An unforgettable trip
“ The Rhine combines all the quality that a river can exhibit . The rapidity of the Rhône, the width of the Loire, the rocks of the Meuse, the sinuosity of the Seine, the translucency of the Somme, the historical reminiscences of the Tiber, the regality and dignity of the Danube, the mysterious influence of the Nile, the golden sands of the bright streams of the New World, the ghosts of some Asiatic stream”, wrote Victor Hugo.
Those are the poetic qualities of the Rhine; Let's go with the pragmatics. This river, whose name of Celtic origin means "water course", has 1,233 kilometers that cross some of the most extraordinary landscapes in Europe, from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea, and crosses four countries: Switzerland, Germany, France and Holland.
Accompanying the river in its course is what those who dare to cycle the Eurovelo 15 , the wonderful Rhine route. It has 1,230 kilometers suitable for all types of cyclists that, of course, do not have to be done all at once: one can join the road in the section that you want.
The first covers from the beginning of the Rhine to Lake Constance, and takes us through castles, orchards and spectacular mountain views ; the second, comes out of the lake and takes us to basel , city with three borders: Switzerland, France and Germany. There we will change country at the stroke of a pedal, and we will meet the impressive Schaffhausen Falls, the largest in Europe.
the rhine falls
The third section crosses nature reserves and picturesque villages before entering Strasbourg, and continues through the beautiful Alsace region and the Markgräfler Land wine area. The fourth continues through vineyards and through cities such as Speyer (with its UNESCO World Heritage listed cathedral), Worms (one of the oldest cities in Germany) and Mainz (capital of Hesse, Rhineland) .
Here you will take your first ferry to cross from one side to the other, one of the ways in which you will bridge the distance that separates the two banks of the river. On other occasions you will cross legendary bridges, such as the one in the city of Worms already mentioned, or the one in Bad Sackingen , beautiful, ancient and covered by wood.
UNESCO lists the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, one of the oldest and most impressive natural landscapes in Germany, as a World Heritage Site. We will cross it enjoying the no less than sixty castles and palaces that dominate the path between Binge and Koblenz, in the fifth section of the route.
Further down in North Westphalia, cyclists can choose which bank to ride on: on the right is Königswinter, the most visited mountain in Germany, while on the opposite side is the old government quarter of Bonn, with its cathedral, the baroque town hall and the house where Beethoven was born. Hard choise!
You will cross Cologne by bike
Beautiful Cologne is the next stop, followed by Düsseldorf and Duisburg, the largest river port in Europe. We are in the sixth section, and shortly after we will cross the German-Dutch border and arrive in Arnhem, capital of the province of Gelderland, to finish in the meanders of the Rhine. There, already in the Netherlands, you can enjoy the iconic windmills of wind from the surroundings of the little town of Kinderdijk and, as the finishing touch to the seventh and last section, a visit to the city of Rotterdam, always in a frenzy.
The trip, one of those that must be done once in a lifetime, runs through paved tracks very similar to conventional bike lanes, through which less than 1,000 motorized vehicles pass per day. They are also characterized by having slopes less than 6%, Wide enough for at least two bikes and open all year round, so you can start your adventure at any time. The only question is: when will it start?