Switzerland: A Day in Rheinfall, Schaffhausen and Stein Am Rhein

When planning our day trips from Basel, we often heard of Rheinfall, or Rhine Falls. The more we looked into the area, the more beautiful unique villages we found. We narrowed them down and decided to visit to Rheinfall, Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein as each destination is only 30 minutes apart by train. I’m so glad we did!!

Like Basel, our base for our 6 week and 3 week visits to Switzerland, Rheinfall, Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein are located in northern Switzerland with Stein am Rhein being the closest to Germany, on the border where the Rhine River and Lake Konstanz meet.

I was a little concerned about travelling around on our own because John had to work that day so it was just me and the kids. There was absolutely no reason for any concern. We didn’t get lost once!! Transportation in Switzerland is fantastic and easy.

Visiting all three of these unique Swiss villages in one day was superb! We planned carefully so we weren’t rushed. We took our time and enjoyed each location to its fullest. Whether you’re based in Basel, Zurich or Lucerne, this would be the perfect day trip for you too!

Details for an Amazing Day Visiting Rheinfall, Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein

Your First Stop: Rheinfall

While they certainly aren’t Niagara Falls by any means, Rheinfall is the largest waterfall in Europe so they’re absolutely worth visiting.

Rheinfall has two train stations: Schlossli Worth and the larger Schloss Laufen. If arriving at the Schloss Laufen station, you’ll arrive very close to Schloss Laufen, or Laufen Castle. We chose to arrive at Schloss Laufen and start our day on the south side of the falls.

Upon arrival, take the stairs to the left of the station and follow the winding path in the direction of the falls, following the signs for Schloss Laufen.

Once at the top, you’ll arrive in a open area leading to the castle.

Schloss Laufen is now a youth hostel but there is a visitor center and you can purchase your tickets for Rheinfall which include a Historama of the area, access to the Rheinfall panoramic walking trail, and viewing platforms. Note: Tickets for the boat ride need to be purchased from the boat operators.

I have yet to see a waterfall I didn’t love but Rheinfall really is beautiful and the trail and viewing platforms make it easy for children to access. There is also a glass panoramic lift if needed or preferred.

As you wander along the trail, you’ll access several different platforms, each with similar but different views of Rheinfall.

We visited in July and at times it was crowded but if you are patient, you will have a chance to have an unobstructed view.

At the bottom, take the boat across the Rhine River to Schlössli Wörth, another castle. At this location you’ll also find a restaurant and souvenir shop.

Near Schlössli Wörth, you’ll find a series of boats that can bring you closer into the falls. The boat will take you to that tall rock in the center of the fall area that we saw from the viewing platform.

Visitors can debark the boat and climb the massive rock. We really enjoyed the ride into the falls and climbing the rock that we had seen earlier from all the scenic platforms earlier in the day. That said, the stairs on the rock are very steep and a little slippery so those with mobility issues or very small children may prefer to take the boat for the ride to the rock only without disembarking.

Your Second Stop: Schaffhausen

Once you leave the Schlössli Wörth area of Rheinfall you can either take the mini train named the Ryfall Express, or the regular Swiss SBB train to Schaffausen. The Ryfall Express is definitely a nice little train that could be fun and convenient since it leaves directly from Rheinfall and travels to Schaffhausen. However, it only departs Rheinfall once or twice per hour. We had just missed it so we opted to walk the approximate 10 minutes to the train station.

Schaffhausen is a wonderful medieval city with an incredible history. Because of Rheinfall, ships had to unload their goods in Schaffhausen to be carried around the falls and reloaded on to the ships below the Rheinfall. It had originally been a part of Germany but joined the Swiss Confederation in the 1500s. This didn’t, however, stop it from being bombed by the US during World War II as it was mistaken for a German city due to its location on the northern side of the Rhine.

The village is filled with a maze of small streets, alleys and hidden squares. The houses and buildings are so beautifully colourful. We’re going to send you on a route that will allow you to see beautiful frescoed homes and key stops in Schaffhausen.

Schaffhausen Self-Guided Walking Tour

First, find the historic Fronwagplatz.  Fronwagplatz is a traditional village market square with two colourful fountains, Mohrenbrunnen and Metzgerbrunnen. It is also the home of Fronwagturm tower with its astronomical clock.

Mohrenbrunnen is the Moors Statue. He is actually the youngest of the Three Wise Men and is holding the shield of the Holy Roman Empire.

Walk down Vorstadt to see some of the most beautiful frescoed houses we’ve ever seen. You’ll see Haus zum Goldenen Ochsen (House of the Golden Ox) just north of Fronwagplatz at Vorstadt 17.

If you’d like a snack or a meal, drop in to Müller Beck café at Vorstadt 25. We were starving at this point so stopped in for some delicious sandwiches but they also had beautiful pastries.

Continue walking along Vorstadt and at number 43 you’ll find Haus zum Grossen Käfig (House of the Great Cage). The frescoes are just stunning!

