Chapter 5: Northeastern Switzerland

The northeastern region of Switzerland—one of the country’s most unspoiled areas—contains the cantons of Appenzell, Glarus, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, and Thurgau, and such wondrous natural sights as St. Gallen’s Rhine Valley and the Rhine Falls. St. Gallen is the region’s bustling cultural and economic center, and some of the most abundant orchards in the country dot the shores of Lake Constance.

For the athletic, there are plenty of sports and adventure to be found. Skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, and hiking are easily accessible in the mountain areas. Sailing schools abound in the lakeside communities of Rorschach and Kreuzlingen, and the flat countryside along the lake is perfect for biking.

The northeastern region is also a sensible destination economically, as food and lodging prices are among the lowest in the country.

For an overnight stopover in the area, our money is on Stein-am-Rhein, one of the most perfectly preserved medieval villages in Europe and also one of the most charming of all Swiss towns. It lies at the point where the Rhein leaves Lake Constance. It also has the most charming old-world hotels.

However, that doesn’t mean that other towns in northeastern Switzerland are without their allure. If you like your cities historic, make it St. Gallen, the largest city in eastern Switzerland. However, if you’ve come to the area for its folkish charm, head for Appenzell, the country’s most traditional town (some Swiss speak of locals here as virtual hillbillies).

If boating and views of Lake Constance are your passion, take a promenade along the seafront, then settle into one of the resorts along Lake Constance—Rorschach has the widest choice of hotels and restaurants.

St. Gallen ★★

85km (53 miles) E of Zurich; 156km (97 miles) E of Basel; 15km (9 miles) SW of Rorschach

At 660m (2,165 ft.) above sea level, this valley is one of the primary stops in northeastern Switzerland. St. Gallen, which is the highest city of its size in Europe, is a good base for exploring Lake Constance (a 15-min. drive away), Mount Säntis, and the Appenzell countryside. This ancient town in the foothills of the Alps was founded by Gallus, an Irish monk who built a hermitage here in 612. By the 13th century his humble cell had developed into an important cultural outpost. St. Gallen became a free imperial city in 1212, and in 1454 it joined the Swiss Confederation. With a population of approximately 75,000, St. Gallen is the capital of a canton of the same name.

St. Gallen is the embroidery and lace capital of Europe; here, three dozen seamstresses worked for a year and a half to make a lace gown for Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III. Today, most of the embroidery is done by computer-driven machines. However, you can still purchase handmade items (see “Shopping,” below).

Freudenberg, 3km (2 miles) south of St. Gallen, at an altitude of 900m (2,952 ft.), offers a panoramic view of Mount Säntis, St. Gallen, and Lake Constance (known in this part of the country as Bodensee).

Essentials

Getting There St. Gallen is on the main train lines connecting Zurich with Munich. At least a dozen trains per day arrive from both directions. Trip time from Zurich is about 75 minutes. St. Gallen is the railway linchpin for at least four local lines. Call 0900/300-300 for more information.

As in most other Swiss cities, bus connections in St. Gallen are meant to supplement railroad service. Buses connect St. Gallen mainly with such outlying villages as Rorschach and Appenzell, with many stops at local villages along the way. Call the tourist office (see below) for more information.

By car from Zurich, head east on N1 (also called E17).

Visitor Information The St. Gallen Tourist Office is located at Bahnhofplatz 1A ( 071/227-37-37; www.st.gallen-bodensee.ch). It’s open Monday to Friday from 9am to noon and 1 to 6pm, and Saturday 10am to 4pm. From November to April, Saturday hours are 10am to 1pm.

Northeastern Switzerland

Exploring the Town

The Old City ★ is a must-see here, with its restored, half-timbered houses and their turrets and oriels. Wander the lanes and alleys laid out during the Middle Ages; some of them are closed to traffic.

The Protestant Reformation was victorious in St. Gallen, but the Benedictine monastery at Klosterhof remained virtually unaffected. The monastery contains the Catholic bishop’s residence, the abbey library, and the canton’s government offices. This area is also the site of the Domkirche (see below). The buildings that remain of the abbey date from the 17th and 18th centuries. Its walls were razed, and the best view is from the abbey yard, called the Klosterhof. To reach the abbey from Marktplatz in the center of town, take Marktgasse south, past St. Lawrence’s Church, to the large Klosterhof.

St. Gallen offers many sports facilities, including tennis courts and three outdoor swimming pools. The region’s best golf course lies 4km (2 1/2 miles) from St. Gallen at the Waldkirch Golf Park, Golfpark Waldkirch, St. Gallen ( 071/434-67-67; www.golfwaldkirch.ch). To get here, follow the road signs to Gosau. An 18-hole round of golf costs from 80F to 100F per person. Because much of the area is relatively flat, consider renting a bicycle (available at the federal rail station). The tourist office (see “Essentials,” above) is helpful in outlining bike routes that aren’t too strenuous.

Serious climbers tend to dismiss the region around St. Gallen as being too flat, and they will consequently direct you to loftier altitudes near Appenzell. But if you don’t mind a softly undulating landscape that’s forested with deciduous trees, and accessible even to those not in the best shape, consider an 8km (5-mile) trip that incorporates the best and most panoramic of the local low-lying hills. From the center of St. Gallen, take bus no. 5 to the satellite hamlet of Reithüsli. From there, you’ll climb a low hill, Bernegg, whose views sweep out over the Bodensee. There’s a cozy wood-sheathed restaurant near its summit (the Falkenburg Restaurant; 071/222-55-81; www.falkenburgsg.ch), where air-dried beef, hearty stews, and steaks are the norm every day at lunch and dinner. Walk about a mile to Drei Weiher, a trio of small, clear lakes, where you can swim. Afterwards you can walk back to St. Gallen directly, or retrace your steps to the hamlet of Reithüsli. The complete excursion can last between 4 and 6 hours, depending on how much you dawdle en route. For more information on this and other treks near St. Gallen or Appenzell, contact the local tourist office.

