AOL: The Rhine’s castles, cathedrals and cuisine are best discovered from the river

A cruise along the Rhine is an enchanting way to explore Europe’s cultural and historical heartland. Fairytale castles perch high on craggy hills, spires of grand cathedrals reach for the clouds and ...

The Rhine’s castles, cathedrals and cuisine are best discovered from the river

The Rhine is the second-longest river in Central and Western Europe (after the Danube), at about 1,230 km (760 mi), [note 1] with an average discharge of about 2,900 m 3 /s (100,000 cu ft/s). It also contains the most powerful waterfall in Europe, the Rhine Falls.

Rhine River, river and waterway of western Europe, culturally and historically one of the great rivers of the continent and among the most important arteries of industrial transport in the world.

The Rhine River, also known as the River Rhine, is an 800-mile long European river boasting a mosaic of culture, history, food, wine and landscapes.

The Rhine River spans Central Europe and Western Europe. It flows through or along the borders of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and The Netherlands. It is a major navigation way and played an important role in history and culture of Europe.

In this guide, I walk through the Rhine’s route section by section, highlighting the landmarks, confluences and turning points that make this river unlike any other in Europe. Traced from source to mouth, the Rhine forms a distinctive inverted “L” shape.