Geography is important when we travel, for the obvious reasons as well as ones you may not expect. Understanding the differences between certain regions allows us to have a better travel experience by broadening our horizons. Such is the case in Europe, where political boundaries may have shifted over time but cultural ones have stayed largely intact. One of my favorite regions to explore is one I will once again be seeing more of this week, the Upper Rhine Valley. Don’t worry if your knowledge of European waterways isn’t up to snuff, mine isn’t either, but this region is an easy one to discover. Located in the center of Europe, the Upper Rhine Valley is well-connected to the rest of the continent and even the world through a variety of airports, highways and train stations. And believe me, this is one region you’ll want to see more of.
French panache, picturesque German landscapes and Swiss charm, the region roughly includes France’s Alsace region, the German Black Forest and one of Switzerland’s most popular cities, Basel. Combined, the Upper Rhine Valley delivers everything you’d want in a great European adventure from castles and mysterious forests to incredible food and drink to some of the world’s best cities. While I’ve briefly visited this region before on a river cruise, I’m excited to spend the next week driving around and getting to know it on a much more personal level.
Starting Monday, I’ll be exploring Basel, the Black Forest and the Alsace region doing everything from experiencing amazing city culture and museums to eating my way through one of the world’s great culinary centers. Some highlights include:
- Learning more about Swiss cuisine
- Scenic drives through the Upper Rhine countryside
- Visiting one my favorite German cities, Freiburg
- Taking the waters in Baden-Baden
- Discovering UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Tasting the unique combination of French and German cuisine in Alsace
- Plus much more
Working with regional tourism boards, for the next week I will be sharing the best that these areas have to offer and what makes them so much fun to visit. I hope you’ll follow along as I discover more about the Upper Rhine Valley by follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and be sure to also follow the hashtag #URVtrip to see everything that this wonderful region has to offer.
This trip is a project managed by iambassador in partnership with the Upper Rhine Valley Tourism and other sponsors. LandLopers maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site.