Domkirche (Cathedral) The twin-towered Domkirche at Klosterhof is Switzerland’s best example of baroque architecture. It was erected in 1756 on the site of the celebrated 14th-century Gothic abbey. Be sure to check out the cathedral chancel, one of its more interesting architectural features.

Klosterhof. 071/227-34-88. Free admission. Daily 9am–7pm.

Stiftsbibliothek (Abbey Library) ★★★ This world-famous library contains some 130,000 volumes, including manuscripts dating back to the 8th through the 15th centuries (several of the Renaissance manuscripts have well-preserved illustrations). The library hall is built in a rococo style, with stucco art and ceiling paintings. A plan of the St. Gallen Abbey in the year 830 is displayed, preserved under glass.

Klosterhof 6. 071/227-34-16. www.stiftsbibliothek.ch. Admission 10F adults, 7F students and seniors, free for children 15 and under. Apr–Nov Mon–Fri 10am–5pm; Dec–Mar Mon–Fri 10am–noon and 1:30–4pm.

Shopping

Many shoppers come to St. Gallen seeking embroideries. You can find real bargains when the local textile factories have clearance sales, usually in January and July. The tourist office can provide specifics.

To see how the embroideries—both hand- and machine-made—of St. Gallen are produced, call Försterhoner Embroiderie, Flurhofstrasse 150 ( 071/243-15-15), which is 10 minutes by car from the center of town in the direction of Bodensee. You need an appointment, but they’ll show you the factory and explain the process to you.

Finally, Graphica Antiqua, Marktgasse 26 ( 071/223-50-16), is a real shopping find, selling an array of antique prints of Swiss landscapes, including the Alps and “Heidi meadows.” Prints are available from all parts of Switzerland, and each region is clearly identified in the shop.

Where to Stay

Expensive

Einstein Hotel ★★ The most desirable hotel in town, the Einstein is near the center of the historic district. Built some 150 years ago, originally as a Swiss embroidery factory, it was converted in 1983 into a stylish provincial hotel. It has a gray-and-white neoclassical facade and a marble lobby, and you’re likely to hear live piano music playing in the pub/cocktail bar. The midsize guest rooms are conservatively furnished and well maintained, each fitted with neatly kept bathrooms.

Berneggstrasse 2, CH-9001 St. Gallen. www.einstein.ch. 071/227-55-55. Fax 071/227-55-77. 113 units. 300F–450F double; 750F–1,650F suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 30F in the garage, free outside. Bus: 1, 3, or 11. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge; free access to nearby health club; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (35F per day).

Moderate

Hotel Ekkehard Located in the center of town, this government-rated three-star Swiss hotel was closed for renovations in 2011 and is scheduled to open sometime in the spring of 2012. Check in advance before booking in here and expect some adjustment in the prices listed below. All are equipped with tidily kept bathrooms. The hotel offers a wood-trimmed restaurant with modern decor serving Austrian food at reasonable prices, as well as a more upscale option.

Rorschacher Strasse 50, CH-9000 St. Gallen. www.ekkehard.ch. 071/222-04-44. Fax 071/222-04-74. 29 units. 280F–320F double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Bus: 1 or 7. Amenities: 2 restaurants; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Gallo This hotel—a former apartment house—lies along a busy traffic artery, about a 10-minute walk from the town center. Windows are double glazed to shut out the noise. Some of the details of its Art Nouveau facade are still visible. The renovated rooms have tall windows and contain big, tiled bathrooms. Our favorites are two cozy attic rooms under beamed ceilings with dormer windows.

St. Jacobstrasse 62, CH-9000 St. Gallen. www.hotelgallo.ch. 071/242-71-71. Fax 071/242-71-61. 24 units. 220F–240F double; 270F triple; 420F–460F junior suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 20F. Bus: 3. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Walhalla ★ This modernized Best Western is a first-class hotel in the shopping district. It faces the main railroad station and parking garage and is about a 3-minute walk from the Old Town. Many visitors use the Walhalla as a base for excursions to Appenzellerland and the Lake Constance area. The rooms are nicely furnished and include well-scrubbed bathrooms. The hotel has a Mediterranean-style restaurant, which also serves typical Swiss cuisine.

Bahnhofplatz, CH-9001 St. Gallen. www.hotelwalhalla.ch. 800/528-1234 in the U.S., or 071/228-28-00. Fax 071/228-28-90. 57 units. 200F-285F double; 250F–355F suite for 2. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 30F in garage (only 2 spaces), 25F outside. Bus: 1. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Radisson Blu Hotel ★★ At last a hotel has come along to challenge the long-established Einstein. This is the largest and most modern hotel in town, rated four stars by the government. A good choice for commercial travelers, it’s also ideal for a vacationer who prefers contemporary styling to the more traditional choices in town. Opposite the trade fair grounds, it lies within an easy walk of the Altstadt (Old Town). Even the standard rooms are well furnished, though not overly spacious, and sleek contemporary styling prevails throughout. Business-class rooms come with an individual espresso machine, daily newspaper, and an excellent breakfast buffet. The on-site Restaurant Olive is one of the city’s best hotel dining rooms, with mix of both modern Swiss and Mediterranean dishes.

