The Rhine was the northern frontier of the Roman Empire for centuries, and the string of forts, towers and camps along its western bank is now recognised as the Lower Germanic Limes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021.
The better story is Neuss next door, which began as Novaesium, one of the oldest Roman military sites in Germany. A large legionary camp stood here in the first century, with troops guarding the crossing and supply route, and a civilian town grew beside it. The name survives in the modern city, and the Quirinus minster, a large Romanesque and Gothic church, shows how the place continued as a religious centre. Across the river, Düsseldorf was a small fishing village for most of the Roman era and only became a big city much later.
The riding here is flat Rhineland, a landscape of fields, power lines, industry and suburbs, where the pleasure is in the history rather than the road. Surfaces are good, traffic can be dense around Düsseldorf and Neuss, and the roads are full of commuters and lorries, so choose your time with care. The quieter back roads through farmland near the river offer a more relaxed ride, and the Rhine promenade in Düsseldorf is pleasant for a stroll. Autumn mist along the river and the smell of cut sugar beet are characteristic of the region.
Fuel is available on all main roads in Neuss and Düsseldorf, with many stations and supermarkets. The Altstadt of Düsseldorf is famous for its pubs, which serve Altbier, a dark, copper-coloured beer brewed locally, with a plate of roast pork and mustard, and Neuss has its own brewers and restaurants. Plan a short stop at the fort, read the board, and imagine a squad of soldiers on a cold morning, watching the river for movements on the far bank.