Switzerland
From the source of the River Rhine to Lake Constance.
EuroVelo 15: From the source of the Rhine to its mouth in the North Sea
Open to cyclists of all capabilities, the Rhine cycle route runs along one of the largest rivers in Europe. From the Swiss Alps to the North Sea, the Rhine has fostered cultural and economic dialogue between the Alpine arc and Northern Europe for over 2000 years. Explore the beauty of this river landscape and the picturesque towns and villages lining its banks, a number of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Take a stroll or a bike ride along this cycling route running along the Rhine. Welcome to the Eurovélo 15 website - the Rhine Cycle Route! more
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1230 LENGHT
km -
9sites listed
by Unesco -
4 european
countries -
Easy rides for
the family
- Natural heritage
- Art along the Rhine
- World Heritage by UNESCO
- The Europe
- Cultural heritage
- Culinary delights along the Rhine
- The Rhine
Nature reserve of the Sauer Delta
Located 100 metres from the River Rhine, on the Sauer delta, the Nature Centre marks the entry into the largest nature reserve of the Alsace plain, the Seltz Munchhausen reserve, known under the name of the Sauer Delta nature reserve. Located where the River Sauer, a 70-kilometre long river with its source in Germany, flows into the River Rhine, the nature reserve preserves a biodiversity that is typical of humid flood plains. The natural environment is remarkable with jungle-like forests and a phenomenal quantity of birds.
Region of Betuwe
The region of Betuwe - farming country. Situated between the two main branches of the Rhine, the Waal to the south and the Lower Rhine to the North, the region of Betuwe is known for its fruit, especially pears and cherries. The rich alluvial deposits of the delta region make ideal ground for this type of agriculture.
River Linge
At around 60 miles long, the River Linge is the longest Dutch river to lie completely within the Netherlands. It crosses the Betuwe region from east to west, from Doorenburg to Gorinchem. Motorized shipping traffic is not permitted unless the Watershap Rivierenland issues an authorization based on the inland water transportation rules. In case of an authorization, motorized shipping traffic is allowed from Geldermalsen to the Kanal van Steenenhoek.
The nature reserve of Lampertheimer.
Thanks to the Lampertheimer nature reserve, a short distance to the south of Worms, 530 hectares of an old branch of the Rhine are under protection. A colony of cormorants lives in this preserved wilderness, which includes two lakes and a large island.
The Kromme Rijn, or Crooked Rhine
The secondary branch of the Rhine is 17 miles long. Known as the Kromme Rijn, or Crooked Rhine, it was an important waterway until the construction of a dam in 1122 during the Middle Ages. Still flowing gently, the Kromme Rijn has maintained a pleasant landscape, with castles and private estates built alongside the river. Eurovélo 15 crosses the Kromme Rijn at the town of Wijk bij Duurstede.
The museums in Basel
The museums in Basel house several important international works. Each year more than one million visitors attend the some thirty-six exhibition halls, which is a particularly high density compared to other similar-sized towns. Art aficionados should not miss “Art Basel”, the largest annual modern art fair in Europe. It is held every year in mid-June.
Rolandseck Contemporary Art Museum.
Rolandseck railway station has always been more than just a station. Since its inauguration in 1858, it has been a focal point for artists and intellectuals. Since September 2007, it has formed part of a new museum on the Rhine - the "Arp-Museum Bahnhof Rolandseck". Built right on the banks of the Rhine in the town of Remagen, Rolandseck Contemporary Art Museum has four floors of exhibition space devoted to the Alsation painter and sculptor Hans Arp and his wife Sophie Taeuber-Arp, who were involved in the rise of the Dada and surrealist movements in the early 20th century. Paintings from the Middle Ages right up to the modern day are also on display.
Museum of the Island of Hombroich and the Langen Foundation
Located a few miles south of Neuss, the Museum of the Island of Hombroich (Museum Insel Hombroich) opened in 1987, in the heart of an old park on the island of Hombroich. This museum embodies and enacts a famous quote said by Cézanne: "Art is a harmony parallel with nature". The exhibition building and the artistic workshop sink naturally into the vast landscape. Winding paths are punctuated by plastic art works. The island hosts a number of diverse events about every subject under the sun, with philosophers, poets, musicians and artists. Designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, a new exhibition space was constructed in 2004 on a former missile launch site a stone's throw from Hombroich, combining lightness and transparency. The Langen Foundation displays works from the Langen collection, amounting to almost 500 Japanese artworks and 300 modern works.