St. Jakob-Strasse 55, CH-9000 St. Gallen. www.stgallen.radissonsas.com. 071/242-12-12. Fax 071/242-12-00. 123 units. 183F–320F double; 687F–850F suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 25F. Bus: 1. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; exercise room; room service; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, fax, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Inexpensive

Hotel Dom Originally built in 1966, this small hotel offering reasonable rates has been tastefully removed in a modern, minimalist style with white as its dominant theme. The decor is modern, and bedrooms offer a light and airy atmosphere, the furnishings placed on wooden floors. Lights and illumination throughout the hotel have been considerably upgraded. The location is near the cathedral in the center of town.

Webergasse 22, CH-9000 St. Gallen. www.hoteldom.ch. 071/227-71-71. Fax 071/227-71-72. 40 units (32 with bathroom). 120F–150F double with shared bathroom, 215F–245F with en suite bathroom. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 12F. Bus: 1. Amenities: Restaurant; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Where to Eat

In the restaurants recommended below, as well as in the area’s tearooms and inns, make an effort to try the famous local sausage—bratwurst—and to sample St. Gallen’s rich regional pastries.

Acquarello ★ ITALIAN The city’s best Italian-inspired cuisine is served right outside the center of the Altstadt (Old Town) in this fashionable brassiere with well-trained waiters. There’s a garden setting in fair weather. The chefs are quite skilled and base their dishes on regional produce whenever possible. The cooking is deft and delicious and served against a chic, trendy, and modern decor. For appealing appetizers, try the warm octopus carpaccio in a lemon marinade or eggplant baked in tomato sauce with mozzarella and fresh basil. For a main, opt for the potato gnocchi with sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, black olives, and parmesan, or else a savory spaghetti with fresh clams in a white wine sauce. The best meat specialty is tenderloin with fresh porcini mushrooms served with a homemade fettuccine.

Davidstrasse 38. 071/230-28-38. www.acquarello-sq.ch. Reservations required. Main courses 24F–48F. AE, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11:30am–2:30pm and 5:30–11pm, Sat 6pm–midnight. Bus: 1.

Am Gallusplatz ★★ FRENCH/SWISS Am Gallusplatz is the most famous restaurant in the Old Town and has a dining room that dates from 1606. Finding it is part of the pleasure of dining here. It’s opposite the cathedral, behind a low wall and a pink facade. The four- or six-course “menu surprise” dinner includes wine and champagne, and the regular menu changes frequently and is always based on fresh ingredients. If available, we recommend rare grilled lamb with spring vegetables, garnished gooseliver with fresh herbs, grilled sole and salmon Florentine style, and lamb medallions Provençal. The savory dishes are prepared with flair, with perfectly balanced flavors and textures. The wine list, one of the most extensive in Switzerland, includes 450 choices, the oldest dating from 1893. The restaurant also offers a nice selection of Armagnacs and brandies.

Gallusstrasse 24. 071/223-33-30. www.gallusplatz.ch. Reservations recommended. Main courses 39F–48F; 4-course “menu surprise” 130F, 6 courses 170F. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues–Fri and Sun 11:30am–2:30pm; Tues–Sun 6pm–midnight. Closed last week of July through the 1st 2 weeks of Aug. Bus: 1.

Hotel Restaurant ★ FRENCH/SWISS One of the finest restaurants in the city is located on the fifth floor of the Hotel Einstein, with the best panoramic view in town. The decor blends rustic timber with marble trim. The food is sometimes hearty but can often be prepared with a sense of delicacy. Healthy, seasonal dishes make good use of regional produce, as reflected by the roast breast of corn-fed chicken with morels and leeks served with homemade noodles. You might also try the stir-fried filet of beef with a morel sauce or a crisp medallion of pike-perch with asparagus. Also enticing is the sautéed scallops with a Pernod foam served with broad beans and jasmine rice.

Berneggstrasse 2. 071/227-55-55. Reservations recommended. Main courses 23F–46F. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Fri noon–2pm and daily 6–10pm. Bus: 1, 3, or 11.

St. Gallen After Dark

Many locals head for the town’s main hotel, Einstein Hotel (see “Where to Stay,” above), which has the best pub/cocktail bar in town. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a set of live piano music in this dark, leathery enclave.

Another good spot on the after-dark circuit, for those who like a bustling, noisy Teutonic atmosphere, is the Weinstube zum Bäumli, Schmiedgasse 18 ( 071/222-11-74; www.weinstube-baeumli.ch), convenient to the Old Town, which has been in business for 5 centuries. It has the town’s best wine collection, and you can order inexpensive food here, mainly regional fare such as bratwurst. It’s closed Sunday and Monday.

You can also check the program at the local tourist office to find out what’s scheduled at the Stadttheater, Museumstrasse 24 ( 071/242-05-05; www.theatersg.ch), which presents at least 200 concerts and dramatic performances during its annual season from September to June. Ticket prices depend on the presentation.

Local bands often appear at the Trischli, Brühlgasse 18 ( 071/226-09-00), which also sponsors the occasional karaoke or theme night. The club is open in July and August daily from 10pm to 5:30am, and from September to June daily from 9pm (closing hours vary). There’s a cover charge of 12F on Friday and Saturday.

Appenzell ★

18km (11 miles) S of St. Gallen; 20km (12 miles) SW of Altstätten

In the rolling, verdant foothills of the Alpstein, south of Lake Constance, the Appenzell district retains some of Switzerland’s strongest folklore. However, in recent years, in an attempt to attract the tourist purse, the area has become somewhat self-conscious and commercial about its traditions. Its hamlets contain intricately painted houses whose colorful decorations are distinctive to the region. The inhabitants, proud of their cultural distinctions, sometimes wear folk costumes, which include an elaborate coif with large wings made of a fabric called tulle. Local men are known for their rakish earrings and their habit of going barefoot in the summer.

