Location
The Rhine starts as a stream fed by the Rheinwaldhorn Glacier in the Swiss Alps and flows northeast, for 820 kilometers until it reaches the North Sea.
Geography
The Rhine passes through mountainous country in Switzerland and Germany that gradually becomes flatter until it divides into two rivers (the Lek and the Waal) as it enters the Netherlands.
Features
Spectacular formations like the Rhine Gorge compete for visitors' attention with medieval castles and towns plus most of the vineyards of Germany and French Alsace, which borders the river.
The Lorelei Legend
A statue on Lorelei Rock at St. Goarshausen recalls the myth of the Lorelei, a nymph who fell to her death from the 120-meter rock after falling in love.
Rheinsteig Trail
Stretching 320 kilometers from Wiesbaden to Bonn (the "Middle Rhine"), the Rheinsteig Trail accommodates hikers and cyclists in summer and Nordic walkers in winter.
Inland Waterway
The Rhein-Main-Danube Canal connects the Rhine with the Danube river to the south, creating a continuous waterway from the North Sea to the Black Sea.