Chur Art Museum
Housed in the Villa Planta, built in 1874-75 by the architect Johannes Ludwig, the Museum of Fine Art in Chur is home to the paintings and sculptures of the Grisons region from the 18th to the 20th century of artists Alberto Giacometti, Giovanni Segantini and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.
Weil am Rhein. Vitra Design Museum.
he Vitra Design Museum is one of the largest design museums in the world. The American architect Frank Gehry, known, in particular, for the creation of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, has created an architectural work here made up of towers, ramps and cubes. Permanent exhibitions on the historical and contemporary developments of design provide visitors with the opportunity of discovering the diversity and meaning of design.
Upper Middle Rhine Valley
Between Bingen and Koblenz, 65 straight kilometres (40 miles) of territory has been classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site - the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, also known as the Romantic Rhine. With close ties to history and the legend of Lorelei, this landscape has always had a strong influence on writers, painters and composers. A cultural landscape shaped by man over the centuries, the Romantic Rhine is made up of narrow, deep gorges carved into the schistous Rhineland rock, punctuated by around sixty small villages surrounded by sloping vineyards and the ruins of castles that defended river trade in times past.
Vauban fortifications in Neuf-Brisach
A unique site in Europe, built in 1699 by Vauban according to orders received from Louis XIV, Neuf-Brisach became the new stronghold in the Alsace plain, after the loss of Breisach beyond the River Rhine in 1697. An octagonal town, protected by star-shaped fortifications, the site is one of the jewels of Vauban’s work. On the EuroVelo 15 route, the canal is visible outside Niffer, in the Haut-Rhin department.
Windmills of Kinderdijk
Since the 15th century, the Netherlands has owed its international reputation to its windmills. Located nine miles east of Rotterdam, Kinderdijk is one of the best known tourist destinations in the Netherlands. It has all the typical elements of the hydraulic works practised in the country since the Middle Ages, the aim of which was to dry out the land for agriculture and set up villages. Sea walls, reservoirs, pumping stations, administrative buildings, along with a set of nineteen beautifully preserved windmills make up Kinderdijk, listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco since 1997.
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is the town of Cologne's landmark as well as the heart of the city. Situated directly beneath the bank of the Rhine in neighbourhood of the Hohenzollernbridge and the Central station, it is easy to reach all major points of interest of the city from here. Be it one of the many museums or the shopping district with Hohe Strasse and Schildergasse. The "High Cathedral of St. Peter" with its five naves has been completed in 1880 after 632 years of construction. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and is able to bear about 4.000 believers during mass services. Due to its spiritual and cultural historic importance it has become UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
The Rock of Lorelei.
Situated around twenty kilometres downstream of Bongen and thirty kilometres upstream of Koblenz, the schistose rock of Lorelei rises 132 metres above the river - the point where the Rhine starts to narrow. Legend has it that this place, deemed dangerous because of its swirling waters, a mermaid with long golden hair charmed sailors, leading them to their doom, sinking beneath the turbulent waters. A large number of artists across the world have drawn inspiration from this legend, not least with the famous poem by Heinrich Heine - Die Loreleï.
Strasbourg : the European capital
A symbol of French-German reconciliation and of European unity, Strasbourg is considered as the European capital due to the presence of several European Union and Continental Europe institutions. With the headquarters in particular of the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Court of Human Rights, Strasbourg is one of the rare towns, along with New York and Geneva, to house international institutions without being the capital of a State.
Munot Fortress, Schaffhouse
Overlooking the town of Schaffhausen, the Munot fortress, built in the 16th century by the citizens of the town during feudal chores, is one of the emblems of the medieval town. At the top of the tower, there is a magnificent view over the old town and the river area of the Rhine. An exceptional moment: the Munot guard, a role that has been held continuously since 1589, rings the bells every evening at 9:00 p.m.
Cathedral of St. Peter of Worms.
Alongside the cathedrals of Mainz and Speyer, the Cathedral of St. Peter of Worms is one of the most remarkable Romanesque churches in the Rhine Valley. A must-see is the Gothic south portal, which was added in the 14th century.
