In the Netherlands, the Rhine splits and joins up with other rivers. The meanderings of the old Rhine are ripe for discovery and the Rhine Cycle Route shows cyclists the various faces of the different waterways. These include the Waal river expressway – one of the busiest vessel-going waterways in Europe – or the Kromme Rijn (Crooked Rhine), which for a long time stood as the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. Cyclists can enjoy the iconic windmills near the village of Kinderdijk, pretty little port villages and, towards the river’s mouth, the world class modern metropolis of Rotterdam.
