For cyclists, inline skaters, walkers, and runner, the Rhine Trail in Switzerland affords some quite magnificent scenery of the Alps, the Rhine Valley, and many small villages of the region. Beginning in the headwaters of the River Rhine in the Swiss Alps, the trail winds its way along the borders of Austria and Liechtenstein, the shores of Lake Constance, and down to Basel. The entire length of the trail, in fact, is over 1,300 km and includes four countries before ending in the Netherlands.

The photograph above was taken on a mild day in June near Sennwald; a smattering of snow still in evidence on the Alpine peaks.

Augusta Raurica was once a Roman Rhineside provincial capital. The ruins of this once thriving community of around 20,000 constitute the largest collection of Roman ruins in Switzerland. Founded in 44 BC, Augusta prospered until around 260 AD, when an invasion by the Alemanni tribes pretty much wiped out the city.

The ruins of Augusta Raurica are well worth the trip to this region of Switzerland. Located near the modern day village of Kaiseraugst about 20km east of Basel, you’ll find the signpost as you travel along the Autobahn. A full map of the entire site can be obtained at the ticket office, where you can also purchase a pass to walk through the Römermuseum. You definitely won’t want to miss the reconstruction of a Roman house

Perhaps the most impressive attraction of the Augusta Raurica ruins is the 10,000 seat Roman theater which is directly across the road from the museum. This structure was reopened to the public in 2007 after 16 years of restoration. The picture above was taken in early 2006 before the completion of this process.

Futher information on Augusta Raurica can be found at AugustaRaurica.ch.