Cruising Through History on the Raging Rhine River

The river has played a significant part in history.
Cruising Through History on the Raging Rhine River
A Rhine ferry shuttles passengers to the town of Kaub, in the shadow of Gutenfels Castle. Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli/TNS
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Jostling through crowds of Germans and tourists in the Rhine River village of Bacharach, I climb to the sundeck of the ferry and grab a chair. With the last passenger barely aboard, the gangplank is dragged in and the river pulls us away.

I’m captivated by the Rhine. There’s a rhythm to the mighty river that merges with its environment: black slate cut from plains above, terraced vineyards zigzagging up hills, husks of ruined castles, and stoic spires of stone churches slicing vertically through townscapes.

Rick Steves
Rick Steves
Author
Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This article was adapted from his new book, For the Love of Europe. You can email Rick at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook. ©2022 Rick Steves. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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