The Rhine Falls (Rheinfall in German) are the largest waterfall in Europe. They are located on the High Rhine, close to the town of Schaffhausen, in Switzerland, and are easy to reach by public transport as well as by car. Especially in summer, they are a good option for a relaxing day trip from Zurich or nearby.
Rhine Falls. Walking toward the waterfall.
Photo taken in July 2019.
The local cruise company Rhyfall Mändli offers panoramic boat tours of the waterfall from April to October. The boat tours have a duration that varies from 3 to 75 minutes, depending on the itinerary. The yellow line stops at the rock in the middle of the waterfall, allowing you to reach the tiny viewpoint on the top by foot. In my opinion, it is not so worth it, since you can profit from an almost identical view from the other viewpoints on both sides of the waterfall, without having to pay the surcharge of this boat tour.
Rhine Falls. The water flow seen from the rock that lies in the middle of the waterfall.
Photo taken in July 2019.
Rhine Falls. View of the Laufen Castle from the boat. You can walk up there for a small entry fee of 5 CHF at the time of my visit.
Photo taken in July 2019.
Rhine Falls. The water flow varies a lot between winter (average of 250 cubic metres per second) and summer (average of 600 cubic metres per second). In 1965, the water flow reached 1250 cubic metres per second, the highest registered value!
Photo taken in July 2019.
Rhine Falls. The waterfall is 150 m wide and 23 m high and was formed during the last ice age, between 14000 and 17000 years ago. Imagine the strain of the water flow on the rock right in the middle of the waterfall!
Photo taken in July 2019.
Rhine Falls. Refreshing, isn’t it?
Photo taken in July 2019.
Rhine Falls. View of the Laufen Castle from the walking path that leads to the waterfall.
Photo taken in July 2019.
Since it does not take the whole day to visit the waterfall, you can combine the boat tour and the visit to the Laufen Castle (Schloss Laufen in German) next to the waterfall with a hike along the river, a walk in the medieval town of Schaffhausen or a visit to the recently opened Smilestones, the Miniature World at the Rhine Falls. Read more about these activities in the dedicated posts!
Rhine Falls. I love the dramatic look of this picture, which makes you almost hear the thunderous flow of the water.
Photo taken in July 2019.
Published by Federica on 27 July 2019
Category: Travels
Tags: Europe, Switzerland, Waterfalls, Summer