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Rhine

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.

Understand
The Rhine is 1,233 km long, from its source(s) in the Swiss Alps of Graubünden to its delta estuary on the North Sea, making it the seventh-longest river in Europe (if longer tributaries of the Volga are not counted). Given its location in Central Europe and its course through several densely populated countries and regions, its importance to history, economy, transport and culture, is much greater than its sheer length might suggest.

The name Rhine (Rhenus in Latin; Rhein in German, Rhin in French, Rijn in Dutch) is probably derived from the Indo-European radical rei- and therefore etymologically related to the words rheo (Old Greek for "to flow"), rinnen (German for "to trickle"), Latin rivus, Spanish rio and English river. The Rhine is grammatically male in Latin, French, German and Dutch, and personified as a male river deity (Rhenus Pater or "Father Rhine") in art.

The Rhine has both connected and divided Europeans through the centuries. For the Roman Empire, it became part of the Limes Germanicus; Roman rule of land north of the Rhine was short. Since then it has been the divide between Germanic and Romance languages. Today it is the border of France and Germany, two nations that clashed in two World Wars, but since then have contracted a close friendship. Some territories along the Rhine (Alsace and the German territories west of the Rhine) have changed their affiliation between Germany and France back and forth through the centuries. The Rhine is proverbially referred to as the "river of fate of the Germans" and "the most German of all rivers", often portrayed by romantic and nationalist painters and poets (most notably however by Heinrich Heine who had a rather difficult relationship to his country of birth and eventually emigrated, ironically, to France). The French Republic chose the "War Song for the Rhine Army" (better known as La Marseillaise) as its national anthem, while Die Wacht am Rhein ("The Watch on the Rhine") was a popular patriotic song in Germany during the late-19th and early-20th century, serving as a de facto national song (in default of an official one), and the national anthem of Liechtenstein starts with the verse Oben am jungen Rhein ("Up above the young Rhine"). Two French departments (Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin, both in Alsace) and two German states (Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia) are named after the Rhine.

Many legends and folktales are linked to the Rhine, most notably the early-medieval "Song of the Nibelungs" (Nibelungenlied) telling the story of the dragon-slayer Siegfried, and the Lorelei legend of a beautiful witch, nixie or nymph, sitting on top of a hill watching over the Rhine and dazzling the skippers who thus lose control of their vessels and steer them against the rocks. Both have inspired many poets and composers, especially during the 19th century era of romanticism (think of Richard Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung" or Friedrich Silcher's tune to Heinrich Heine's Loreley poem).

There are eleven UNESCO World Heritage sites along, or close to, the course of the Rhine: the cultural landscape of the upper Middle Rhine Valley with its vineyards and medieval castles; the old town of Strasbourg; three monasteries, two cathedrals, prehistoric pile-dwellings, a fortress from the 1700s, an ensemble of Baroque châteaux, and a group of windmills.

The Rhine is commonly divided into the following parts:
 * 1) Head waters: Anterior Rhine and Posterior Rhine
 * 2) Alpine Rhine (Alpenrhein) – from Graubünden to Lake Constance.  Ruinaulta (Rheinschlucht) – canyon created by the Vorderrhein.
 * 3) Lake Constance (Bodensee), consisting of the Upper and Lower Lake that are linked by the 4-km-long Seerhein ("Lake Rhine"). The official kilometrage of the Rhine for river navigation begins at Constance (km 0).
 * 4) High Rhine (km 0–167; Hochrhein) – from Lake Constance to Basel in Switzerland. Rhine Falls (km 48; Rheinfall) near Schaffhausen, the second-biggest waterfall in Europe, measured by its potential energy
 * 5) Upper Rhine (km 167–529; Oberrhein) – between Basel and Bingen / Rüdesheim, Germany
 * 6) Middle Rhine Valley (km 529–659; Mittelrheintal) — the most famous and scenic part of the Rhine between Bingen /Rüdesheim and Bonn / Bad Honnef, with countless wineries and the famous Lorelei rock
 * 7) Lower Rhine (km 659–867; Niederrhein) – from Bonn and Cologne into the Ruhr area and the rural northwesternmost corner of Germany.
 * 8) Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta (km 867–1033) – Behind the German–Dutch border, the Rhine splits into dozens of branches, forming a vast delta that covers much of the Netherlands. The Meuse, that used to be an independent river with its own estuary, became a tributary of the Rhine in 1970 due to the construction of the Delta Works. Confusingly, two of the Rhine's main estuaries are called "Old Meuse" and "New Meuse".

Prepare
Going by own or bare-boat chartered yacht requires acquaintance with the CEVNI regulations, with this confirmed e.g. by the appropriate mark in the International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft ("ICC").

By plane
The closest airports to the starting point of this itinerary are the major international airport of Zurich (ZRH; 135 km from Tamins, 2 hours by train and bus) and the much smaller one of Saint Gallen (ACH; 100 km). The closest airports to its terminal point are Amsterdam (AMS; 65 km from the Hook of Holland, 1–1:15 h by train), which again is a major international hub, and the less significant Rotterdam (RTM; 30 km, one hour by train and bus).

If you do not plan to cruise the whole length of the Rhine, you can use the Euroairport Basel-Mulhouse (BSL/MLH/EAP; High Rhine and Upper Rhine), Frankfurt (FRA; Upper Rhine and Middle Rhine), Cologne (CGN; Middle Rhine and Lower Rhine) or Düsseldorf (DUS; Lower Rhine), all of which are major international airports close to the course of the Rhine. Moreover, there are minor airports at Friedrichshafen (FDH; Lake Constance), Karlsruhe-Baden (FKB; Upper Rhine) and Weeze-Niederrhein (NRH; Lower Rhine), mostly served by low-cost carriers.

By train
The closest intercity station to the source of the Rhine is Chur, which is served by frequent intercity trains from Zurich and Basel, buses from Bellinzona, and even a direct ICE high-speed train from Hamburg, Hanover and Frankfurt once a day (that does not, however, travel faster than an ordinary intercity within Switzerland). The station of Reichenau-Tamins, only a few hundred metres from the confluence of Anterior and Posterior Rhine (i.e. the origin of this itinerary), is reached by suburban and regional trains from Chur several times per hour in 8–12 minutes.

The closest intercity station to the estuary of the Rhine into the North Sea is Rotterdam Centraal, served by Thalys high-speed trains from Amsterdam (both central station and Schiphol airport) and Bruxelles, Intercity Direct (ICD) from Amsterdam and Breda, as well as intercity trains from Utrecht, Groningen, Amersfoort, Leeuwarden. It is connected with the Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland Haven station) by half-hourly "Sprinter" (i.e. regional express) trains, every second train (=hourly) continues to Hoek van Holland Strand, which is even closer to the estuary mouth.

Other major rail hubs along the route are Basel (TGV from Paris, ICE from Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt), Strasbourg (TGV from Paris, Lyon, Bruxelles, Frankfurt), Mannheim (ICE from all parts of Germany, Basel, ICE or TGV from Paris), Frankfurt (ICE from all parts of Germany, Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna), Cologne and Düsseldorf (both with ICE from all parts of Germany, Amsterdam, Thalys from Paris, Bruxelles).

By ship
The Hook of Holland is the destination of ferries from Harwich, while ferries from Hull arrive in Rotterdam-Maasvlakte port.

By bicycle

 * EuroVelo 15 – the Rhine Cycle Route (Rhein-Radweg or Rijn-Fietsroute) – from Andermatt to Rotterdam.

By foot

 * Rhine Valley Switzerland
 * Rheintaler Höhenweg from Sargans to Rorschach (Lake Constance)
 * Middle Rhine Valley (Bingen/Wiesbaden to Bonn), Germany
 * Rheinhöhenweg Trail
 * Rheinburgenweg Trail on the left Rhine side
 * Rheinsteig Trail on the right Rhine side

Cruise ships
There are many luxury cruise liners along the river, some just short sections other going from the whole length or into the Main river and to the Danube.

From Amsterdam to Basel, Zurich or Strasbourg or from the Rhine cruise up the Main and Danube to Budapest. The leisurely journey with plenty of stopovers typically takes anywhere from one to two weeks, with accommodation on the boat itself. Large operators include Avalon and Viking.

The Köln-Düsseldorfer Rheinschiffahrt, better known as KD, runs cruises and scheduled services up and down the river between Cologne and Mainz.

Alpine Rhine
Alpine Rhine delta: The Alpine Rhine splits into several branches issuing into Lake Constance (much smaller, of course, than the Rhine delta at the North Sea)
 * Tamins, confluence of the two headwaters, Anterior and Posterior Rhine. Frequent rail and bus links from/to Chur.
 * Chur. Frequent rail links (suburban train, regional express, intercity) to Sargans. Regional express trains follow the course of the Rhine from here to St. Margrethen on the Alpine Rhine delta and Rorschach on Lake Constance (bypassing Liechtenstein, but stopping in Buchs on the Liechtenstein border)
 * Haldenstein: 12th-century ruined castles and Renaissance castle from the 16th century
 * Sargans on the Swiss-Liechtenstein border. Starting point of the Rheintaler Höhenweg (hiking trail). Two-hourly buses from here to Balzers, Vaduz, Schaan. Or continue by train to Buchs SG which is just on the opposite side of the border from Schaan.
 * Balzers
 * Vaduz
 * Schaan. Bus or Train to Buchs SG.
 * Buchs: Werdenberg Castle. Continue by regional express to St. Margrethen or Rorschach.
 * St. Margrethen. Here you have to decide if you want to circuit Lake Constance on its southern or its northern shore. Hourly S-Bahn to Bregenz (Austria).

Lake Constance

 * Southern bank
 * Rorschach. End of the Rheintaler Höhenweg. S-Bahnen (suburban trains) connect from here to Schaffhausen (via Romanshorn, Kreuzlingen, Stein am Rhein).
 * Possible detour to Saint Gallen (12 km south of Lake Constance, 15–20 min by train from Rorschach): the elaborate Baroque library of the former Benedictine abbey is a World Heritage site
 * Romanshorn
 * Kreuzlingen. Constance's Swiss twin city. To go to Constance, get off the train here and just walk across the border (less than 1 km) or take bus 908 or 925.
 * Constance (Konstanz)
 * Salenstein: Arenenberg mansion with Napoleon museum
 * Mammern: Liebenfels Castle

 * Eastern and Northern bank
 * Bregenz (Austria). Famous for its annual opera and music festival with a stage on the lake. Frequent rail links (S-Bahn, regional express) to Lindau.
 * Lindau. Very picturesque old town on an island in Lake Constance. Half-hourly trains to Friedrichshafen.
 * Friedrichshafen. City of the Zeppelin airships. Hourly interregio express (IRE) from here to Basel (via Überlingen, Radolfzell, Schaffhausen). Half-hourly buses to Meersburg, Uhldingen and Überlingen.
 * Meersburg
 * Uhldingen-Mühlhofen, prehistoric lakeside pile dwellings, reconstructed as part of an archaeological open-air museum; Baroque pilgrimage church of Birnau. Ferry to Mainau.
 * Überlingen
 * Bodman-Ludwigshafen: given that Tuttlingen on the Danube is just 30 km from here, this is the most convenient point to change from the Rhine to the Danube itinerary (or vice versa). Interestingly, while both rivers are so close to each other (separated only by the watershed of the Hegaualb mountains), one drains into the North Sea, while the other runs 2800 km southeast to empty into the Black Sea.
 * Mainau – the "flower island"
 * Constance (Konstanz). Half-hourly local trains to Radolfzell (via Reichenau).
 * Reichenau. Another picturesque island in Lake Constance with a Romanesque Benedictine abbey whose collection of medieval book paintings is part of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.
 * Radolfzell. Hourly interregio express from here to Basel (via Singen, Schaffhausen). To go to Stein am Rhein, get off the train at Singen and transfer to a bus.