Appenzell is famous for three reasons: for its baked goods such as pear bread and chocolates, for the artists who adhere to a certain school of naive art (which some observers compare to paintings by the late American primitivist Grandma Moses), and for its status as the yodeling headquarters of Switzerland. For centuries the district was relatively isolated from the rest of Switzerland, but modern roads and trusty cable cars now ferry sightseers across the otherwise inaccessible terrain.

Appenzell’s main square, Landsgemeindeplatz, and its main street, Hauptgasse, are lined with traditional painted houses. Here, shops sometimes sell the famous embroidery of the area—but examine items carefully before you buy, as some embroideries are made in China or Portugal. Appenzell is an excellent base for exploring two nearby peaks, the Ebenalp and Mount Säntis.

Essentials

Getting There From Zurich, you can take a slow local train without transferring; you’ll reach Appenzell in about 2 hours. A faster way is to take an express train from Zurich to Gossau, a satellite village of St. Gallen, and transfer to the local train. Trip time from St. Gallen or Gossau to Appenzell on one of the 30 or so daily locals is about 45 minutes. Call 0900/300-300 for information.

The town’s only bus line goes between Appenzell and St. Gallen via a meandering path through local villages not serviced by rail. From St. Gallen, you’ll have to transfer buses in a village called Teufen. For more information, call 071/227-37-37.

By car from St. Gallen, drive south from the city toward Teufen, where the road is sign-posted south to Appenzell.

Visitor Information The Appenzell Tourist Office, Hauptgasse 4 ( 071/788-96-41; www.appenzell.ch), is open Monday to Friday from 9am to noon and 2 to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to noon and 2 to 5pm.

Shopping

The main street is filled with shops hawking souvenirs and gifts, some of dubious origin. However, for the best and most authentic handicrafts, head for Romoda, Hauptgasse 23 ( 071/787-16-06). On the second floor of this outlet, you’ll find a wide array of traditional Appenzeller clothing, along with farmers’ floral work shirts and hand-embroidered handkerchiefs. A wide selection of lace, embroidery, and crafts are sold here as well. Even the locals come here to shop for costumes during festivals.

Another outlet on the main street, Margreiter, Hauptgasse 29 ( 071/787-33-13), offers machine-made work produced in neighboring factories that’s often quite stunning. Embroideries decorated with edelweiss or other alpine flora seem to be the fastest-moving items.

Where to Stay

Hotel Appenzell ★ Located on the town’s main square, this cozy retreat, built in 1983, is painted with whimsical folk colors on its gabled facade with shuttered windows. The comfortable rooms include conservative, modern walnut furniture, and the bathrooms are lined with marble. It’s rather luxurious for the prices charged.

The hotel’s street-level cafe, with an outdoor terrace, is a comfortable stop for daily meals, which are really well prepared and based on fresh ingredients. Through the cafe is an elaborately paneled dining room, which is best for a more intimate experience.

Landsgemeindeplatz, CH-9050 Appenzell. www.hotel-appenzell.ch. 071/788-15-15. Fax 071/788-15-51. 16 units. 200F–220F double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; babysitting; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Hotel Hecht This 18th-century hotel, in the center of town opposite the Catholic church, is the biggest alpine inn in Appenzell. The Knechtle family has owned the place for more than 50 years, keeping it clean, attractive, and conservative. The overall effect is cheerful and comfortable. Bedrooms are small but tastefully furnished with private bathrooms.

Hauptgasse 9, CH-9050 Appenzell. www.hecht-appenzell.ch. 071/788-22-22. Fax 071/788-22-88. 42 units. 180F–270F double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (30F per day).

Romantik Hotel Säntis ★★ Appenzell’s best hotel in the town center is decorated with dozens of stenciled, symmetrical designs. Its traditional rooms are cozy, and many are filled with regional antiques. Try for a room in the old wing, dating from 1835, if you like painted beams and provincial wooden furnishings. Some accommodations have four-poster or canopy beds. There’s a small Appenzell-style dining room with a wood ceiling and colorful tablecloths (see “Where to Dine,” below). The Heeb family offers a cordial welcome.

Landsgemeindeplatz 3, CH-9050 Appenzell. www.saentis-appenzell.ch. 071/788-11-11. Fax 071/788-11-10. 37 units. 230F–320F double; 310F-340F suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. Parking 8F. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (30F per day).

Where to Eat

Hof ★ SWISS One of Appenzell’s most consistently crowded and popular restaurants occupies a prominent location in the town center, within a relatively modern-looking decor that’s accented with many yards of varnished pinewood planking. Inside, you’ll find a collection of local sports trophies and memorabilia, rustic artifacts straight from an alpine farm, wooden tables and chairs, and a fireplace that burns brightly throughout the winter. Menu items include all manner of grilled steaks and meats, fondues, spaetzle with cheese, and a house potato-based specialty loaded with ham, cheese, onions, and spices known as Rösti Hof.

Upstairs are 20 cozy but compact bedrooms, each with private bathroom (tub/shower combination) and TV. None has air-conditioning, but given the relatively cheap price (190F double with breakfast), they tend to be popular.

Engelgasse 4. 071/787-40-30. Fax 071/787-58-83. www.gasthaus-hof.ch. Reservations not necessary. Main courses 14F–38F. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon–10pm.

