EuroVelo 15: From the source of the Rhine to its mouth in the North Sea

"The Rhine combines every quality a river can exhibit. The rapidity of the Rhone, the breadth 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 regal dignity of the Danube, the mysterious influence of the Nile, the golden sands of the glittering streams of the New World, the phantoms of some Asiatic stream" - Victor Hugo.

Suitable for cyclists of all fitness levels and abilities, the Rhine Cycle Route runs along one of the longest rivers in Europe. From the Swiss Alps to the North Sea, the Rhine has fostered a 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. Go for a stroll or a bike ride along the cycling route following the course of the Rhine. Welcome to the Eurovelo 15 website - the Rhine Cycle Route! more

1230km in
length
9Unesco World
Heritage sites
4 european
countries
Easy rides for
the family

Natural heritage
Culture
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Culinary delights along the Rhine
Cultural heritage
The Rhine
Europe
Art along the Rhine

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Nature reserve of the Offendorf forest

Located on a former Rhine gravel bank, the nature reserve protects 60 hectares of alluvial forest. The whole of the natural site, deprived since 1977 of the Rhine's floods and their contributions in nutritious sediment, is flooded, at the start of the summer, by the rising of the water table during the period of the Rhine's high waters. Gigantic trees, mysterious reed beds and a large variety of water birds make up the attractions of this Alsace jungle.

Ile de Rhinau Nature Reserve

The Ile de Nature Reserve is one of the most impressive riverside woodland areas in the whole of Alsace. It is home to a wide diversity of species living on the materials deposited by the river's high waters. As a result of being directly linked to the Rhine, the woodland areas are regularly flooded throughout the year thus maintaining their alluvial character. A multitude of characteristic plant and animal species that are perfectly adapted to the environment all live close together here under widely differing conditions.

Gelderse Poort

Located between the towns of Arnhem, Nijmegen and Emmerich am Rhein, Gelderse Poort is a nature reserve that is considered to be one of the 20 most beautiful countryside areas in the Netherlands. It is the starting point for the vast Rhine Delta.

Vineyards in the South-West of Germany.

With 300 days of sun per year, the Baden region, to the South-West of Germany, is the sunniest and warmest area of the country. Internationally-renowned vineyards are planted there, following the example of the wines of the Ortenau region, where the Riesling wine is produced, or the Kaiserstuhl region, a volcanic land located close to Freiburg im Breisgau.

Königswinter: Dragon's Hill

Full of legend, the hill in the Siebengebirge range has become a major tourist attraction due to its spectacular position above the Rhine and the ruins of the old Drachenfels Castle. To get to the top of the hill, one has to pass Schloss Drachenburg, a picturesque castle dating back to the 19th century. Once at the top, visiotrs have a marvellous view of the Rhineland.

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 horticultural region of Betuwe

Between the two main Rhine Delta rivers, the Waal to the south and Nederrijn to the north, is the horticultural region of Betuwe. It is above all known for its pear and cherry tree orchards. The delta's rich alluvial deposits make the area ideal for horticulture.

The North Sea and the dunes

Awaiting cyclists at the end of the EuroVelo 15 route is the little seaside resort of Hoek van Holland - today a part of Rotterdam. The long beaches are perfect for a gentle walk and the dunes are awaiting discovery. Here again are unique plants deserving protection that visitors should take care not to trample on. Now it really is time to rest one's legs and relax.

Rhäzuns

The alluvial areas between Rothenbrunnen and Reichenau constitute one of the Rhine's last natural river-side landscapes upstream from Lake Constance. One characteristic of the alluvial landscape is its constant transformation. Subject to the whims of floods and droughts, it evolves every year. Alluvial deposits are taken away or left, new islands and new meanders are formed, providing a wide variety of habitats for plants and animals.

Lake Constance.

Located to the far south of Germany, at the border with Austria and Switzerland, Lake Constance, the third largest lake in Europe, is a must on the EuroVelo 15 route. In a natural setting of gentle verdant valleys and benefiting from a mild climate, it has two lakes, the “Obersee” (Upper Lake) and the “Untersee” (Lower Lake), joined together by the River Rhine which continues its journey towards the West. Holiday-makers particularly appreciate the large number of cruises available.

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Düsseldorf Old Town

Düsseldorf Old Town. Nicknamed "Little Paris", Düsseldorf is the German capital of fashion. It is also a great place to stop off on the EV15, especially for its historic city centre, which is bursting with international stalls and restaurants.

Haus Bürgel in Monheim am Rhein: Romans, Nature and Horses

Haus Bürgel, located near the city of Düsseldorf, is a former Roman fort converted into a Roman museum. 2000 years of history and an exceptional location in the nature reserve Urdenbacher. The Biological Station offers an extensive programme of excursions and events allowing children and adults to experience nature. Nowadays, Haus Bürgel is as well characterized by a horse ranch and Reuter’s cart horse breeding.