Weil-am-Rhein, Three-Countries Bridge
Weil-am-Rhein is located in the place where Germany, France and Switzerland join. With the world record for being the longest bridge reserved for pedestrians and cyclists -238 metres, the Three Countries Bridge, joining the towns of Huningue in France and Weil-am-Rhein in Germany, enables to cross the River Rhine. Switzerland is just a few hundred metres away, on the German side.
Biebrich Castle in Wiesbaden.
Built on the Rhine, this beautiful Baroque building, with its mullion windows and its circular rotunda, holding court over the central wing, was constructed between 1700 and 1750 to be the sumptuous residence of the Princes of Nassau. Nowadays, it is used as representative offices for the Minister-President of the Land of Hesse, and occasionally for events and concerts. To the outside, lovely walks can be taken in the huge English garden, under hundred year-old trees.
Drosselgasse - a pedestrianised alley in Rudesheim.
Drosselgasse lies at the heart of the old town of Rudesheim. 144 metres in length, this narrow, paved street is for pedestrians only and is a major draw for visitors to this small Rhineland town in the tourist season. With its traditional restaurants, the wine flows to the sound of traditional music. This is a good place to sample local wines, including Rüdesheimer Riesling, in one of the many "Weinstubbe" - local wine bars.
Sauerkraut.
A sauerkraut with smoked pork, frankfurters and potatoes is definitely the most well-known Alsace dish and is among the most appreciated traditional dishes in France. Thin slices of cabbage fermented in brine, simmered in white wine with potatoes, Montbéliard and Strasbourg sausages, streaky bacon, smoked pork breast and shoulder, flavoured with juniper berries and cloves, a good sauerkraut is ideal for filling an empty stomach after a long day spent cycling.
Capuns
Capuns are a speciality of the Grisons district. They are meatballs made with dried meat and sausage, wrapped in Swiss chard leaves. They are often available in restaurants in Chur and its surroundings.
The Garden of Two Banks
The Garden of Two Banks was created in 2004 as a symbol of French-German friendship. Between Strasbourg and Kehl, a footbridge reserved for pedestrians and cyclists joins the two banks of the River Rhine. 650 trees planted, almost 8000 shrubs and 16 hectares of grass make this 60-hectare area an ideal place for the populations to meet up or take a stroll. Made up of two parallel trails which join together on a platform in the middle of the river, the footbridge is a connecting link between the two countries.
Fish ladder in Gambsheim
Dams, locks and fish ladder at Gambsheim. In order to meet with requirements in terms of navigation, agriculture or electricity, dams and hydraulic works have been built on the River Rhine. These often create obstacles for migrating fish that find it difficult to get through them on their way to their spawning area. In order to restore their free access in the Rhine basin, Germany and France signed an agreement in 1997 regarding the construction of fish ladders for the hydroelectric developments in Iffezheim and Gambsheim. The Gambsheim fish ladder, opened in 2006, is the largest in Europe. An observation room enables to watch the salmon, eels, sea trout and river herrings as they swim upstream.
Duisburg, largest river port in Europe
Perfectly situated at the confluence of the Rhine and the Ruhr, the port of Duisberg offers the best possible conditions for serving the European market through its 22 docks, 25 miles of platforms and through its excellent connection to river, rail and road transport links. A "multimodal" hub for the hinterland, located upstream of three of the four largest ports in the North Sea (Rotterdam, Anvers and Amsterdam), Duisburg is the nerve centre of transportation in Europe.
Lake Toma
Located at an altitude of 2345 metres, at the foot of the Piz Baduz, Lake Toma is considered as the source of the River Rhine. A surface area of 25 hectares, located in the Grisons district and accessible after a one-hour walk from the Oberalp pass, it is the only place where the River Rhine can be crossed in just one stride, and is the start of a very long journey of more than 1320 kilometres towards the North Sea, across 4 European countries.
The Rhine falls
Ranked among the highest waterfalls in Europe, the Rhine falls are located a few hundred metres downstream from Schaffhausen. 150 metres wide, 23 metres high, they have an average flow of 750 m3/s. The wild and spectacular nature of the River Rhine hurtling over the rocks attracts several hundreds of thousands of onlookers each year. Boat rides enable to get even closer to the falls.
