A river shaped
BY HISTORY
The serene delights of today's Rhine are a far cry
from the river's perilous medieval journeys writes John Wilmott.
Viking Longship
sailing the Rhine
Sprinkled with formidable castles and
soaring church spires, the verdant Rhine
Gorge is a wonderful place through which
to make a slow journey.
Yet that wasn't the case back in the
13th century, when anyone daring to use
this important trading route was likely to
be extorted by feudal landowners—the
original robber barons, who demanded
crippling tolls. We learned all about these
cunning knights while sipping drinks on
the panoramic Sun Deck of our Viking
Longship. As we glided past dozens of
ancient castles, their deep and sometimes
grisly history was brought to life with a live
commentary from our Cruise Director.
This awesome gorge is one of the
highlights of Viking's eight-day Rhine
Getaway river journey. Starting in
Amsterdam and concluding in Basel (or
vice versa), the itinerary encompasses
four countries.
Soon after leaving the Dutch capital
comes an intriguing tour of the country's
finest collection of historic windmills.
Well before arriving in Cologne, we could
spy the mighty twin spires of the cathedral.
Taking the short stroll there from Viking's
city-centre berth, we learned that when
finally completed in 1880 —after more
Sailing the Rhine River
45 | Viking Explorer Society News
