begins directly behind the house, and a stepped path takes you up to the Mariensäule: around 150 metres above the city, with the best view over Trier and the Moselle valley. Allow a good half hour for the climb; it's most beautiful at sunset. To the north lies the Weißhauswald with its wildlife park, where children can feed goats and watch red and fallow deer – an afternoon in the green without leaving the city limits.

Getting here and getting around

By car you reach Pallien via the B 53 (Bonner Straße) or across the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke from the city centre. There's a free parking space right at the house – in a city where parking in the old town is scarce and expensive, that's a real advantage.

Without a car, Pallien is well connected too. City bus line 8 runs from the main station past the Porta Nigra through Pallien and on to Biewer and Pfalzel; there's also the Trier-Pallien railway halt on the western line. And if you're visiting Trier University of Applied Sciences: the main Schneidershof campus sits on the hill above Pallien, reached via the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke and Bitburger Straße. From our house the campus is closer than from almost any other district.

Our apartments in Pallien

Both apartments are at Bonner Straße 39, in the same building – for groups of up to six they can be booked together.

The Red Rock Home is the larger of the two: four guests, one bedroom and one living/bedroom, each with a double bed, plus two balconies looking out at the cliffs that give the apartment its name. Fully equipped kitchen, Nespresso machine, smart TV, fast Wi-Fi and a workspace. It's one of our most popular apartments – with families as much as with guests who stay longer and work during the day.

The LOFT34 is the apartment for two: a bright sleeping area with a double bed, a comfortable workspace, kitchen, smart TV and Wi-Fi. For business trips, city breaks for two and anyone looking for a quiet home away from home who still wants to walk into town.

In both apartments you check yourself in – via smart lock, from 4 pm, as late as you like. Bed linen and towels are ready, and the final cleaning is included in the price. If you're staying longer than a month, take a look at MonatsMiete+.

Who Pallien suits

City-break travellers who want to explore the old town on foot and have peace and quiet in the evening. Visitors to the University of Applied Sciences and anyone with business at the university or one of Trier's hospitals – the Brüderkrankenhaus and Mutterhaus Nord are on the north side of the city. Walkers who want to head straight into the woods behind the house in the morning. And groups of up to six who want two apartments under one roof to celebrate in Trier while everyone still has their own space.

More tips for the city – Roman monuments, wine taverns, our 48-hour plan – are in the Trier travel guide.