The municipality lies surrounded by vineyards in the natural and cultivated landscape of the Moselle valley in the Trier region.

The nearest middle centres are the double town of Bernkastel-Kues and the district seat, Wittlich.

The barrier formed by the Eifel shields Kesten from west winds, putting it in a rain shadow and sometimes subjecting it to a föhn effect.

Tied in with this is the high humidity due to ongoing evaporation of water from the Moselle, which, especially in summer, makes at times for heavy and muggy weather, and which also brings many storms along with it.

[3] The municipality’s arms might be described thus: Argent a cross gules surmounted by an inescutcheon sable charged with a bunch of grapes hanging from a vine couped at both ends Or.