The busy Cleves District sits on either side the Rhine as it passes out of Germany. Bordering on the west to the Netherlands, this seemingly flat area still has plenty to offer.
Cleves District Map
Cities, Towns & Villages in the Cleves District
This busy trade route has certainly kept the culture here alive, and you’re sure to arrive in time for a festival or open air event whenever you come!
Alternatively, it’s easy to hire bicycles to ride through the relaxing countryside where moated castles and idyllic villages await you.
There are also many working windmills dotted along the horizon as this district was, until the late 1800’s, part of the Netherlands so place names and certain histories portray a shared heritage.
It also shares its Catholic religion too. In the busy town of Kevelaer, there is a very popular pilgrimage site to the Virgin Mary. It has been estimated that 800,000 people visit this site every year!
Rees, one of the oldest towns around here, has some charming traditional buildings lining the streets, and there is a beautiful promenade along the river filled with modern sculptures.
The district capital Cleves (German: Kleve), has the Schwanenburg (Swan Castle) sitting high above town on a rare outcrop, dominating the skyline.
And if you’re in for some excitement, hop onto the Draisinenbahn in Kranenburg, a Bike Trolley Course that’s been selected as on of the 50 things one should do in North Rhine-Westphalia before dying!