High Rhine
forms the border between Germany and Switzerland
 * Stein am Rhein. Charming old town with remarkably adorned Renaissance buildings. Half-hourly S-Bahn to Schaffhausen.
 * Schaffhausen. Half-hourly S-Bahn or even more frequent local buses to the Rhine falls. Hourly interregio express to Basel (via Waldshut-Tiengen, Bad Säckingen, the German part of Rheinfelden).
 * Rhine Falls
 * Küssaberg: Küssaburg castle
 * Waldshut-Tiengen. The IRE does not stop in Laufenburg; if you want to visit that place, change here to a regional train that stops at every station on the way to Basel.
 * Laufenburg. From here, there is an S-Bahn to Basel every hour, running on the Swiss side of the river (via Stein-Säckingen, Rheinfelden, (Kaiser-)Augst)
 * Bad Säckingen
 * Rheinfelden
 * Augusta Raurica, ancient Roman city, in today's town of Augst

Upper Rhine (Basel–Karlsruhe)

 * Basel. There is a northbound rail route to Karlsruhe running approximately parallel to the Rhine, but not following the course of the river exactly. To go to Breisach, you have to leave the regional express Basel–Offenburg at Bad Krozingen and change to a bus; or go via Freiburg, a lovely and livable city, albeit not on the Rhine. Another rail route runs parallel on the French side of the border, directly to Strasbourg (via Mulhouse, Colmar). It is served by regional express trains (TER), at least once an hour, but the route is not very close to the river (nearly 20 km off its banks).

From here the Rhine forms the border between France and Germany
 * Weil am Rhein: Vitra Design Museum
 * Breisach, Romanesque to Gothic St. Stephen's minster with Renaissance mural by Martin Schongauer. Hourly buses to Neuf-Brisach and back.
 * Neuf-Brisach, perfectly preserved, star-shaped Baroque fortification, designed by the famous French fortress architect Vauban, UNESCO World Heritage
 * Sasbach am Kaiserstuhl: Limburg (ruined spur castle)
 * Europa Park, amusement park in Rust
 * Take a boat-tour in the Taubergießen a floodplain wetland.
 * Kehl. Local trains connect to Strasbourg at least once an hour.
 * Strasbourg, capital of the Alsace region that has a mixed French and German heritage; seat of the European Parliament, Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights. The historic old town on the Grande Île is a World Heritage site. There are direct ICE and TGV high-speed trains from here to Karlsruhe. If this is too fast for you, take a regional express train (TER) to Lauterbourg and connect to a cross-border regional train to Wörth am Rhein.
 * Rheinmünster-Schwarzach: Romanesque priory
 * Rastatt

Upper Rhine (Karlsruhe–Bingen)
Hereafter the Rhine flows solely in Germany
 * Karlsruhe. Conservation centre (Naturschutzzentrum) Karlsruhe-Rappenwört informs about biodiversity in the Rhine meadows. There are two-hourly regional express trains along the Rhine from here to Mainz on the left bank of the Rhine (via Speyer), as well as regional trains to Mannheim on the right bank (via Hockenheim and Schwetzingen).
 * Wörth am Rhein
 * Speyer, the cathedral is the largest extant Romanesque cathedral in Europe and a World Heritage site. Buses connect between Speyer Domplatz (cathedral place) and Hockenheim twice an hour.
 * Hockenheim, known for the motorsport racing circuit
 * Schwetzingen, Baroque palace and park
 * Possible detour to Heidelberg: the old town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany; only 20 km off the confluence of Neckar and Rhine (15 minutes from Mannheim by train)
 * Mannheim. Regional express trains follow the course of the Rhine from here to Mainz (via Ludwigshafen, Frankenthal, Worms). Slower regional trains take the same route but stop at every station on the way.
 * Ludwigshafen

The left-hand bank of the following section (belonging to the state of Rhineland-Palatinate) is called Rhenish Hesse (Rheinhessen). It is one of Germany's most important wine-growing regions.
 * Worms, history-charged city with another impressive Romanesque imperial cathedral, associated with the early-medieval Nibelungen legend and Martin Luther's steadfast profession of his Protestant faith.
 * Possible detour to Lorsch (14 km east of the Rhine; 20 minutes by train from Worms) with its World Heritage Carolingian Benedictine abbey.
 * Oppenheim
 * Confluence of Rhine and Main
 * Mainz, state capital of Rhineland-Palatinate with the third of the imperial cathedrals on the Upper Rhine; home of Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of movable type printing. A much frequented rail route exactly follows the course of the Rhine (on the left-hand bank) from Mainz via Koblenz and Bonn to Cologne with many scenic views of the Middle Rhine Valley. It is used by regional, intercity and some ICE trains. Other ICEs however use the high-speed track from Frankfurt to Cologne, you should avoid them as they bypass the beautiful Rhine Valley and you cannot identify any landscape outside the window at all as 300 km/h is just too fast for the human eye. Instead you could opt for the regional express train Mainz–Koblenz that stops in Ingelheim, Bingen, Bacharach, Oberwesel and Boppach; or the even slower regional train that stops at every station. KD ships cruise the Rhine daily from here to Boppard and Bonn (only during high season, late April to 3 October).
 * Wiesbaden, city of spas and casino, starting point of the Rheinsteig hiking trail. From Wiesbaden, another rail route escorts the river on its right-hand bank. It is frequented by hourly VIAS trains from Frankfurt via Wiesbaden and Koblenz to Neuwied that stop at all stations on the way.

Between Mainz/Wiesbaden and Koblenz (more than 80 km), there is no bridge across the Rhine. You can cross the river with ferries, or just stay on one of the two sides (and visit the other next time).

The right-hand bank of the following section (that belongs to the state of Hesse) is called Rheingau and famous for its wine, too. The left-hand bank still belongs to Rhenish Hesse, so you will find wine villages on both sides.
 * Eltville: Kloster Eberbach is one of the oldest and biggest former Cistercian abbeys in Germany with several Romanesque and Gothic buildings.
 * Ingelheim
 * Oestrich-Winkel
 * Gau-Algesheim
 * Geisenheim
 * Rüdesheim. Niederwald national monument erected in 1883 to commemorate the victory over France and the foundation of the German Empire in 1870/71. Daily cruise ships from here to Koblenz (Easter–late October) and Bonn (only late April–3 October)
 * Bingen, starting point of the Rheinburgenweg.

Upper Middle Rhine
This section is considered to be one of the most scenic landscapes of Germany and noted for its many romantic, high-medieval hilltop castles on either side of the stream. The whole cultural landscape of the upper Middle Rhine Valley is listed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage.
 * Assmannshausen
 * Trechtingshausen, Rheinstein Castle
 * Lorch
 * Bacharach. Two-hourly cruise ships from here to Boppard (high season; only thrice a day during low season)
 * Kaub, Pfalzgrafenstein (14th-century toll station in the middle of the river)
 * Oberwesel, Schönburg castle
 * Loreley, legendary rock on whose top a beautiful witch is said to have turned the head of many a skipper, resulting in their death by drowning.
 * Sankt Goar, Rheinfels Fortress
 * Sankt Goarshausen, Katz & Maus ("cat and mouse") castles
 * Boppard
 * Braubach, Marksburg castle
 * Lahnstein
 * Koblenz, the confluence of Rhine and Moselle (the name Koblenz is derived from the word "confluence") is called Deutsches Eck ("German corner") and considered to be a symbolic place of this nation. There is a larger-than-life equestrian statue of German Emperor William I (the first ruler after the German unification of 1870/71) right on the point between the two rivers. Exactly opposite is the massive Ehrenbreitstein fortress. Terminus of the regional trains from Mainz. From here hourly regional express trains follow the Rhine all the way to Emmerich on the German-Dutch border (via Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg). If you prefer to travel more slowly, take the regional train Koblenz–Cologne that stops at every station.

Lower Middle Rhine

 * Vallendar
 * Bendorf
 * Neuwied, extensive landscape park Monrepos, created in the 18th and 19th century. Terminus of regional trains from Frankfurt/Wiesbaden. Train travellers on the right bank of Rhine may continue by regional express in the direction of Mönchengladbach (via Linz, Bad Honnef, Königswinter, Bonn-Beuel), or the slower regional train to Rommerskirchen that stops at every station.
 * Possible detour to Maria Laach abbey (12 km southwest of the Rhine, 40 minutes by bus from Andernach), one of the best-preserved Romanesque monasteries in Germany, basilica with unique narthex.
 * Bad Hönningen: Cruise ships from here to Cologne (only Su-Tu during high season).
 * Linz am Rhein: Cruise ships from here to Bonn (daily during high season, only Friday-Sunday during low season) and Cologne (daily during high season, Friday-Sunday on the Easter weekend and mid-October)
 * Remagen, end of the Rheinburgenweg. Ruined Rolandseck castle and Arp Museum Rolandseck. Site of a famous World War II battle fought over one of the last intact Rhine crossings
 * Bad Honnef
 * Königswinter, with the 321-metre-high Drachenfels hill, one of the most picturesque and most frequently summited mountains in Germany, topped by a romantic castle
 * Bonn, former capital of West Germany, end of the Rheinsteig