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Brühl: Schloss Augustusburg and Schloss Falkenlust

The UNESCO World Heritage Schloss Augustusburg and Schloss Falkenlust palace complex is one of the first important Rococo masterpieces in Germany. Schloss Augustusburg, the favourite residency of the archbishop-elector of Cologne, Clemens August, is linked to the Falkenlust hunting lodge by a large park.

Abbey of St Gall

Located a few kilometres to the south of the Rhine is the former Saint Gallen Monastery. After the city was founded in 612, the first Benedictine Monastery was founded on the site in about 719. Switzerland's second oldest monastery and one of the biggest Benedictine monasteries in Europe, it was highly influential cuturally for over 1200 years. Distinguishing features are the late Baroque collegiate church and the 160.000-book Baroque library with rococo furnishings. 2.200 codices of which 500 are over 1000 years old. The library therefore houses one of the richtest collections of medieval books belonging to the German-speaking part of Europe.

City of Strasbourg

Set within two arms of the River Ill, the “Grande Ile” (Grand Island) is the historical centre of Alsace's main city. Added to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1988, it has several historical buildings dating back to medieval times. Particularly worth mentioning are the minster, the four ancient churches, the Kammerzell house, the Palais Rohan the former residence of the cardinal, covered bridges ...

Kinderdijk Windmills

Windmills have been a synonym for Holland ever since the 15th century. The Kinderdijk Windmills lying 15 kilometres to the east of Rotterdam are one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. Visitors can marvel at the centuries-old hydraulic structures which served to drain the landscape, reclaim land and build towns and villages. Sea dykes, reservoirs and pumping stations are, together with the 19 restored windmills, all a part of the special attraction of Kinderdijk which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Neuf-Brisach: Vauban's fortifications

Commissioned by Louis XIV, Vauban began building the Neuf Brisach fortifications, which are unique in the whole of Europe, in 1699. It turned the town into the new stronghold in the Alsace lowlands after Breisach, which lies on the other side of the Rhine, was lost in 1697. Protected by star-shaped bastions, the eight-sided town is one of the show-pieces of Vauban's work. When riding along the EuroVelo 15 Route, one can see the moat belonging to the fortifications by Niffer in the Haut-Rhin department.

Speyer Cathedral

Begun in 1030, Speyer Cathedral is the largest Romanesque cathedral in the world. The basilica with its four towers and two domes was highly influential in the development of Romanesque architecture. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981.

Upper Middle Rhine Valley

The whole 65-kilometre stretch of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen and Koblenz is, together with numerous separate elements, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also known as the "Romantic Rhine", the section has historical, natural and shrouded-in-legend surprises for visitors at a multitude of places. The Middle Rhine Valley has influenced poets, painters and composers and is a magnificent example of a natural landscape that has also been shaped by man. A dominant feature of the impressive cultural landscape are the gorges cut into the Rhenisch slate hills that are lined by about 60 towns and villages and surrounded by vineyards and numerous ruins of castles that once controlled shipping on the river.

The Lorelei

Located in the Upper Middle Rhine UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site, the 132-metre high Lorelei is a slate rock that rises up out of the river on its eastern bank. Legend has it that the Lorelei mermaid combed her long golden hair and lured boatmen with her song into the dangerous current of the Rhine and then onto the rock where they broke up.

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.

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Asparagus from Lampertheim

The market garden area in and around Ried in Hesse is famed for its asparagus, strawberries, onions and other fruit and vegetables. Hence it is affectionately known as “the biggest vegetable garden in Hesse”. Between mid-April and end of June, the asparagus season dominates life in the region. The traditional Lampertheim Asparagus Festival of Lampertheim is the ideal opportunity to savour the region's speciality, but it's not the only one.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut with smoked pork, frankfurters and potatoes is probably the best-known Alsatian dish and one of the best-loved traditional dishes in France. Thinly sliced 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 empty stomachs after a long day in the saddle.

Capuns

Capuns is a speciality of the Graubünden canton in Switzerland. They are meatballs made using dried meat and sausage and then wrapped in a chard leaf. They are often served in restaurants in and around Chur.

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Bad Säckingen: The Old Wooden Bridge

In the spa town of Bad-Säckingen, in the Upper Rhine, is the longest covered wooden bridge in Europe. It crosses the river over to the Swiss town of Stein. Another point of interest is St. Fridolin Cathedral in the centre of town. It is a monumental religious building whose treasure room exhibits relics, religious objects and Christian art from the convent in Säckingen which closed in 1806.