Restaurant Säntis ★★ SWISS This restaurant on the first floor of the popular Romantik Hotel Säntis offers a view over the elaborately detailed houses of the main square. The menu changes frequently. The menu is completely seasonal, and organic products are featured in the repertoire whenever possible. For a tantalizing opening, try the asparagus terrine coated in leek with a quail’s egg, or the chopped calf’s liver in a shallot sauce with wild garlic-laced mashed potatoes. The main courses are almost invariably praiseworthy, as evoked by the poached filet of char on a creamy asparagus ragout or the grilled filet of veal medallions in a herb stock with morels and homemade potato dumplings.

In the Romantik Hotel Säntis, Landsgemeindeplatz 3. 071/788-11-11. Reservations recommended. Main courses 44F–55F; fixed-price menus 88F–115F. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11am–2pm and 6:30–11pm. Closed Jan 15–Feb.

Easy Excursions

Either of the following excursions from Appenzell would be ideal for a picnic, with some of the most dramatic mountains in eastern Switzerland as your backdrop. Before heading here, pick up supplies in Appenzell and the day is yours. We hope it’s a sunny one.

A Must-Have Picnic Item

If you’re planning a picnic in the mountains, stock up on some of the local Appenzeller cheese at Chäs Sutter, Marktgasse 8 ( 071/787-13-33; www.chaes-sutter.ch). This cheese tastes like nothing else found in Europe.

Ebenalp ★★ Visit Ebenalp, 6km (4 miles) away, for a spectacular view of the hills and pastures of the Appenzell district. The jagged promontory is at an elevation of 1,620m (5,314 ft.). Wear sturdy walking shoes so that you can walk down to Wildkirchli—a chapel in a grotto that was inhabited by hermits from the mid–17th to the mid–19th centuries. Paleolithic artifacts discovered here at the turn of the 20th century indicate that it is the oldest prehistoric settlement found in Switzerland so far.

To get here, drive to the end of the Weissbad-Wasserauen road, then take a cable car for an 11-minute ride to the summit. The cable car leaves every 45 minutes in season; a round-trip costs 27F for adults, 10F for children. For information, call 071/799-12-12 or visit www.ebenalp.ch.

Mount Säntis ★★★ The major attraction in the area is Mount Säntis, the highest peak (2,463m/8,079 ft.) in the Alpstein massif. It offers a panoramic view of eastern Switzerland, including the Grisons, the Bernese Alps, the Vorarlberg mountains, Lake Constance, and even Lake Zurich. On a clear day you can see as far as Swabia in southern Germany.

To reach the departure point for the cable car (whose German name is Säntis Schwebebahn), drive 14km (9 miles) west of Appenzell, following the signs pointing to Urnäsch and Schwägalp. The cable car departs at 30-minute intervals year-round; round-trip passage costs 41F. For more information, call 071/365-65-65 or visit www.saentisbahn.ch.

Instead of driving, you can take one of the most dramatic walks in the area from the village of Wasserrauen to the village of Schwägalp, at which point you can take a cable car to the belvedere overlooking Säntis. Hourly trains from Appenzell will take you to Wasserrauen. The walk between Wasserrauen and Schwägalp is 8km (5 1/2 miles), taking anywhere from 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, depending on your stamina. As you hike along, you’ll see some of the most scenic panoramas in this part of Switzerland.

Lake Constance ★★★

The 261km (162-mile) shoreline of Lake Constance is shared by three countries—Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. The surrounding hills are covered with vineyards and orchards and are dotted with many farming villages. Vacationers are drawn here by the sunny, mild climate and nice beaches.

Lake Constance is divided into three parts, although the name is frequently applied to Bodensee, the largest part. At the western end of Bodensee, the lake splits into two branches: a long fjord called Überlingersee and an irregular marshland known as Untersee. Untersee is connected to the rest of the lake by a narrow channel of water, which is actually the young Rhine River. The blue felchen, a pikelike fish found only in Lake Constance, furnishes the district with a tasty and renowned specialty.

The Swiss gateway to Lake Constance is Rorschach, 11km (7 miles) northeast of St. Gallen. You can get here by train from Zurich in 1 1/2 hours (the train departs every hour) or from St. Gallen in 20 minutes. From Rorschach, you can continue on—by frequent local trains or buses along the lake—to the three major centers: Arbon, Horn, and Romanshorn. A well-organized network of modern passenger ferries links all these towns along the shore and connects Switzerland with Germany and Austria.

The Rorschach Tourist Office, Hauptstrasse 63 ( 071/841-70-34; www.tourist-rorschach.ch), provides an up-to-date timetable for all forms of transportation. Regular hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to noon and 1:30 to 6pm. From May to September 15, the office is also open on Saturday 9am to 2pm; and in July and August Sunday 9am to 2pm. You can also contact one of the most popular boat lines, Schiffahrtsbetrieb Rorschach ( 071/466-78-88; www.schifffahrt-rorschach.ch), the best and most economical way to cruise from one town along the lake to another, thereby transforming a commuter trip into a cruise. This is easiest to do from May to September.

Your choice of towns along Lake Constance will depend almost entirely on your selection of a hotel. The towns and attractions are so similar that it is hard to tell where one town ends and another begins. All of them offer lakeside promenades and flower gardens overlooking the lake, and all of them can become centers for pleasure boating and trips on the lake. The towns are also so close together that even if you’re in Romanshorn in the west, you can arrive at Rorschach in the east in minutes. Because it has a greater choice of hotels, we’d give the nod to Rorschach.

Once at Lake Constance, you’ll find dozens of bike trails, each marked with a red sign, and each running around the southern tier (the Swiss side) of the lake.