Lower Rhine

 * Possible detour to Brühl, the Baroque palaces of Augustusburg and Falkenlust (UNESCO World Heritage sites) are just 5 km off the Rhine's western bank.
 * Cologne-Porz: The recreational park Groov is located on a former island, created by a silted anabranch of the Rhine.
 * Cologne (Köln), the biggest city on the river Rhine with a two-millennia-old history. The landmark Gothic cathedral that was under construction for more than six centuries, is a World Heritage site. Cologne is an important traffic hub, if you want to cruise only a section of the Rhine, this is a good place to start or end your tour. The left-bank regional trains from Koblenz end here. You may connect to regional express trains that follow the Lower Rhine to Emmerich (partly on the western, partly on the eastern bank).
 * Leverkusen
 * Neuss
 * Düsseldorf, state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, international trade city and Germany's fashion capital. Regional express trains from Koblenz to Emmerich cross the Rhine and continue on its right-hand bank (via Duisburg, Oberhausen, Wesel), bypassing Meerbusch, Krefeld and Xanten. If you want to continue on the left side, change to the half-hourly regional train to Kleve (via Meerbusch, Krefeld).
 * Meerbusch
 * Krefeld. Regional trains to Duisburg.
 * Duisburg, westernmost city of the Ruhr, with Europe's biggest inland harbour. On the right side of the Rhine, you may continue with the regional express to Emmerich or (slower) regional train to Wesel, on the left bank there are regional trains to Xanten (via Moers). Moreover, two-hourly ICE high-speed trains continue directly to Arnhem (only stopping in Oberhausen, but no other town on the Lower Rhine).
 * Wesel. On a former island, formed by the Rhine and a silted anabranch, is Germany's biggest campsite.
 * Xanten, history dating back to the Roman era, archeological park containing the sites of the ancient city Vetera. Rail service on the left bank of the Rhine ends here, however there are hourly buses to Kleve.
 * Emmerich am Rhein. While a cross-border rail route to the Netherlands does exist, there are no local trains crossing the border (only ICEs that do not stop in Emmerich). However, there are hourly buses to Nijmegen. Alternatively, you could take a taxi to the Dutch border town of Zevenaar and continue by local train to Arnhem.
 * Kleve. The left-bank rail route ends here, but there are hourly buses to Nijmegen.

Rhine delta
From here, the Rhine splits into many branches, separated by islands, forming the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. The main branch is called Waal, the other major branch is the Nederrijn. To add to the confusion, the numerous river branches are referred to by different names during their course.

The river changes its name to Boven Merwede.
 * Waal
 * Nijmegen. No rail route follows the course of the Waal exactly. To go to Tiel, you can take an intercity to Elst, then change to an ordinary train to Tiel
 * Tiel. The rail link to Gorinchem runs quite distant from the river (you have to change trains in Geldermalsen). If you prefer to follow the river more closely, take a bus to Waardenburg and then another bus to Gorinchem.
 * Loevestein water castle
 * Gorinchem. Frequent ordinary trains from here to Dordrecht.

It splits again, into Beneden Merwede and Nieuwe Merwede Nieuwe Merwede becomes Hollands Diep, which again splits into the estuaries Haringvliet and Grevelingen
 * Nieuwe Merwede/Hollands Diep
 * Biesbosch National Park

 * Grevelingen
 * Schouwen-Duiveland, island south of Grevelingen

Beneden Merwede becomes the Oude Maas Oude Maas merges with the Nieuwe Maas to form the Nieuwe Waterweg.
 * Beneden Merwede/Oude Maas
 * Dordrecht. Very frequent rail links to Rotterdam (intercity or sprinter; only sprinters stop in Zwijndrecht); or bus to Heinenoord, where you can change to another bus to Oud-Beijerland.
 * Zwijndrecht
 * Oud-Beijerland. Bus to Nieuw-Beijerland, cross the by ferry to Hekelingen and get on another bus to Spijkenisse.
 * Spijkenisse. Bus 103 to Brielle or metro line C to Schiedam.

The river changes its name to Lek Confluence with the Noord, continues as Nieuwe Maas. Nieuwe Maas merges with the Oude Maas to form the Nieuwe Waterweg.
 * Nederrijn/Lek/Nieuwe Maas
 * Arnhem. From here, the rail route runs directly to Utrecht, but you would miss most of the course of the Nederrijn. Instead you can continue by bus to Wageningen.
 * Wageningen. There is no direct bus to Wijk, you have to change buses in Doorn.
 * Wijk bij Duurstede. Hereafter, no means of public transport follows the course of the river directly. You will have to go to Utrecht to transfer.
 * Detour to Utrecht: lovely cathedral and university city, about 10 km off the Lek. From Utrecht, you can take a sprinter train to Culemborg, or the hourly Arriva bus line 90 to Rotterdam (via Vianen), or a bus directly to Schoonhoven.
 * Culemborg. Bus to Vianen.
 * Vianen. You can get on Arriva bus 90 to Rotterdam that hereafter exactly follows the course of the Lek with each of its curves and many stops (including Nieuwpoort, Gelkenes-Schoonhovensever, Kinderdijk).
 * Schoonhoven. If you travel on bus 90, get off at Gelkenes-Schoonhovensever and just cross the river by ferry.
 * Kinderdijk. The windmills of Kinderdijk are listed as part of the World Heritage.
 * Rotterdam. Metro Line B to Hook of Holland (via Schiedam, Vlaardingen, Maassluis)
 * Schiedam. Metro line C from here to Spijkenisse.
 * Vlaardingen

 * Nieuwe Waterweg
 * Maassluis
 * Brielle
 * Europoort Rotterdam
 * Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland), on the mouth of the Nieuwe Waterweg

Go next

 * North Sea
 * Main River and the Rhein-Main-Danube canal
 * Danube

title: Rhine


text:
Rhinebeck

Rhinebeck is a township in Dutchess County, New York. The township encompasses the village of Rhinebeck and the hamlet of Rhinecliff. The downtown area of Rhinebeck is small enough to walk around within an hour or so, exclusive of extra time to visit churches and shops, have a meal, etc., and well worth it, as it is full of beautiful, lovingly decorated houses. It also has a beautifully preserved, functioning Roosevelt-era post office (built from 1939-1940) with murals that depict the history of the area and other interesting documentation.

Local information

 * Village of Rhinebeck website

By plane

 * Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, +1 845-564-2100.
 * Albany International Airport, 737 Albany-Shaker Rd, Albany.

By train

 * Routes stopping in Rhinecliff:
 * Adirondack operating daily between Montreal and New York City including stops along the way in Saint-Lambert, Rouses Point, Plattsburgh, Westport, Ticonderoga, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers.
 * Ethan Allen Express operating daily between Burlington and New York City including in Middlebury, Rutland, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers.
 * Empire Service operates twice daily between Niagara Falls (New York) and New York City including stops in Buffalo, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers.   Additional daily trips operate between Albany (Rensselaer) and New York City.
 * Maple Leaf operating daily between Toronto and New York City, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada. Stops between Toronto and Niagara Falls (New York) include in Oakville, Burlington, Grimsby, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls (Ontario). Stops between Niagara Falls (New York) and New York City are the same as those made by the Empire Service. Border crossing processing takes place in Niagara Falls, where passengers must detrain with their baggage. Train crew members are staffed by VIA Rail within Canada, and by Amtrak within the United States.
 * Lake Shore Limited, operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer).   The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City.   Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady.  Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and New York City include Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, and Croton-on-Hudson.
 * Lake Shore Limited, operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer).   The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City.   Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady.  Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and New York City include Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, and Croton-on-Hudson.

By car
US Route 9 is the main north-south road in the area. The major east-west route is called Market St. in downtown Rhinebeck. It is East Market St./State Route 308 east of Route 9 (Mill St./Montgomery St.) and West Market St./State Route 85 west of Route 9. West Market St. becomes Rhinecliff Rd. and enables access to the Amtrak station in Rhinecliff.

Get around
Downtown Rhinebeck is easily walkable for people with an average level of fitness, but if you need to get to or from the Rhinecliff train station, you will need a car or taxi or at least a bicycle, unless you want to walk 2 miles on roads without sidewalks.

Eat
The eateries in Rhinebeck are mainly along a 2-block strip on East Market Street east of Route 9, plus several on Route 9 and a few others in strip malls and so on, slightly removed from these two streets. You will see just about all of these in the course of a walk in the built-up area of downtown.

Go next

 * Kingston, on the other side of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge, has a much larger and in some cases considerably different selection of historic buildings than Rhinebeck.
 * In addition to visiting other places in the Hudson Valley, consider going to the Catskills for some good hiking.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Rhinebeck


text:
Rhineland

There is more than one place called Rhineland:

Germany

 * North Rhine-Westphalia — a state in Germany
 * Rhineland-Palatinate — a state in Germany

title: Rhineland


text:
Rhinelander

Rhinelander is a town in North Central Wisconsin that is a commercial, industrial, and recreation hub for the Northwoods area of Wisconsin. Because of the forests, lakes, and trails in the area, it is both a summer and winter vacation destination. Its population was 8,300 in 2020.

Understand
The Rhinelander area has numerous vacation destinations, offering fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, ATVing, mountain biking and hiking, hunting, golfing, cross country skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and bird watching. It also serves as a main shopping and lodging area for the Northwoods.

Rhinelander is the home of the hodag, a folkloric green and white creature said to stalk the local woods.

Get in
Traveling north and south, Rhinelander can be reached via State Highway 17 and State Highway 47, and traveling east and west, Rhinelander can be reached by US Highway 8. Rhinelander can be reached from Minneapolis and Milwaukee in about 5 hours and from Chicago in about 6 hours.

Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport (RHI), two miles (3 km) southwest of Rhinelander, provides daily service from Minneapolis (Delta Air Lines).

By car
Travel by car is necessary to explore Rhinelander and the Northwoods of Wisconsin. There is no public transit system in the Rhinelander area. Roads are well maintained and marked. Ample, free, at-door parking is readily available. Downtown, parking is easy to find and very inexpensive.

Sleep

 * Eagle River is a 24-mi (38-km) drive away and offers many different options for lodging on and around its chain of lakes. The Eagle River section of the Eagle River-Three Lakes chain of lakes features 10 interconnected lakes. The city also boasts a charming downtown.

title: Rhinelander


text:
Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate (German: Rheinland-Pfalz) is a state of Germany. The largest wine producing area in Germany, it is home to 7 of the 12 wine-producing districts in Germany and is full of museums, exhibitions and castles.

Regions
Rhineland-Palatinate is a region of rolling hills cut by deep river valleys.

Cities

 * — founded by the Romans and their legacy is still visible in many places around the town; also the home of Gutenberg, considered by Westerners to be the inventor of the printing press, who also has his own museum in the city.
 * — on the Moselle
 * — famous for the "German Corner" (Deutsches Eck), the meeting-point of the two rivers Rhine and Moselle; besides various churches and museums, the highlight-event every year is the "Rhine in flames", spectacular fireworks that fill the sky with beautiful colors
 * — a charming historic city on the German Wine Route
 * — is situated in the heart of the Palatinate region, including a number of vineyards, castles and the chance to taste some really good wine
 * — largest Romanesque cathedral in the world, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980; you'll also find the Historical Museum and the Museum of Technology
 * — in the Middle Rhine Valley near the Loreley
 * — in Roman times Trier had thermal baths, places of assembly and an amphitheatre; today the colossal Porta Nigra town gate, the imperial baths and the impressive basilica keep that history alive. Trier is also the hometown of Karl Marx.
 * — the annual host of the "Backfischfest", Rhineland-Palatinate's biggest wine festival and fair; it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city

Other destinations

 * includes the Kaiserpfalz 8th century ruins of one of Charlemagne's palaces.
 * includes the Kaiserpfalz 8th century ruins of one of Charlemagne's palaces.