Town of Rhenen

Famous for its Gothic Cunera Church, constructed in the 15th century, the town of Rhenen has built up on the banks of the Lek - one of the many branches of the Rhine, downstream of Arnhem.

Marksburg Castle - Braubach.

Surrounded by vineyards, the medieval city of Braubach is dominated by Marksburg Castle, built in the 13th century on the right bank of the Rhine. Perched at an elevation of over 160 metres, the castle towers over the winding alleyways of the Old Town. Marksburg is the only castle never to have been destroyed, and is one of the highlights of the Rhine Valley, listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.

Düsseldorf Old Town

“Favorite” Castle in Rastatt.

The baroque city and royal residence of Rastatt is situated between Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden. Modelled on the French Palace of Versailles, the residential palace was built by Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm and Margravine Sibylla Augusta of Baden-Baden. Schloss Favorite [Favorite Palace] in Rastatt-Förch is Germany’s oldest “porcelain palace”.

Versamer Tobel Bridge

The wild and eroded landscape of the Versam region, upstream from Bonaduz, is not at all easy to pass through. However, a mountain road, one of the most spectacular routes in the Swiss Alps, was built in the 1880s, with several tunnels, sharp bends, and retaining walls. The bridge spanning over the Versamer Tobel, a daring steel structure built in 1897, peaks at 70 metres above the Rabiusa, a tributary of the Rhine.

Benrath Castle and Park in Düsseldorf

A rococo-style villa, Benrath Castle was erected towards the end of the 18th century by the Elector Palatin Charles-Theodore. With its huge park and pond, it is both an important cultural monument, and also an oasis in the urban sprawl of Düsseldorf. Very well preserved, the castle hosts three museums and is surrounded by a magnificent park measuring several hundred thousand square metres.

Cologne Museums

Cologne as a "City of Museums" is among the most important and lively cultural centres in Germany. 36 museums are with their superb collections and fascinating exhibitions a magnet for art and culture lovers from all around the world. They offer a rich variety of exhibits from Antiquity to the present day and inform visitors about things as diverse as chocolate, modern art and the city's history.

The Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen

Internally renowned, especially for its temporary exhibitions such as "The Hohenstaufen Dynasty and Italy", "Alexander the Great and the opening of the world", "Pompei", "Mummies - the dream of eternal life" and "Skull Cult", as presented in association with other museums in Europe and other continents, the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen (REM) hosts four exhibition houses to form a new museum quarter in the heart of Mannheim.

The Niederwalddenkmal of Rüdesheim - monument to the glory of Germany.

Opposite the town of Bingen-am-Rhein, the monumental statue of Germania, built above the village of Rüdesheim, dominates the Rhine and the upper vineyards, almost 50 metres high. This monument celebrates the foundation of the new German empire following the Franco-German war of 1870. In one hand is the emperor's crown, while the other hand holds the imperial sword.

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The Rhine Falls

Only a few hundred metres downstream from Schaffhausen is one of Europe's most powerful and impressive waterfalls. 150 metres wide and 23 metres high water flows over the falls at an average of 750 m3 per second. The wild spectacle of the Rhine hurtling over the rocks attracts hundres of thousands of sightseers every year. Boat rides enable visitors to get even closer to the falls.

Fish ladder in Gambsheim

Weirs, locks and a fish ladder at Gambsheim. To meet shipping, agricultural and power generation requirements, weirs and hydraulic plants have been built on the River Rhine. These often create obstacles difficult for migrating fish to overcome on their way to their spawning ground. To enable them to reach the Rhine basin, Germany and France signed an agreement in 1997 to construct fish ladders at the hydro-electric plants in Iffezheim and Gambsheim. The Gambsheim fish ladder, opened in 2006, is the largest in Europe. An observation room enables visitors to watch the salmon, eels, trout and river herrings on their way upstream.

Passerelle des Deux Rives

In conjunction with the first cross-border garden show in 2004, Kehl and Strasbourg linked the French and German banks of the Rhine with a "passerelle" - a bridge for the sole use of pedestrians and cyclists.

The port of Rotterdam

The second largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam, Rotterdam, is the industrial heart of the country. Located at the mouth of the Rhine and the Meuse, its strategic position provides an economic outlet for western Germany and makes the region one of the most dynamic in Europe. Its facilities stretch over 28 kilometres making it the fourth largest port in the world and the largest in Europe. Alongside Le Havre in France, Rotterdam's deep water "Europoort" is the only port in Europe capable of accommodating supertankers and their cargo of 400,000 tons of fuel. Refineries and petrochemical plants abound in the region.

Duisburg Inner Harbour

Where grain was once stored and milled, visitors will today find museums, restaurants and a marina - Mediterranean flair right in the centre of the city. The old harbour has been transformed into an ambitious urbanistically and architecturally attractive city quarter.