Rorschach

This medieval harbor town at the foot of the Rorschacher Berg is at the southern tip of the lake. It has lakeside gardens, an extensive promenade, a good choice of hotels, and facilities for sailing, rowing, swimming, fishing, and windsurfing. Passenger ships pass through Rorschach en route to Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein.

Rorschach’s illustrious past is reflected in its buildings, which include the Kornhaus, a granary built in 1746; the former Mariaberg cloister; and 18th-century painted houses with oriel windows along Hauptgasse. If you’d like to bike along the lake, you can go to the railway station and rent a bike for the day for about 28F.

Where to Stay & Eat

Hotel Mozart Opened in 1986, this comfortable hotel with its own garage is situated between the main street of town and the lake. The polished-granite building has well-maintained, midsize rooms, eight overlooking the lake.

The old-world ambience of the hotel’s Café Mozart complements its variety of famous pastries. Another specialty is tea—19 varieties, including essence of kiwi, linden blossom, and tea leaves grown on the foothills of Mount Everest. The cafe also offers simple meals.

Hafenzentrum, CH-9400 Rorschach. www.mozart-rorschach.ch. 071/844-47-47. Fax 071/844-47-48. 33 units. 155F–195F double; 235F–350F suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 5F. Amenities: Restaurant. In room: TV, minibar.

Hotel Rebstock Directly to the east of Rorschach stands this hotel opening onto panoramic lake views. For three generations, it’s been run by the same family, welcoming visitors to Lake Constance. Overlooking the water, the spacious and well-furnished bedrooms open onto balconies. The hotel dates from 1651 and is one of the most historic in the area, set in the midst of a beautiful vineyard. Guests gather in the cozy restaurant for the good and reasonably priced food, either for a quick lunch or a more leisurely dinner.

Thalerstrasse 57, CH-9404 Rorschacherberg. www.rebstock.org. 071/855-24-55. Fax 071/855-73-20. 25 units. 175F–195F double. AE, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; bike rentals. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Horn

This old fishing hamlet is a 5-minute drive east of Arbon. Set in the canton of Thurgau, it provides another base for exploring the shores of Lake Constance. Frankly, the main reason to visit is to stay or dine at the Hotel Bad Horn; otherwise, you’ll find more facilities at Rorschach, only a 10-minute car or bus ride to the east.

Where to Stay & eat

Hotel Bad Horn ★ This large blue-and-white hotel is located in the town center at the end of a small peninsula on the lakefront. Built in 1827, it is fully restored with big windows, gables, a tile roof, rooftop terraces, and an expanse of lawn extending almost to the lake. The midsize bedrooms are well furnished and comfortably appointed, each with a neatly kept bathroom.

At the Captain’s Grill, with its nautical decor, specialties include aiguillettes of pink duck, quenelles of local fish, scampi with Calvados, and filet of beef with Armagnac.

Seestrasse 36, CH-9326 Horn. www.badhorn.ch. 071/841-55-11. Fax 071/841-60-89. 54 units. 190F–320F double; 360F–540F suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: 2 restaurants; exercise room; room service; spa. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (35F per day).

Arbon ★

One of the best spots along the lake is Arbon, the lakefront promenade that offers a view of Constance, the German shore, and the Alps. It has far more facilities than Horn (see above), although the views and ambience are pretty similar. If lakeside walks appeal to you, this might be the place, as most of the town lies on a promontory jutting out into Lake Constance. In summer, you’re surrounded by orchards and lake meadows, so strolling is what to do here. Facilities include a large boat harbor, swimming pools, and a school for sailing and surfing. The town was built on the site of an ancient Celtic community and was called Arbor Felix by the Romans.

After leaving Rorschach, continue northwest along Route 13 for 15 minutes until you reach Arbon. The town is also a major stopover for all the trains and buses running along the southern tier of Lake Constance.

The town’s most visible monument is its 13th–14th-century castle, Schloss Arbon, Hauptstrasse ( 071/446-10-58), which broods over the town from its hilltop. Most of its interior is devoted to a technical school for adults, but you can visit the small-scale museum during its limited open hours. Exhibits include ancient Roman artifacts unearthed in the region, and displays relating to the once-potent, now-defunct industries that used to call Arbon home. Premier among these is the Saurer Truck Company, which employed up to 3,000 local workers between its 1906 founding and its merger with Mercedes-Benz in 1982. Frankly, unless you’re terribly interested in the history of the local region, you can skip this museum entirely. Between May and September, the museum is open daily from 2 to 5pm; March, April, October, and November, it’s open Sunday only, from 2 to 5pm. Admission costs 4F for adults and 2F for children 14 and under.

For tourist information, go to Infocenter Arbon, Schmiedgasse 6 ( 071/440-13-80), open Monday to Friday 9 to 11:30am and 2 to 6pm. From mid-June to August it is also open on Saturday from 9 to 11:30am.

Where to Stay & eat

Gasthof Bräuerei Frohsinn ★ Originally built in 1822, and located near the edge of the Bodensee, within a 5-minute walk west of the town center, this four-story historic hotel contains 13 simple and nostalgically decorated bedrooms, a brewery that chugs out many gallons of both light and dark beer (the brand name is Frohsinn), a popular bowling alley, and a trio of restaurants. The most formal and gourmet conscious of the three is the Fisch Restaurant. Focusing on upscale, gourmet-inspired Continental food, its prices begin at 42F for a fixed-price menu.

Less lofty and less ambitious in their cuisine are Le Bistro and, in the cellar, the Bräukeller. Both restaurants charge from 20F to 58F for rib-sticking main courses that include grilled steaks; calves’ liver with bacon; roulades of beef, chicken, or veal layered with herbs and cheese; noodles studded with ham and a cream-flavored cheese sauce; and as much beer from the local brewery as you can handle.