Tourist information

 * Rhineland-Palatinate tourism website

By plane
Rhineland-Palatinate has only one airport with scheduled passenger flights, in Hahn. Branded Frankfurt-Hahn Airport it is used by low-fare carriers as an alternative to major airports in West Germany. The airport is, however, nowhere near Frankfurt but rather deep in Hunsrück. Public transport operators from major cities in Rhineland-Palatinate offer direct bus shuttles to the airport. Unlike most other German airports it has no rail or rapid transit connection of any kind (as of 2015). Plans to build a rail connection have been announced but whether they will ever come to fruition remains to be seen.

The actual Frankfurt Airport is in the neighbouring Land of Hesse and is Germany's busiest airport with connections all over Europe and the entire world. Direct high-speed and local trains connect the airport to Mainz and Koblenz, where you can change to regional trains and buses to further destinations. Mainz and Koblenz are also served by direct hourly regional trains from Cologne-Bonn Airport and Düsseldorf Airport. Some high-speed ICE trains to Koblenz and Mainz also stop at DUS.

Some areas in western Rhineland-Palatinate (Trier, Bitburg) are within reach of Luxembourg Airport.

By train
If traveling into Germany by train, Rhineland-Palatinate is easily accessible from Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart.

By boat
The river Rhine has been a key factor in the history of the region and now a major tourist attraction. The Rhine together with the Main and Danube (connected by a canal through Franconia and Bavaria) provides a navigable route from the North Sea, Rotterdam to Basel, and Budapest and on to the Black Sea. The Moselle (German name: Mosel) also provides a winding route into France. Cruise companies such as Avalon and Viking provide trips into and through the region.

By bus
You can get a domestic bus from or to almost any place. Expect nothing fancy, though as the station infrastructure is still very limited.

Get around
The region has very good connections by train or bus, and all destinations and attractions are easily reachable. Koblenz, Ludwigshafen, Kaiserslautern, Speyer and the other romantic cities are easy to reach via train, and in the cities you can also get around with a bicycle, which is often available as a rental bike. You can also cruise up or down the Rhine between Koblenz and Mainz; see Rhine Valley for details. A boat trip that will be a memorable experience forever. Several car-rental opportunities are to be found in the region, also a practical possibility to get around easily.

Some good offers to explore the surroundings include the Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket, offering unlimited travel in local trains for up to 5 persons inside the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Wiesbaden. The ticket costs €24 - 44 per day (as of Dec 2015) if bought via automat or internet, or €26 - 46 if bought at a ticket stand and is available at all train stations.

See
The Palatinate Forest is the biggest coherent forest in middle Europe; it is a biosphere reserve.

The Speyer Cathedral is the biggest romanesque church worldwide; its foundation stone was laid in 1030. It is the resting place of 7 Salian emperors.

The Palatinate Forest hides over 50 castles and ruins that were mostly destroyed in the War of the Grand Alliance, for example: The Middle Rhine Valley has a continuous stream of castles including In the Moselle Valley region
 * Castle Trifels near Landau in der Pfalz - Castle where Richard Lionheart of England was held as a hostage and the place where the imperial regalia was stored.
 * Limburg Monastery near Bad Dürkheim
 * Castle Lindenbrunn Landau in der Pfalz
 * Castle Berwartstein near Bad Bergzabern
 * Rheinstein Castle near Trechtingshausen
 * Rheinfels Fortress (Festung Rheinfels) St. Goar
 * Pfalzgrafenstein Castle (Burg Pfalzgrafenstein). 14th-century toll station in the middle of the river Rhine. Reachable by boat from Kaub
 * Burg Eltz near Treis-Karden

There are a number of museums worth a visit, of note:
 * Gutenberg Museum in Mainz
 * German mineral museum in Idar-Oberstein
 * Technical museum in Speyer
 * Rhineland-Palatinate Open-Air Museum, collection of historic regional buildings near Bad Sobernheim.

Do
The Rhineland-Palatinate region is ideal for outdoor activities like Hiking, Biking, Golf, Nordic Walking, Camping or whatever the heart desires. An important history gives the chance to experience old times, through a range of museums, castles, churches and different exhibitions. There are also the possibility to sleep over in old castles, and live the life of the old empires.

Events
Special Events like for instance Rhine in flames, wine festivals, Christmas markets and concerts are also to be mentioned.

Itineraries

 * The German Wine Route is the oldest wine route worldwide; it runs through the biggest wine growing area in Germany, the Palatinate. The western side is protected by the Palatinate Forest, on the eastern side lies the Rhine rift.
 * The Rheinburgenweg provides an extensive hike passed many castles.

Drink
The wine regions of Ahr, Pfalz, Mosel and Rheinhessen are within the state providing plenty of opportunities for tasting. There are also a number of breweries in the region, probably the most well known being Bitburger.

Go next
As well as adjoining the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Saarland and Baden-Württemberg it also borders the Liège (province) of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Grand Est region of France.

title: Rhineland-Palatinate


text:
Aberdaron

Aberdaron is a village of almost 1,000 people (2011) in Gwynedd. About three quarters of the community speak the Welsh language. It sits along a beautiful coast, and tourism has joined sheep-rearing as the village's main economic activity.

Understand
There are a number of small villages and hamlets within the community including Bardsey Island (Welsh: Ynys Enlli), the coastal area around Porthor, and the villages of Anelog, Llanfaelrhys, Penycaerau, Rhoshirwaun, Rhydlios, Uwchmynydd and Y Rhiw.

History
The village was the last rest stop for pilgrims heading to Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli), the legendary "island of 20,000 saints".

In the 18th and 19th centuries it developed as a shipbuilding centre and port. The mining and quarrying industries became major employers, and limestone, lead, jasper and manganese ("Mango") were exported. There are the ruins of an old pier running out to sea at Porth Simdde, which is the local name for the west end of Aberdaron Beach. After the Second World War the mining industry collapsed, and Aberdaron gradually developed into a holiday resort. The beach was awarded a Seaside Award in 2008.

The coastal waters are part of Pen Llŷn a'r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation, one of the largest marine designated sites in the United Kingdom. The coast forms part of the Aberdaron Coast and Bardsey Island Special Protection Area, and was designated a Heritage Coast in 1974. In 1956 the area was included in Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Conservation Areas have been created in Aberdaron, Bardsey Island and Y Rhiw; and the area has been designated a Landscape of Historic Interest.

Climate
Aberdaron has a distinct maritime climate, with mild winters and cool summers. Although Aberdaron can have quite extreme weather, the number of frosts per year is very low. The village is generally quite windy throughout the year, particularly in Autumn and Winter. Sunshine amounts are lower than the UK average. Rainfall is well below the Wales average.

Get in
It lies 14.8 miles (23.8 km) west of Pwllheli and 33.5 miles (53.9 km) south west of Caernarfon.

Aberdaron is at the western end of the B4413 road. The road runs east to Llanbedrog, where it connects with the A499 Pwllheli to Abersoch road.

Some online (and perhaps other) maps are a bit unreliable as they fail to show that the road from Hell's Mouth to Rhiw is now closed, although the diversion is beautiful enough in its own right. To reach Rhiw Village can be done still by direct road from Aberdaron but from the east it is best to turn left off the B4413 at Sarn Meyllteryn.

The closest rail station is Pwllheli.

Bus 17 from Pwllheli.

Eat

 * Any of the gardens at Plas yn Rhiw, the headland or the beach are excellent picnic spots.

Go next

 * Bardsey Island
 * Abersoch
 * Pwllheli
 * Nefyn

title: Aberdaron


text:
Rhode Island

Rhode Island (RI) is the smallest state of the United States of America, tucked between Massachusetts and Connecticut in New England. Nonetheless, it has over of coastline, courtesy of Narragansett Bay and islands such as Aquidneck Island, home to Newport, the "City by the Sea". While Rhode Island contains the name "island" in its name, most of its area is not on an island.

Counties
There are five counties in Rhode Island:

Cities
There are 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island. Some of the major ones are:

 * – The state capital, largest city and main commercial center. Home to Brown University.
 * – Spanning merely one square mile, it is one of the most densely populated cities in the United States.
 * – Founded in 1677, its historic district along Main Street features charming shops, excellent restaurants, and a community theater.
 * – Best beaches in New England.
 * – on Aquidneck Island. Once the darling city of the American elite, it is famous for yachting, mansions, and jazz.
 * – Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution
 * , including the villages of Kingston, West Kingston, Matunuck, Peacedale and Wakefield.
 * – home of TF Green Airport, a shopping mall, and "Gaspee Days," it is an easy (and less expensive) place to land from your flight, and rent a hotel room and car.
 * – Once known as "Little Quebec", it has the largest French-speaking population in Rhode Island. Today, French is rarely heard: it has been replaced by English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Other destinations

 * —
 * – Island off southern coast of RI. This island packs great scenery and great beaches into a small, walkable and bikable area.
 * —
 * — Commemorates one of the founders of the Colony of Rhode Island, an advocate for religious freedom.
 * — The oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America, dating to the colonial era.

Understand
The state's historic full name, as established by the Royal Charter granted by King Charles II in 1663, was "The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." However, due to the connotation of plantation with slavery, the official name of the state has been shortened to "Rhode Island" in 2020 after a referendum. Despite east coast urban sprawl, there is still both gently-developed oceanside territory and farmland here. The origin of the name (pronounced "road island") is debatable. It is either derived from the name Roode Eylandt given to it by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block, because of its red clay, or because Block Island reminded the Italian navigator Giovanni Verrazano of the Greek Island of Rhodes, and subsequent explorers became confused and renamed Aquidneck Island 'Rhode Island.' The state's population is just over a million, so even though it is the smallest state in the U.S., it is ranked 43rd in population and second in population density after New Jersey.

Rhode Island is nicknamed "the Ocean State," and though many other states have more coastline, few are shaped more by the sea. Every Rhode Islander lives within a 30-minute drive of either the Atlantic Ocean or Narragansett Bay, New England's largest estuary, and the state's most densely populated areas are closer to the water. Fresh seafood can be found on restaurant menus throughout the state—calamari is the official state appetizer—and nearly all Rhode Islanders have a favorite beach; if you're around in the summer, ask a local for recommendations.

