Best European River Cruises Have you ever dreamed about a european river cruise?

A Rhone River Cruise: Your Trip on an Ancient Roman Highway

October 4th, 2009 by Jason Myers

The Rhone River is the only major European river the flows into the Mediterranean Sea, which is why it has become such an important river throughout history. The river starts with the Rhone Glacier in Switzerland and heads into Lake Geneva, before coming out on the other side. Lyon, however, is probably where your Rhone River cruise will begin, as this is the most popular port from which to depart. Once you set foot on the boat, you will be delighted by the superb scenario and the historical buildings that line the river. This river was an important river for the Romans because it gave them access to the rest of Europe without having to navigate through the Alps, so ancient Roman architecture can be found all across its banks.

You will visit the cities of Arles, Avignon, and Vienne along the way and your Rhone River cruise will most likely end in a port city like Marseille or Fos. All of these cities are bursting with cultural and you will truly enjoy every moment that you spend in them. Depending on what time of year you decide to travel, you might also be able to experience the extremely strong current that this river possesses in the spring. This season made travel extremely difficult for the Romans, which might be one of the reasons why they have so many buildings set up along the way. In those days, it would take three weeks to travel this river, but your Rhone River cruise can be completed in as little as three days.

Be sure that you keep an eye out for all of the traces of the Roman Empire that have been left behind because this is truly the most rewarding part of a Rhone River cruise. You will see things like ancient roads, arches, aqueducts and even arenas and theaters along the way and these ruins are extremely well preserved for your enjoyment. In addition, many of the towns that you will see during your Rhone River cruise are very medieval in nature, as they have not yet completely joined the industrialized world. Places like these are few and far between in Europe, so they are definitely worth seeing if you get the chance.

In some cases, your Rhone River cruise might even finished up in Rome. Once you leave the actual river, you will travel into the Gulf of Lion and later into the Ligurian Sea. You will then pass the Tuscany region of Italy and end up in Rome, where you can experience all of its architecture firsthand. This cruise is definitely very adventurous and will create memories that will last you a lifetime. This cruise is definitely gaining in popularity because it will take you to places that are very difficult to reach otherwise. All of this helps in making a Rhone River cruise a one of a kind travel experience and something that should definitely not be missed.