Romanshornerstrasse 15, CH-9320 Arbon. www.frohsinn-arbon.ch. 071/447-84-84. Fax 071/446-41-42. 13 units. 185F double; 230F suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: 3 restaurants. In room: TV, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Metropol ★ This hotel, across from the train station, is part of a lakeside complex that exemplifies creative urban planning. It’s Arbon’s best choice for overnighting. The complex includes a department store, a grocery store, and a busy cafeteria. The hotel lobby is Nordic modern, and the rooms are comfortable but plain, each with a loggia facing the lake and well-maintained bathrooms. The best place to dine is the second-floor restaurant, serving Swiss cuisine and specializing in fish caught in the lake.

Bahnhofstrasse 49, CH-9320 Arbon. www.metropol-arbon.ch. 071/447-82-82. Fax 071/447-82-80. 42 units. 200F–260F double; 170F–320F suite for 1–3. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; bikes; outdoor pool; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Hotel Rotes Kreuz This is a stucco house with a lake terrace built in 1760. The handful of rooms it contains are simple, small, and clean. All contain a private bathroom. You can dine in a glass-enclosed solarium or a cozy pine-paneled room. Specialties include a variety of lake fish.

Hafenstrasse 3, CH-9320 Arbon. www.hotelroteskreuz.ch. 071/446-19-18. Fax 071/446-24-85. 20 units. 150F double. Rates include continental breakfast. MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant. In room: TV.

Romanshorn

This town is the largest port on the lake and the base for Swiss steamers. In spite of the industrial overlay, Romanshorn is also a successful summer lakeside resort. Popular with Swiss, German, and Austrian tourists, it’s set against a backdrop of panoramic views of the Austrian and Swiss mountains nearby. The resort offers a swimming pool, a sailing school, a water-skiing school, and tennis courts. There’s also a park and a zoo.

A year-round ferry service links Romanshorn with Friedrichshafen, Germany. Boats operated by the Schweizerische Bodensee Schiffahrtsgesellschaft ( 071/446-78-88; www.sbsag.ch) make hourly transits to Friedrichshafen, beginning at 8:30am daily between May and October, and ending between 6:30 and 7:30pm, depending on the day of the week. One-way transit, which requires about an hour, costs 23F. The attractions on the German side of the lake are actually far more interesting than anything on the Swiss border, and there are no hassles or fees to cross, so we recommend you take the chance to visit Friedrichshafen. Here you can stroll its lakefront promenade, with a sweeping view of the Swiss Alps. Biking along the broad Seestrasse is also a delight. A kiosk within the Stadtbahnhof (local rail station) rents bikes for 28F to 45F per day. You can also visit the Zeppelin Museum in the Hafenbahhof on Seestrasse 22, with its fascinating re-creation of the historic Hindenburg, which exploded in a fire in New Jersey in 1937.

In summer, boat trips are organized to Mainau, a German island about 6km (4 miles) north of Constance that was once the home of the grand duke of Baden. Boats operated by the Schweizerische Bodensee Schiffahrtsgesellschaft (see above) make two daily transits from May to October, from Romanshorn to Mainau. Trips take 90 minutes each way and cost 30F round-trip. You’ll have to pay an entrance fee of 16F to gain access to the island. Mainau Island is well worth your time. Because of the mild climate, the island is almost tropical, filled with palms and orange trees, along with fragrant flowers in bloom year-round—even though the island lies practically in the shadow of the snow-covered Alps. In the center of the island is a botanical garden, set on the site of an ancient castle, once a residence of the Knights of the Teutonic order.

In Romanshorn, two other worthy options involve hopping aboard any boat operated by Schweizerische Bodensee Schiffahrtsgesellschaft (see above). If you go on the one bound for Rorschach (three departures per day), you’ll pay about 15F one-way. Then you can explore the town of Rorschach before returning to Romanshorn by any of the many trains (a 20-min. ride).

A second option involves sailing from Romanshorn to Kreuzlingen or the German town of Konstanz, a 1-hour ride (btw. two and three departures per day), and taking the train back (a 20-min. ride). One-way boat transit to either Kreuzlingen or Konstanz costs 18F.

For tourist information in Romanshorn, contact Verkehrsbüro, Bahnhofplatz ( 071/463-32-32), open Monday to Friday from 8am to noon and 2 to 6pm, Saturday 9am to noon. If you’d like to bike along the lake, you can go to the railway station, where a kiosk rents bikes from 28F to 45F per day.

Where to Stay & eat

Park-Hotel Inseli ★ This model hotel, the best in town, is secluded in a grove of trees a 10-minute walk from the center, directly on the lake. Its comfortable and spacious bedrooms offer views of the park or the lake; the public rooms are decorated with chrome and plush carpeting. Manager Anton Stager and his family keep up the hotel’s informal ambience. There’s a sunny, indoor-outdoor cafe and a more formal rotisserie where French cuisine is served daily. Those in the know order the local fish caught from Lake Constance. The cafe offers a panoramic view all the way to Austria.

Inselistrasse 6, CH-8590 Romanshorn. www.hotel-inseli.com. 071/466-88-88. Fax 071/466-88-77. 39 units. 210F–280F double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; children’s center; exercise room; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (30F per day).

Stein-am-Rhein ★★

20km (12 miles) east of Schaffhausen; 27km (17 miles) N of Winterthur

Dating from 1094, Stein-am-Rhein is pure old town, one of the most authentic and best-preserved medieval towns in Switzerland. It’s on the right bank of the Rhine, west of Untersee, an arm of Lake Constance. The town is blessed with the finest half-timbered houses in northeastern Switzerland, and the foundations of some of them dip into the river itself. Flower-decked fountains and oriel-windowed houses are grace notes. The facades, which are often fully painted, beckon the photographer in all of us. Nearby was the first Roman bridge ever built over the Rhine.