You should pack clothes for all weather since the weather changes very drastically day to day. You should bring warm clothes for cold days, lighter clothes for hot days, and a rain jacket and boots, which can happen at any time. In such a small state, there naturally isn't much temperature variation, but typically the coastal areas are a bit more moderate—cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter—than inland. Though Rhode Island can get very cold, the state, particularly along the coast, is one of the warmest spots in New England during the winter.

Tourist information

 * Visit Rhode Island website

Talk
Many Rhode Islanders talk with a distinctly eastern-New-England accent, similar to Boston's famous broad a and dropped r. Natives also have a habit of adding r to the end of a word. For example, some people may say idear instead of idea. Your chances of encountering this accent increase the closer you get to Providence. Some words you might hear while visiting: "bubbler" (water fountain), "grinder" (submarine sandwich), and "cabinet" (milkshake).

Rhode Islanders will affectionately complain that if they have to drive anywhere and it takes longer than a half hour, then it is too far. A popular bumper sticker features an anchor and the words "I never leave Rhode Island."

Natives also have names for certain landmarks, sometimes with a historical aspect with it. For instance, the Henderson Bridge, which is a mini-freeway/bridge in the Providence area, is affectionately known as the "little red bridge" because before the present bridge was built, a red wooden bridge stood there. Central Falls and East Providence will be known, especially in newspapers, as CF and EP respectively. Barrington will sometimes be called Borington because there used to be no liquor stores there (it was prohibited by a town ordinance, although this changed in 2012).

Rhode Island's local pastime is politics, which can get very emotional here. Rhode Island has the only surviving parliamentary democracy in the US. Combine that with an "everybody knows everybody" state of mind and you've got Rhode Island politics in a nutshell.

By plane

 * Theodore Francis Green State Airport , Warwick (central Rhode Island). T.F. Green is serviced by many major US airlines, either non-stop or from a spoke. From Canada, Green offers service to Toronto Airport. It is a smaller, easy airport with many airline carrier options. It is the most convenient airport when spending time in Rhode Island. In Terminals C & E, all rental car companies have direct line telephone boards connecting to the local facility and their worldwide reservation centers. Each rental car company has complimentary shuttle buses that transport passengers to/from the terminal and the rental car facility.
 * Boston's Logan International Airport is much larger and is generally used for international flights.

By train

 * Amtrak (From the south),, has three Rhode Island train stations - Providence (PVD) (downtown), Kingston (KIN) (located in the town of South Kingstown, close to the University of Rhode Island and the beaches of Narragansett), and Westerly (WLY), (the westernmost town in Rhode Island, along the Connecticut border). Providence is also on Amtrak's Acela Express and Northeast Regional routes connecting Boston through the south and west to Washington and Virginia. The Acela train takes just under 3 hours to arrive at New York's Penn Station on the way to points further south. From Boston, it is more economical to take the MBTA commuter rail.
 * MBTA (From Boston),, travels from Boston’s South Station via the T's Attleboro/Stoughton commuter rail line to the Providence AMTRAK station (100 Gaspee St.). Trains run 7 days/week. The Warwick Intermodal Station provides commuter rail/train service from T.F. Green Airport through Providence and up to Boston.

By bus

 * Peter Pan Bus.
 * Greyhound Bus.
 * Megabus.

By ferry

 * Vineyard Fast Ferry, . Between North Kingstown (Quonset Point), and Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard island.

By car
Although you can travel from the top to the bottom of the state in about an hour, car is probably the simplest mode of transportation since there is no elaborate public transportation system in the state other than bus lines. Rental cars are available Downcity in Providence, at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, and other places around the state.

Local custom often overrules traditional driving right-of-way laws at intersections. Drive defensively, and be aware of the locals' casual disregard for turn signals, stop signs and red lights.

Many state highways, especially in urban areas, are marked extremely poorly, and some are not marked at all. Because you're in New England, there's no real street grid to speak of. It is best to have a map or a GPS handy.

By bus

 * Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority (RIPTA), +1 401-781-9400. Services 38 of RI's 39 cities and towns with a central hub in Providence at Kennedy Plaza. RIPTA operates public transit 7 days a week with a program called RIde specifically for senior citizens and the disabled. They provide 27 sites for Park n’ Ride service throughout the state and special seasonal routes to the southern beaches for $2.  On Air Quality Alert Days, they offer free services to everywhere except the beach.  On an average day $2.00 will get you from one end of the state to the other, and if you need a transfer, it's $.50.

By ferry

 * RIPTA also runs a seasonal ferry from Providence to Newport (mid-May to mid-October), while a separate company, Block Island Ferry, runs ferries to Block Island.

By train

 * Amtrak runs trains through the state, stopping in Providence, West Kingston (a village of South Kingstown a few miles from the University of Rhode Island), and Westerly.

By foot
If you're in Providence, you may want to forgo a car and walk. There is no on-street overnight parking in the city (although this is changing for some neighborhoods under a pilot program). Federal Hill, Downcity, and most of the East Side are quite walkable, and a number of bus routes serve the area. Use common sense when walking alone or at night, as you should in any city.

By bicycle
Rhode Island is home to many miles of bike paths. Maps are available through local bike shops and the RI Department of Transportation.

See

 * Bellevue Avenue Historic District, Newport. In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, some of America's wealthiest families built ostentatious summer homes along the Newport waterfront. Today seven of these jaw-dropping American palaces, winkingly known both then and now as "cottages," are National Historic Landmarks, and 11 are open to the public for tours.
 * Bowen’s Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting in Newport.
 * Bright Night Providence - Dec 31. Providence. Features hundreds of the best local sings, actors, dancers, acrobats, musicians, magicians and clowns.
 * Bristol 4th of July Parade, Bristol The oldest Independence Day celebration in the country, the parade attracts marching bands from all across the nation. Be prepared for crowds; many parade goers camp out overnight to get the best views.
 * International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino in Newport. Features the only professional tennis events played on grass in North America and the largest collection of tennis memorabilia in the world.
 * Jamestown Penguin Plunge - Jan 1. Jamestown. Hundreds of tuxedo-clad swimmers take the frozen plunge into the water to raise money for charity.
 * Beavertail Lighhouse Museum, Jamestown. This museum at the southern tip of Jamestown features a collection of information and artifacts about the third-oldest lighthouse in North America. The lighthouse has panoramic views of Narragansett Bay.
 * Jamestown Museum, Jamestown. The Jamestown Historical Society's Museum on Narragansett Avenue was built in 1886 as the town's one-room schoolhouse. Open seasonally with changing displays.
 * Jamestown Windmill, Jamestown. Located on North Road with views of the Newport Pell Bridge, the original 1787 framework of the mill is of hand-hewn chestnut timbers with shingled exterior. The mill is maintained in working condition. Grounds open year round, tours in summer.
 * Conanicut Battery, Jamestown. Located off of Battery Lane in the southern section of the island, the earthen fort was built in 1776. During their four-year occupation of Newport, the British rebuilt the earthworks in the shape seen today.
 * Fort Wetherill State Park, Jamestown. Situated on 100 foot high granite cliffs this former coastal defense battery and training camp is known for its spectacular view of Newport Harbor and the East Passage of Narragansett Bay. Family and group picnicking, boating, fishing, and hiking.
 * Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket - The exhibits recreate the unique Woonsocket labor story of the rise of the Independent Textile Union which grew to dominate every aspect of city life.
 * Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence. The zoo features a park, a dinosaur exhibit, and blends history and culture with the animals each area.
 * Six vineyards and wineries - which allow for scheduled tours and tastings. Includes Diamond Hill Vineyards, who offers custom labels for their wines.
 * St. Patrick’s Day Parade - Newport, is the place to be for St. Patrick’s Day.
 * WaterFire in Providence. A piece of environmental art, it consists of up to 100 bonfires which float on the rivers which flow through the city accompanied by ambient music.
 * Seabee Museum and Memorial Park in North Kingstown. Located on the site of the Original Home of the US Navy Seabees, the collections include the largest known display of historic Quonset Huts, military equipment and memorabilia, the world's largest all-concrete chapel and largest Seabee statue.

Do
Rhode Island is a small state offering a wide array of activities. The coast is one of the best kept secrets of the east. Rhode Island has a great deal of culture with Rhode Island School of Design and Johnson and Wales Culinary Institute. The region has a distinct dialect and you might need to have some words repeated or explained. There are four distinct seasons, with great variability in temperature. The Atlantic coast allows for many outdoor adventure activities such as spending time at the beach, chasing lighthouses and experiencing good food and music venues.

 * Autumnfest Held every Columbus Day Weekend (October) in Woonsocket, this 5-mapleleaf festival in one of New England's "Little Canadas" attracts a varied crowd of locals and out-of-towners.
 * Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre in Woonsocket. Renowned for its acoustics, intimacy, and decor, Stadium Theatre has been a center for performing arts since 1926. Though it stopped operating in the 1970s, a grassroots project and strong business support in the 1990s raised over 3 million dollars for restoration. It has been operating ever since.
 * Newport Folk Festival - The first place where Bob Dylan played electric. Part of the Festival Network.
 * Newport Jazz Festival - Held every August in Newport, this festival attracts some of the biggest names in jazz. Founded in 1954, it was the first outdoor music festival devoted to jazz and is now internationally known. Highly recommended for any music lover.
 * Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. A multipurpose facility with approximately 100,000 square feet available for almost any event, from dog shows to trade shows. Services include space rental, catering, parking, A/V, exhibitor services, business center and weddings.
 * Providence Place Mall in downtown Providence, Rhode Island’s premier shopping center. With 3 levels of shopping and restaurants and another level devoted to entertainment, visitors can spend the whole day without visiting the same place twice.
 * Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence “The Dunk” is the home of the Providence Bruins and Providence College Friars and is host to several different attractions including Stars on Ice, Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus, and boxing matches featuring “Contender” finalist Peter Manfredo Jr.
 * Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, McCoy Stadium is a popular summer site for families looking for an inexpensive night of fun.
 * The Ryan Center in South Kingstown, University of Rhode Island sports, concerts and events.
 * Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence. A world-class facility hosting first-class Broadway touring shows, plays, contemporary acts, concerts, etc.
 * Rustic Tri-View Drive-In in North Smithfield. Seasonal outdoor movies just like the good old days! One of the last surviving drive-in theatres in the United States, it still brings in quite the crowd every summer.
 * Slater Mill Historic Site in Pawtucket. A museum complex displaying interpretation of the American industrial heritage.
 * Blackstone River Theater in Cumberland. Continuing Blackstone River Valley folk traditions.
 * Blackstone Valley Polar Express in Cumberland. A live story presentation of “The Polar Express,” based on the children’s book by noted Rhode Island author Chris van Allsburg.
 * Christmas at the Newport Mansions and Newport Winter Festival in Newport.
 * Block Island late-night Christmas Shopping - Dec 20.
 * Mardi Gras Ball in Cranston. New England’s only authentic Louisiana Mardi Gras celebration.
 * Golfing –There are over 50 golf courses in Rhode Island, including some oceanfront and PGA courses.
 * Newport Cliff Walk - enjoy the three miles of ocean view and the grandeur of some of the finest mansions in the US. There is no entrance fee and it is open 365 day a year.
 * Crescent Park Carousel in East Providence.
 * Blackstone River Bikeway in Cumberland. 17.1 mile long scenic bike-path that runs along the Blackstone River. Scheduled to link to the East Bay Bikepath.
 * Scituate Arts Festival in Scituate, Rhode Island. Held on Columbus Day Weekend every October. 400 plus painters, artists, and craftsmen sell their wares in the scenic historical New England village of North Scituate. One of the largest and oldest art festivals in the country, the 3-day weekend art festival of paintings, antiques, arts and crafts, music, and food can draw over 200,000 people during the three days.