Backtrack a little down Vorstadt, turn left on to Karstgässchen and continue until you reach Platz, another beautiful Swiss square . At Platz 7 you’ll find the Haus zum Drei Konigen (House of the Three Kings). It’s different than the others I’ve pointed out as it does’t have frescoes. But it does have beautiful decorations.

Here you’ll also see Brunnen am Platz another of Schaffhausen’s wonderful fountains.

As you continue to walk down Safrangasse and Tunnelgässchen you’ll see more beautiful housese. When you reach Vordergasse, you’ll find one of the most beautiful and most famous of all the frescoed houses in Schaffhausen: Haus zum Ritter (House of the Knight). This incredible house dates from 1485 and has some of the most important frescoes in Switzerland.

Continue down Vordergasse and you’ll find another beautiful fountain: the Tellbrunnen. This fountain represents William Tell, a figure very important to the Swiss people. It was originally placed at the Munot. This leads us to our next stop where you’ll find the best views in Schaffhausen: the Munot.

Continue to follow Vordergasse and look for a set of stairs ascending between two houses. These stairs will lead you to the Munot. Be forewarned, these steps are long and steep but if you can do the walk, it will be worth your while.

The Munot is a circular fortress and the main symbol of Schaffhausen.  It’s a fantastic place to explore especially if you’re travelling with children. Most areas are free but first you need to climb the steep steps that crawl between the vineyards. 

Once inside the Munot, you’ll find large open spaces, a sloped entry to higher levels and a set of spiral stairs leading to the top.

At top there are picnic tables, canons and an amazing view overlooking Schaffhausen. Make sure to enjoy the view of the steeples as the Münster zu Allergeiligen is your next stop.

Retrace your steps and head back towards Vordergasse.

As mentioned, your next stop is the Münster zu Allerheiligen. This historical church is said to have the most beautiful tower in country. If you have time, wander around and enjoy the adjoining herb garden and cloister.

 Time to move on to our final stop of the day so continue down Vordergasse, one of the prettiest streets in Schaffhausen, and head back to the train station for the next departure to Stein am Rhein.

Your Final Stop: Stein am Rhein

Depending on the amount of time available, you can reach Stein Am Rhein from Shaffhausen either by train (25 minutes) or by boat (2 hours). If you’ve decided to just visit these two villages, the boat is definitely the best option because this part of the Rhine is said to be one of the most beautiful. We were running short of time and the children were getting tired so we didn’t get a chance to see this part of the Rhine unfortunately. This is something we’ll definitely do on our next visit!

Stein am Rhein is a walled medieval town.Although it is very small (a population of just a few thousand) it has an interesting history. It started as a fishing village until the Abbey of St. Georges was moved here in the 11th century. Like Schaffhausen, it was also bombed by the US during World War II. Thankfully, much of the town survived.

It’s an easy 10-minute walk from the train station to the main area of town. Stein am Rhein is very small (we were surprised how small!) but it is definitely worth visiting. The village will take you about a hour to explore.

The beauty of Stein am Rhein starts as soon as you arrive at the flower covered bridge.

After entering the main gates of Stein am Rhein, you’ll find yourself in a fairy tale village with each building covered with beautiful paintings. The facades of most of these buildings have been fully restored. You’ll feel like you’re walking through a magnificent open-air art gallery. Make a point to visit the Rathausplatz (Town Square) as it truly is the crowning jewel of Stein am Rhein.

If you’d like a treasure hunt, seek out the Haus zum Weisser Adler (House of the White Eagle), the Haus zur Vorderen Krone (House of the Front Crown) and Haus zum Rothen Ochsen (House of the Red Ox).

Feel free to take your time and wander some of the small streets and alleys towards the river. If you’re hungry, have a meal, picnic or just an ice cream on the boardwalk. My kids just loved sitting at the end of a long day enjoying a special treat.

You’ll also want to make sure that you don’t miss the Klostermuseum St Georgen (Abbey of St. George) near the Rhine.  The town was built around St. George Abbey. You’ll see paintings throughout Stein am Rhein of St. George slaying dragon. You’ll also notice that all of the man-hole covers in Stein am Rhein are imprinted with Saint George lancing the dragon.

It’s unlikely you’ll have much time left at the end of your day if you choose to do Rheinfall, Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhine; however, if you’re visiting Stein am Rhein on its own or if you’ve decided to stay the night, you’ll want to visit the castle on the hill, Hohenklingen Castle. It’s a bit of a trek, most of it uphill, but the views from the castle are stunning! There’s also a restaurant at the castle.

Beauty, history, incredible art …. it’s no wonder Stein am Rhein is said to be one of Switzerland’s most enchanting towns.

Other tidbits that will help you plan

If you’re looking for another day trips from Zurich, Basel or Lucerne other than Rheinfall, Schaffhausen and/or Stein am Rhein check out a day to Mount Pilatus.

Wondering where to stay while in Switzerland? Check out our Basel City Guide, our top things to do in Basel and our walking tour of Lucerne for a few ideas.

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