Lake Toma

Located at the foot of Piz Baduz at an altitude of 2345 metres, Lake Toma is considered to be the source of the River Rhine. A one-hour walk away from the Oberalp Pass in Graubünden, it is the only place where the river can be crossed in one stride. With a surface area of 2.5 hectares, it is also the start of a 1230 kilometre journey through four European countries to the North Sea.

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Strasbourg : the capital of Europe

A symbol of French-German reconciliation and European unity, Strasbourg is considered to be the capital of Europe due to the presence of several European Union and other institutions in the city. With it being the home in particular of the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Court of Human Rights, Strasbourg is one of the rare cities, together with New York and Geneva, to house international institutions without it actually being the capital of a state itself.

Lörrach, Germany: THREE COUNTRIES MUSEUM

The award-winning building in Lörrach is home to the only Three Countries Museum in Europe. On show in the permanent exhibition is life past and present in the Upper Rhine where Germany, Switzerland and France meet. "Get involved" stations, audio stations and media terminals turn the tour of the interactive exhibition into an experience to remember.

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Strasbourg: Tomi Ungerer Museum

Artist and illustrator of books for readers of all ages, including the children's book “The Three Robbers”, Tomi Ungerer, who was born in Strasbourg in 1931, is considered to be one of the greatest illustrators of the last 50 years. The 700 square meter museum – the first public museum in France devoted to an artist during his lifetime – has been established in the Greiner Villa and houses more than 11000 drawings donated by the artist to his home city.

Basel: Its museums

Basel's museums and galleries house several important international works of art. Each year more than one million visitors visit 36 exhibition. Compared to other similarly-sized cities, Basel has one of the highest densities of museums and galleries in the world. Art aficionados should not miss “Art Basel”, the largest annual modern art show in Europe. It is held every year in mid-June.

Bonn: The Museum Mile

Attracting over one million visitors every year, Bonn's Museum Mile is a must for all lovers of art and culture. The Museum of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany (Haus der Geschichte) presents the country's contemporary history by means of photographs, documents and original objects from recent German history. The Fine Art Museum (Kunstmuseum Bonn) exhibits Rhenish expressionist works and German art from the post-war period while the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany (Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland) plays host to travelling exhibitions designed to show national and international cultural trends with the inclusion of science and technology. The Alexander Koenig Museum is one of the top zoological museums in Germany. Finally, the Bonn German Museum presents the milestones of scientific discovery over the past 50 years. It boasts around 100 original items, from the magnetic rail ‘Transrapid' train to the Nobel Prize winning ion trap.

Rolandseck: Arp Museum

Rolandseck railway station has always been more than just a station. Right from its inauguration in 1858, it has always been a focal point for artists and intellectuals. Since September 2007, it has formed a part of a new museum on the Rhine - the "Arp-Museum Bahnhof Rolandseck". Built on the banks of the river in the town of Remagen, the museum of contemporary art has four floors of exhibition space devoted to the Alsatian 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.

Mainz: Gutenberg Museum

The reconstruction of the old workshop of the inventor of the printing press including a press that visitors can operate and a copy of the Gutenburg Bible - the first book to be printed in Europe using movable type - are just two of the main attractions in the Gutenburg Museum in Mainz. On display are four millennia of written history and culture and the most important prints from the 14th century right up to the present day.

Insel Museum Hombroich and the Langen Foundation

Located a few miles south of Neuss, the Museum Insel Hombroich opened in the heart of an old park on the island of Hombroich in 1987. The museum embodies and enacts a famous quote made by Cézanne: "Art is a harmony parallel with nature". The exhibition building and the artist's studio blend naturally into the vast landscape. Winding paths are punctuated by works of sculptural architecture. The island hosts a wide diversity of events involving philosophers, poets, musicians and artists. Designed by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando, a new exhibition hall combining lightness and transparency was constructed on a former missile launch site a stone's throw from Hombroich in 2004. The Langen Foundation displays works from the Langen collection that includes almost 500 Japanese artworks and 300 modern pieces.

Chur: Graubünden Museum of Fine Arts

Housed in Villa Planta, which was built in 1874-75 by the architect Johannes Ludwig, the Museum of Fine Arts in Chur is home to works of art predominantly by Swiss or Graubünden artists and sculptors from the 18th century to the present day. On display are works by, amongst others, Alberto Giacometti, Giovanni Segantini and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.

Weil am Rhein: Vitra Design Museum

The Vitra Design Museum is one of the biggest design museums in the world. The American architect Frank Gehry, known, in particular, for designing the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, has created an architectural masterpiece made up of towers, ramps and cubes. Permanent exhibitions showing the historical and contemporary developments in the world of design provide visitors with the opportunity of discovering the diversity and importance of design.

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The countries

Switzerland Germany France Netherlands