Eat
There are many different types of culinary venues available: from diners, to theme-based establishments, to the most formal dining. The College of Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University provide a steady stream of well-trained chefs to the area.

 * Providence's Federal Hill district lives up to its heritage with some outstanding Italian restaurants, but there is great Italian cuisine throughout the state. If you happen to be in the area on St. Joseph's Day (March 19th), pop into an Italian bakery and join the locals eating zeppoli, a heavenly sort of cream puff.
 * Unique Clam Cuisine can be found at "clam shacks" along RI's beaches, especially in South County. Chowder (sometimes pronounced and spelled "chowda," in deference to the local dialect), is much debated and always delicious.  The three major varieties are: traditional white (made with cream), Manhattan red (made with tomatoes), and Rhode Island clear (unsullied by either cream or tomatoes).  Add  quahogs (stuffed clams or "stuffies"), clam cakes (fried dough with pieces of clam in it), and a summer beer to guarantee a perfect trip to the shore, no matter what the weather.
 * Coffee milk is the official drink of RI and can be ordered in most local restaurants. It is sweet like chocolate milk and very nearly tastes like coffee.

Drink
Rhode Island is home to quite a few great bars, a few brewpubs, a couple of vineyards, and a growing number of breweries.

Newport is the home of the Newport Storm brewery. Try the excellent local brew in many places across RI. Pawtucket has emerged as the state's brewing hub.

Rhode Island law specifies that beer and wine are only sold at liquor stores, not supermarkets or convenience stores, but liquor stores are open on Sundays.

Stay safe
RI is generally safe in most neighborhoods you would intentionally go to. The most dangerous part is probably driving, as the locals are prone to run red lights, shift lanes with no warning and turn out of parking lots with little regard to oncoming traffic. Locals are also known to run through stop signs. Many accidents are the results of not signaling properly when changing lanes and running through red lights and stop signs.

Providence is relatively safe, but be careful while walking around the capital city at night. Areas in which to exercise caution, unless you know where you are going, are Camp Street on the East Side, South Providence, and the Olneyville section of Providence. Broad Street and Elmwood Avenue on the South Side of Providence are also areas in which to exercise caution.

While swimming in the ocean, be careful of the undertow. Make sure you feel confident before you venture out.

Respect
Rhode Island is one of the most gay-friendly states in the U.S., with scores of bars and entertainment venues in Providence, and a visible "out" community in smaller towns and villages.

Every year around June, Providence holds their Gay Pride Festival downtown. Many people throughout the city attend the festival. Things rarely happen that negatively impact the festival (other than the weather) because Providence is, for the most part, a pretty open minded place. The festival holds many attractions for many people. There are tons of different stalls to see and to buy from on the day of the festival.

Go next

 * Massachusetts - The birthplace of America's revolution, the state's northern neighbor is home to historical towns, the vacation hotspot of Cape Cod, and the always-interesting city of Boston.
 * Connecticut - Rhode Island's western neighbor is home to Yale University, Mystic Seaport, the restaurant and nightlife scene in downtown New Haven, the Maritime Aquarium, and two major Native American casinos.

title: Rhode Island


text:
Rhodes

For the Sydney suburb, see Sydney/Sydney Olympic Park

Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος, Ródos) is one of the largest and most fertile of the Greek Islands, and is one of the most visited because of its combination of beaches, archaeological sites, and extensive medieval town. The climate is particularly good, with the weather typically sunny and mild. The island is usually counted as one of the Dodecanese, but due to its importance for travelers is considered separately here.

The rock-rose is so prolific here that it has been named the 'Island of Roses,' though modern scholars doubt the ancient theory that the island's name comes from the Greek word for rose. While the northern coast is renowned for its lively tourist resorts the south offers tranquil beaches and a slower, more simple pace of life.

Cities, towns and villages

 * (Ρόδος, Ródos) - the biggest city on the island and seat of the local government
 * (Αφάντου) - one of the big villages on the island. The golf course of Rhodes is situated in this area along with a long beach
 * Kolymbia (Κολυμπια) - The laid-back resort village of Kolympia has 2 beaches lined with chic hotels with pools and spas a stunningly beautiful road with eucalyptus trees lining both sides. Along the road are hotels, shops, bars and restaurants.
 * (Αρχάγγελος, Arhangelos) - the second largest town on the island
 * - inland village, site of an old church and a castle
 * (Φαληράκι) - Rhodes' action resort. Go there to party, everything else is better somewhere else. The hotels north from Faliraki are much quieter. Hotels near the water park do not interest clubbers, and are really family friendly. Nice beaches, a lot less winds than on the west coast and really good public transport.
 * (Φάνες) - Rhodes' wind surfing and kite surfing resort. A small fisher's harbour, one five stars hotel, a lot of surfing. The hotel is really family friendly. Nice beach, summer winds, small tavernas and good public transport.
 * (Γεννάδι) - around 64 km from Rhodes Old Town and nearby to Prasonisi, attracts several keen surfers. Among the last unspoiled stretches of coastline left on Rhodes.
 * (Χαράκι, Charaki) - small former fishing village next to Lindos. A chain of restaurants surrounds an enclosed beach.
 * (Ιαλυσός) - blue waters, a seemingly endless organized beach, big hotel complexes as well as smaller friendly ones, shops of all kinds, and many night-clubs. The ideal conditions of the region, important international windsurfing competitions often take place here. It also includes a seaside resort village Ixia, which is close to Paradisi, Tholos, and the airport.
 * (Καλλιθέα) - village north of Faliraki, famous for the spa built by Italians, snorkelling and resort hotels.
 * (Λάερμα) - inland village near some monuments, contains a few restaurants, inland from Lindos via Lardos. This village has been continuously inhabited since the Pre-Hellenic period. The Monastery Taxiarchis Michail is 4 km southwest of Laerma and is the largest monastery on Rhodes
 * (Λάρδος) - the market square of that town has restaurants and shops, nearby to Lindos.
 * (Λίνδος) - picturesque village, site of important ancient acropolis.
 * Monolithos (Μονόλιθος) - village located on the west coast of Rhodes. Nestled amidst the lush greenery of the surrounding hills, it is famous for its historic castle ruins, which date back to the 15th century.
 * (Πεύκος) - a smaller tourist resort close to Lindos. It started as a small collection of farms and private residences, but has grown into a town in its own right.
 * Sianna (Σιάννα) - little traditional village on the slopes of Akramitis mountain
 * (θεολόγος or Tholos) - a traditional village

Other destinations

 * - the medieval castle, built on top of a 100m rock in 1480 by the Knights of Saint John to protect the island from attacks. Getting there: if you are staying on the east coast, drive to Gennadi. North of the village, take the road across the island via Vati to Apollakia. The drive can be windy for moped riders, but the beautiful vistas make up for the work. Apollakia is not very special but has a couple of nice tavernas if you feel like having a refreshment. South of the village is a gas station, which you should use in case you are on a moped. Go on to Monolithos. Behind the village there is the actual attraction, which you will see from the road: the Castle of Monolithos on a 240-m-high rock. The castle does not offer much architecture-wise, but provides you with splendid views across the west coast. To the north-west, you can see the Castle of Halki.

Understand
Rhodes is a major tourist attraction for the seekers of sunny beaches. While many of its beaches are gravel, not sand; the island can boast 300 or more sun days in a year. Consequently, you will stumble into tourists and hotels and beaches full of deck chairs for rent, into shops and restaurants that cater to these tourists. It can be overwhelming at times. If this bothers you, Rhodes is probably not for you. Still, there are some areas where mass tourism has not yet penetrated too much. And there are advantages too, accommodation on Rhodes itself can be purchased for relatively low prices, and most of the locals speak at least English and German and often some other languages, like Swedish, French, Turkish, Italian or even Finnish. Look for bays, beaches frequented by Greeks and areas at or beyond Lindos.

History
Rhodes has one of the longest and most splendid histories of any place in the world. Inhabited since Neolithic times, the island had important Bronze Age settlements, and at the dawn of the historical era was already famous for its three powerful cities of Lindos, Ialysos, and Kameiros, as mentioned in Homer. In 408 BCE these three cities joined to found the island's capital city, also called Rhodes. Rhodes city and island played a vigorous role in subsequent ancient Greek and Roman history, its most memorable episode doubtless being the prolonged siege of the city by Demetrios Poliokertes in 305 BCE. In Hellenistic times Rhodes became extremely prosperous through trade and was one of the most influential cultural centers of the Greek world. Later as a province of the Roman empire Rhodes' influence declined, though it was still an important regional capital and was one of the earliest centers of Christianity.

Rhodes later became part of the Byzantine Empire and from the 7th century on fell under the general eclipse of the Dark Ages. Later in the Middle Ages, Rhodes' importance again increased, as it came under the influence first of the Venetians, then of the Genoese, and finally of the Knights of Saint John, an organization of Crusaders who took over parts of Palestine but were later expelled by the Saracens and the Knights Templar and took refuge in Rhodes, wresting control of the island from the Genoese in 1306, ruling for two centuries, and building Rhodes once again into a major maritime power, until the island was conquered by Süleyman the Magnificent in 1523, becoming part of the Ottoman Empire.

Talk
Greek is the native language of the people of Rhodes. However, due to the high level of tourism English, and to a lesser extent German, is likely to be spoken by most people the traveler comes into contact with. The local dialect can be described as a 'sing-song', with strong Turkish and Italian overtones. Many words used by Rodites (Rhodians) will not be readily understood by mainland Greeks.

By boat
Rhodes is accessible via ferry from Symi, Tilos, and Bodrum, Fethiye, Datca and Marmaris in Turkey.

Cruise ships dock at the Commercial Port, east of Rhodes's Old Town.

All ferry and high-speed ferry companies: schedules, connections, availability and prices, between Rhodes, other Greek islands, Turkey (Fethiye, Marmaris or Bodrum) and Piraeus port (Athens) is here.

By plane
The island is served by Rhodes International Airport, "Diagoras" (Greek: Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Ρόδου, "Διαγόρας") or Diagoras International Airport. The airport is on the west coast, about 14 km from Rhodes Town.

By bus
All public bus lines radiate from Rhodes town and reach almost every relevant place throughout the island.

The main bus terminal in Rhodes city is the Neá Agorá (New Market). Buses run by both companies stop there, but ticket booths, as well as timetables and prices, are distinct. Rhodes town lines are run by Roda, but have a separate stop, along Mandraki sea promenade, across the street from the new market. One interesting line is n° 5, which goes up to the Achropolis, price €1.

The price of a bus ticket will depend on the destination. For example, a trip from Rhodes city to Faliraki will cost €2.

Bus stops on the road are marked by a sign, but do not hesitate to signal a bus driver that you wish to board. The buses are often very full and so remember to be actively moving backwards in the buses. Sometimes the driver jumps out and peeks in from the middle door to urge tourists to move backwards. Only part of the bus stops have the timetables displayed, and the buses are often late. Also, note that most villages and resorts have more than one line passing through and stopping in different places. For example, Faliraki has got three, one along the main street, one at the town center, and one right along the sea promenade. make sure your bus goes to your preferred stop, or you'll need to walk a bit.

Bus service timetable

By taxi
Taxis on Rhodes are dark blue with white roofs. There is a list of expected taxi charges you can obtain from the tourist information office. For example, a trip from Rhodes city to Faliraki should cost around €18; the trip from the Airport to Rhodes city about €23. The minimum fare for each trip is €4, the taximeter starts at €1.22. Never let the driver turn off the meter. Each suitcase will be also be charged, €0.50-0.60 each.

You can call a taxi via telephone number. This adds a standard surcharge of €1.90. Waiting fare is €11.14 per hr. Between midnight and 05:00 you will have to pay twice the normal rates. You can book ahead to avoid delays at high traffic times such as weekends.

Within Rhodes city limits, fixed rates are applied. If you get a taxi from one of the taxi stations or stop one in the street, the fare is €5. At the main taxi station, close to the New Market (Mandraki), there are hosts that try to cut down waiting time by making sure that the taxis doesn't leave half empty - especially if you are going a bit further. If you share a taxi within the Rhodes city limits the fare is €4.

By car
It is not worth the hassle to bring your own car to the island, although it is in theory possible. You can rent a car at the airport or via any hotel and at many local dealers. Asphalt highways will allow you to reach the entire island, although roads in the interior - especially the south - may turn out to be little more than dirt paths. You can rent a car from almost everywhere on Rhodes, many companies offer their services.

By motorcycle
Motorbikes and mopeds are popular alternatives to cars. Especially mopeds are frequently used by local youths and can go to many places that cars cannot go - for example the twisted narrow streets of Rhodes city. An additional advantage is that they are cheap to rent - €10-15 a day is the usual price.

If you start a day-trip with a moped, make sure you do so on a full tank, as gas stations are sometimes hard to find. An extra stop at a gas station can save a lot of nerves. When renting a moped, check if the profile of the tyres is ok and if the brakes work properly. If it is the last vehicle in store, be suspicious - it could be the one that needs a repair badly. Though helmets are not required on the streets, (although you might well be stopped and fined €50 if you are not wearing a helmet on the main roads) it might be a good idea to ask your rent-a-bike for one, especially if you intend to drive on streets with more traffic.

By boat
Explore the southern east Rhodes island by boat. Book a daily sea cruise or a private boat trips from Mandraki port, for visiting crystal clean waters and beaches like Lindos, which is the most popular in the island. Reaching the port you will find many available boats for your sea cruise. Ask for price in their kiosk.

See

No trip to Rhodes is complete without at least briefly seeing the walled fortress of medieval Rhodes. A UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best preserved medieval walled towns in Europe, the crusading knights were based here for a while before the city was captured by the Ottomans. Impressive on the outside, the Palace of the Grand Masters is not worth the entry fee, so head to the Archaeological Museum and then explore the back streets on foot.

If you're into castles, Rhodes has a lot to offer with its medieval history. Lindos, Kastellos and Monolithos all have castles. There are medieval remains at Filerimos Hill including a monastery and a chapel, and good views over the north of the island.

 * Asklipio (inland from Kiotari.) In the little church there are fascinating displays, honoring the continuity of the cult of healing from ancient times to a modern midwife and nurse. In Greek mythology, Asklepios was the son of the god Apollo who created the art of medicine.
 * Cape Prasonisi. The southernmost tip of Rhodes. There is a peninsular connected to the main island by a sand bar. Unless you have a 4x4, think twice before driving your car across the sand bar. It becomes progressively less solid and it is easy to get stuck there in the sand.
 * Epta Piges. (Seven springs) and that is literally all there is to see there except for a short forest walking trail. In the hot summer months, the cool shade provides a pleasant respite from the sun.
 * Kamiros. Ancient ruins.
 * Tsambika Peak.
 * The Valley of the Butterflies. Since the butterflies - which are actually coloured moths - in this area need quiet for their procreation and since the area is visited by many tourists, the population of the Petaloudes "butterflies" is constantly on the decline, even to a degree that it does not make any sense anymore to go there, as you will hardly see any of the moths. It is still a beautiful area regardless.

Do

 * Sunbathing
 * Horse Riding
 * Swimming
 * Snorkeling
 * Diving
 * Hiking
 * Surfing and 'kitesurfing on the west coast and especially on the south end of the island
 * Many hotels will offer activity programs
 * Most tour operators will offer excursions
 * Climb Mt Attavyros. A challenging 2-3 hr climb to the island's highest point (1215 m). On leaving Embonas on the road towards Siana, drive up one of the agricultural roads on the left and find a place to park. On foot, you continue up through the wine growing area in the obvious direction. There is no explicit marked path but red paint on rocks towards the top marks the best route. It is a steep climb with many large loose rocks. The descent can be especially tricky. It is also possible to drive up the mountain: the approach road comes from the South.
 * Prasonisi Surfing and quiet un-spoiled beaches distant from the main tourism areas. This coastal region beach is beginning to develop with new hotels and villas belonging to people from Rhodes. The sandy shore from Gennadi to Prasonisi is among the last unspoiled stretches of coastline left on Rhodes.
 * Kamiros and Mt. Profitis Ilias

Beaches
There is a good variety of beaches on Rhodes. The east side of the island has almost continuous sandy beaches with calm waters. Beaches on the west are mostly more stony. The wind mostly comes in from the west and also the sea tends to be somewhat rougher to the west so that side of the island is better suited to surfing or kite boarding. Some beaches in Rhodes are also unofficial nudist beaches.

 * Rhodes Town.
 * Lindos. The stunningly beautiful town beach on the bay. Very trendy, so wear your thong bikini here if you want to fit in. [[Image:Lindos_beach.jpg|thumb|Lindos Beach, as seen from Lindos village]]
 * Kalithea. Just north of Faliraki, this spa was built by Italians. It is very pleasant spot but can be crowded. Work is ongoing to build what looks like it will be a modern spa adjacent to the original buildings. A number of separate beaches, each seemingly with their own taverna lie just south of the spa.
 * Faliraki. A long sandy beach with plenty of tavernas to choose from. There is also no shortage of people to rent jet skis from or to organise other activities. At the southern end, there is a quiter, more rocky beach but the sea there is inconveniently shallow for swimmers. The only legal nudist beach on the island which has excellent facilities including sunbed hire, toilets and food and drink outlets is also found to the south of Faliraki.
 * Ladiko Beach (Anthony Quinn Bay). This is a very scenic spot. On one side of the bay is a relatively small beach. The other side is rocky but a man made platform provides further space for sunbathing and access to the sea.
 * Afandou Beach [[Image:Afandou Beach.jpg|thumb|Afandou Beach]].
 * Kolymbia Beach.
 * Tsambika Beach. On the far right of the beach near the rocks nude sunbathing is tolerated.

 * Agathi Beach.
 * Glystra Beach.

 * Gennadi Beach. This area and nearby Prasonisi attracts surfers. The village resort is peaceful and quiet. Virgin sands, hotels, and beach bars are a feature. Gennadi only began to be developed in the early 2000s. The main coastal road along the beach is developing with new hotels and villas belonging to people from Rhodes. Unexplored beaches stretch along the sandy shore from Gennadi to Prasonisi. This area is among the last unspoiled stretches of coastline left on the island.
 * Agia Marina Beach.

Buy

 * Sponges
 * Ceramic watch for the many "Keramik factory" outlets along the roads).
 * Olive oil
 * Bottle of wine- local wines are famous (e.g. CAIR) and tasty
 * Religious icons
 * Jewelry stores are common, particularly in Rhodes Town
 * Umbrellas - manufactured by the two large industries of the island (there is, though, a popular "joke" souvenir - on an island with 300+ sun days a year, these are rarely needed)
 * Colorful sea shells are a popular souvenir item, but very many of them are actually imported, and have no authentic connection to the island whatsoever.
 * Many brand name products for sale in the tourist shops may be fakes and/or unlicensed (t-shirts, towels, hand bags, and so on)

Eat
See the Eat section under each town or region of Rhodes for specific listings.

Drink
The tap water is drinkable and restaurants will serve glasses of ice water upon request. Local drinks include Mythos (beer), souma and Ouzo. Local wine is cheap and excellent.

Bars and restaurant listings can be found in the articles covering the different towns and regions of Rhodes

Sleep
See individual towns for more accommodation options. For budget travellers, there is no longer a campground on the island but there is a youth hostel in Rhodes Old Town.

Stay safe
Rhodes is generally, quite safe, however vigilance is required in Faliraki, infamous for the lewd behavior of young, drunk, mainly British partiers attracted to the cheap alcohol and large numbers of small nightclubs. A string of crimes committed by these young tourists against locals, as well as against other tourists, gained national attention in the summer of 2003; they ranged from vandalism to serious acts of violence. Following this the local Police increased their presence to successfully crack down on such behavior - zero tolerance of bad behaviour is now in place. Expect a night in the cells and some heavy handed handling from the commando trained officers. For families with young children the best times to visit would be daytime even up to 22:00 local time when the clubbers tend to come out en masse.

Go next

 * Many daily excursions via boat to all the Dodecanese Islands (Symi, Tilos, Halki, Kos, Leros, Kalymnos, Kastellorizo and other islands are offered from Rhodes city
 * A ferry to Marmaris in Turkey is also available

title: Rhodes


text:
Rhodes (city)

Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος, Ródos) is the largest settlement and capital city of the island of the same name. It is famous as the former site of the Colossus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and as the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe.

Understand
Medieval buildings, mosques, traditional fountains, oriental motifs, Byzantine and Gothic churches, shops and cafeterias are scattered throughout the Old Town of Rhodes. There are approximately 200 streets or lanes that have no name, so getting lost is a distinct possibility.

6000 people live and work in the same buildings in which the Knights of St. John lived 6 centuries ago.

Orientation
For the traveller, Rhodes City falls into four more or less distinct areas.

 * Rhodes Old Town, still enclosed by its medieval wall.
 * Rhodes New Town, north and west of the Old Town, is an extensive modern city, with various places of interest.
 * New Town's eastern waterfront, containing Commercial Harbor, the yacht and ferry harbour Mandhraki Harbor, and extensive Elli Beach.
 * Acropolis of Rhodes, the ruins of the ancient city, are about 2 km southwest of the Old Town.

By plane
Getting there:
 * Buses depart once or twice per hour from the central bus station (Averof st.), €2.50, ride takes 35 min. Online timetable.
 * Taxi cost €25-30 (Apr 2019).

By bus
Two bus stations are just outside the Old Town wall, near the waterfront, making buses a convenient way of getting to the city.

By ferry
There are regular ferries to Rhodes from Athens, Fethiye and Marmaris. There are 4 daily ferries from the Marmaris and Fethiye with Yeşil Marmaris,FerryTurk and e-Ferry.gr.

Get around
In the Old Town, the primary method of travel are your feet.

There are several bus routes within Rhodes city, operated by Δ.Ε.Σ ΡΟΔΑ bus company.

By taxi
Taxi fares: €5-6 inside the city, Kalithea €15, Faliraki €20.

Old Town
Rhodes Old Town is surely the main attraction here, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved and most extensive medieval towns in Europe. As you wander from the bus station, and over the outer wall and moat, it's like stepping back in time and reliving all your childhood dreams of being a knight and attacking exotic castles in distant lands. It is also the location of many monuments and several museums: make sure to get a good map. If you want to see it all, plan for at least a day, and two will not be amiss if you want to see all the museums.

Acropolis of Rhodes
Acropolis of Rhodes is located on the highest part of the city. The monuments were built on stepped terraces, with substantial retaining walls. Free admission.

New Town

 * Town hall, Theatre and Government House - Italian architecture.
 * Town hall, Theatre and Government House - Italian architecture.

Do

 * Walk throughout this medieval city and its many streets and lanes by foot.
 * New Market

Buy

 * Many brand name products such as t-shirts, towels, hand bags and similar items for sale in the tourist shops may be fakes and/or unlicensed.

Go next

 * Faliraki
 * Lindos

title: Rhodes (city)


text:
Rhyd Ddu

Rhyd Ddu is a small village in Snowdonia.

Understand
The name of this village, translated from the Welsh, means "Black Ford", and the village would originally have grown up around this crossing point on the Afon Gwyrfai river. Since the 19th century Rhyd Ddu has been a popular starting point for climbers ascending Snowdon, the village is also the main centre from which to climb Moel Hebog and the Nantlle Ridge to the west.

Get in
Rhyd Ddu lies on the A4085 road between Beddgelert and Caernarfon, at the junction with the B4418 Nantlle Valley road. It is served by the Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarfon and Porthmadog, and by Bws Gwynedd and Snowdon Sherpa bus services.

Hillwalking
Most visitors to Rhyd Ddu are here to climb Snowdon. As you might guess the Rhyd Ddu Path starts from the village itself, while the Snowdon Ranger Path starts just under a mile to the north of the village, from the eponymous youth hostel and railway station.

While most walkers and climbers head east from the village up the Snowdon paths, those seeking a more solitary experience should head west for the underrated Nantlle Ridge, the westernmost of Snowdonia's mountain ranges, which offers marvellous views of Snowdon itself to the east, and the Lleyn peninsula and Tremadog Bay to the south and west.

Buy
There is no shop in Rhyd Ddu, soft drinks, snacks and fruit can be purchased from the tea rooms. There are a number of shops in Beddgelert, 5km to the south.

title: Rhyd Ddu


text:
Rhyl

Rhyl is in a seaside town in Wales. Although once a very beautiful resort, it has become very run down. There are attempts to revive the town. The town could be called an exclave of England due to the sheer number of tourists and English people who live there. Rhyl remains popular with a large number of tourists, mainly from the north of England, and continues to attract visitors despite its numerous and visible social and development issues. In reality, there is little to recommend Rhyl for visitors to North Wales as immeasurably better examples of Welsh seaside resorts can be found elsewhere on the coast.

Understand

 * "From the train, North Wales looked like holiday hell - endless ranks of prison-camp caravan parks standing in fields in the middle of a lonely, windbeaten nowhere, on the wrong side of the railway line and a merciless dual carriageway, with views over a boundless estuary of moist sand dotted with treacherous-looking sinkholes and, far off, a distant smear of sea. It seemed an odd type of holiday option to me, the idea of sleeping in a tin box in a lonesome field miles from anywhere in a climate like Britain's and emerging each morning with hundreds of other people from identical tin boxes, crossing the rail line and dual carriageway and hiking over a desert of sinkholes in order to dip your toes in a distant sea full of Liverpool turds. I can't put my finger on what exactly, but something about it didn't appeal to me." - Bill Bryson in Notes from a Small Island

Bill is a bit better travelled than most and although there is a ring of truth about his humour but to this reader at least his meanderings do seem a little harsh. The caravan parks between Rhyl and Abergele (at Towyn) don't look nice from the train, but the sea air is fresh, the beaches are clean and not everyone has the option of living off the royalties of their rather good books.

Rhyl is stuck in a timewarp, has made some bad planning decisions and is dominated in the holiday season with what used to be called the "working class" and are now disparagingly called "chavs". Snobbery aside the beach is very fine, a fact ignored by the town's guardians. The thing perhaps Mr Bryson did not realise is that North Wales is best explored by car or bike as the train only hugs the coast line and takes you to the most impoverished parts. Rhyl has been voted worst place to live in Britain, but most of the housing in Rhyl is really nice.

Physically the topography of this area is quite flat up until the Clywydian range which is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Which make it seem ever so slightly dull.

By car
Rhyl is a short distance from the A55, the main trunk road through North Wales. Driving time from Chester is about 30 minutes, from Manchester and Liverpool about 1 hour and from London about 4 hours.

By train
Rhyl is served by the North Wales coastline. Services are regular and run towards Holyhead (or the Chester in the opposite direction). Travel time by train to London is a short three hours on a fast train run.

By Sea
Rhyl has a small harbour at its Western side. There is a boatyard which allows boats to be docked. There is no passenger ferry, the nearest port is Holyhead.

By Air
The nearest major airport is Liverpool and Manchester. Small airfields for private charter planes are closer in Hawarden, Caernarfon and a private airfield in Rhuddlan.

Buy
Traditionally in the UK, tourists buy rock (a sugar cylinder) to eat, with the name of the town (or the name of the person giving the rock) written into the middle. These are available along most of the sea front.

Traditional Welsh goods are available, but these are usually in heavily tourist shops, which are very cheap. Alternatively, there is a Welsh goods shop in the High Street, which is a little old in style, but offers a glimpse of pseudo-Welsh culture thriving in the middle of an English dominated environment.

Eat
There are few places to eat in Rhyl.

Other less notable places include most chain fast food outlets, kebab shops and numerous pubs selling standard pub grub. However nothing stands out as worth recommended above any of the others.

Drink
Rhyl is known locally for its nightlife and entertainment. The town centre acts as a magnet for locals living in the valley and in the town.

There are a range of pubs and a few clubs which are mentioned here.

The J D Wetherspoons chain has a bar in Sussex Street, just off the High Street. Nearby along Sussex Street, there is a bar called Rain, which tends not to be busy, it has a false rain effect along its back wall, however the bar often isn't clean and does not always seem a safe place to drink.

Further along Sussex Street there is a bar called Shooters, which is famous for its broad selection of shots, although the furniture in the bar is old. Next door to Shooters is a small place called 'The Barrel'. This is a tiny bar, watch out tall people, you'll need to duck. The bar has a permanent Karaoke dance floor. Opposite 'The Barrel' is Rhyl's longest standing nightclub, "Ellis", which two dancefloors, one of which has a multi-colour changing dancefloor. This club has cheap drinks, but is not high brow.

The younger 18-25 crowd prefer the new club "Honey's" which offers semi-famous DJs who play dance and some pop tunes. The nightclub has a large dance floor and wide spaces for standing and drinking. The feel isn't perfect as so much of it is carpeted in a bed and breakfast style. The drinks are pricey as well as the extortionate entry fee, which just doesn't compare to similar clubs in Liverpool, Manchester or London. The club formerly known as Scruples has reopened under the name "Zu Bar" and is a short walk along with promenade from the high street. As tends to be the case in Rhyl, this club will probably take the place of the Honey Club until the next new club opens up.

Sleep
Rhyl has a broad selection of Bed and Breakfast accommodation. These are usually family run places to say, which are clean, cheap and centrally located. Occasionally there are low-quality bed and breakfast establishments, so be careful to check for reviews before you book your stay. There are some hotels which are only a few stars and not high quality.

Go next

 * Rhuddlan
 * Prestatyn
 * Abergele
 * St Asaph

title: Rhyl


text:
Rialto (California)

Rialto is a town in San Bernardino County, California. The city is also known as "Bridge City".

Get in
Metrolink trains between downtown Los Angeles and San Bernardino calls in Rialto.

title: Rialto (California)


text:
Rians

Rians is a town of 4,300 people (2018) in Var in France.

Understand
The main employment is agriculture, predominantly wine. The town is made up of concentric medieval streets that work their way down the hill.

By bus
Zou! Bus Route 1001 provides service: La Verdière, Saint-Julien, and Ginasservis to Rians, then continues to Vinon-sur-Verdon and Manosque

By car
Take the D 23 from Ginasservis from the north or the D# from St Maximim la Sainte Baume from the south.

Departmental road 561 arrives from Artigues (6.2 km) and Esparron.

On foot
This is a medieval town whose urban planning predates the internal combustion engine by 1000 years.

See

 * The village is built on a hill that is dominated by a 12th-century bell tower and the church of Notre Dame de Nazareth.
 * Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the great organ of Pascal Leray, and bells of the 16th century and 17th century.
 * Chapelle Saint-Roc: Saint-Enfant property of the Pénitents-Blancs attributed to a Congregation of the Holy Child Jesus who became the Pénitents Bleus.
 * Saint-Pierre Chapel
 * Saint-Estève Chapel

Do
Notable events in Rians include dancing in the squares on July 14, the Fête de St Laurent August 8 and the Fête de la Courge in October.

Buy
Olive oil, wine

Eat
Lamb

Drink
Rosé de Provence

title: Rians