Essentials

Getting There Stein-am-Rhein lies midway along the railway link connecting Schaffhausen with Kreuzlingen, on the edge of Lake Constance. From Zurich, passengers take an express train to Schaffhausen, then change for a less frequent local train to Stein-am-Rhein; trip time from Zurich is just under 2 hours. There are also good train connections to Stuttgart, Germany. For rail schedules or more information, call 0900/300-300 or visit www.sbb.ch.

The only bus connection to Stein-am-Rhein crosses the border into a German village named Singen, from which there are rail connections to Stuttgart, Germany. Call 0900/300-300 for information.

By car the trip from Zurich takes less than an hour. Head north on N1 until a point near Winterthur, where you connect with E41 going north to Schaffhausen. This route becomes N4, connecting with Route 13, heading east toward Stein-am-Rhein.

Visitor Information The Stein-am-Rhein Tourist Office, at Oberstadt 3 ( 052/742-20-90; www.stein-am-rhein.ch), maintains up-to-date bus and rail schedules. The tourist office is open year-round Monday to Friday 9:30am to noon and 1:30 to 5pm. From May to September, it’s also open on Saturday and Sunday 9:30am to noon and 1:30 to 4pm.

Attractions

A number of quaint houses line Rathausplatz (Town Hall Square) and Hauptstrasse (Main Street). Many have oriel windows, rich frescoes, timberwork, and fountains.

The Historische Sammlung (Historical Museum) is in one of the rooms of the town hall, on Rathausplatz ( 052/741-21-42). The collection includes weapons, banners, and stained glass. Admission is 4F. The exhibit keeps no set hours; you have to call and arrange for an appointment to view it.

A Benedictine abbey was built near Rathausplatz during the 11th century; it was abandoned during the Protestant Reformation in 1524. Today it’s the Kloster-museum St. Georgen (St. George’s Abbey Museum; 052/741-21-42), devoted to local history and art. The rooms, because of their rich ceilings, paneling, and 16th-century murals by Thomas Schmid and Ambrosius Holbein, are often more interesting than the exhibits. Admission to the museum is 4F for adults, 2F for children. The museum is open April to October, Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm. The restored Convent Church of St. George, a Romanesque basilica built by the Catholics and later transformed into a Protestant church, has sections dating from the 12th century.

Wohnmuseum Lindwurm, Understadt 18 ( 052/741-25-12; www.museum-lindwurm.ch), lies in an old, 19th-century bürgerhaus (community center). With exhibits and artifacts, it re-creates life here in that century. You learn how the townspeople and their servants lived, and something about their farming methods. It’s open March to October daily from 10am to 5pm, charging 5F for adults and 3F for children.

If riding a bike appeals to you, consider renting one from the kiosk within the railway station, and then heading off for a 20km (13-mile) westbound excursion to Schaffhausen, or a 29km (18-mile) eastbound excursion to Kreuzlingen. The cost is about 28F per day. The edges of both the Rhine and the Bodensee are flanked with “velo-routes” (bicycle paths) that are clearly marked with red-and-white signs that display a bicycle.

Ecologically and panoramically, the area where the Rhine widens into a lake is particularly interesting for sightseeing and cruising. If you’re in Stein-am-Rhein, you’ll find yourself midway along the route of a series of cruises that depart from Schaffhausen, to the west, and meander their way into the Untersee, the lake just to the west of the Bodensee. The terminus of the cruise is in the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen, just across the water from the German city of Konstanz. If you opt for a full round-trip excursion from Schaffhausen to Kreuzlingen, a travel time of 4 hours each way, you’ll spend a full day in some of the most appealing waterways of central Europe. The cost is 94F round-trip. There are between three and four departures per day from both Schaffhausen and Kreuzlingen, but only between April and early October. For reservations and more information, contact Schiffahrtsgesellschaft Untersee und Rhein, Freierplatz 8, 8200 Schaffhausen ( 052/634-08-88; www.urh.ch).

Shopping

Most of the town’s shopping options line either side of the Understadt, a thoroughfare that some old-time residents still refer to as Hauptstrasse. Set near the town’s railway station and Rathaus, its most appealing shop is Heimatwerk, Understadt 28 ( 052/741-33-92). Devoted to the merchandising of artifacts made exclusively in Switzerland, it offers glass, ceramics, woodcarvings, textiles, Swiss Army knives and watches, and lots of small and usually inexpensive art objects guaranteed to collect dust after you display them in your home for a while.

Where to Stay

Hotel Chlosterhof ★★★ The finest hotel in town, situated on the Rhine east of Rathausplatz, was created from an abandoned shoe factory and now has a brick facade with angled glass. Its interior includes an open fireplace and a lobby with a cruciform vault. The rooms, which come in various shapes and sizes, are stylized; 10 have four-poster beds and most of the suites open onto the Rhine. All units contain neatly kept bathrooms. The restaurant, Le Bâteau, offers fine dining amid a nautical decor, and Le Jardin is a little in-house bistro.

Oehningerstrasse 2, CH-8260 Stein-am-Rhein. www.chlosterhof.ch. 052/742-42-42. Fax 052/741-13-37. 69 units. 270F–310F double; 370F–600F suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 15F. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel-Restaurant Adler ★ This tasteful, comfortable hotel has one of the most flamboyant facades in the old city: It’s painted with characters from Rhenish legends, depicting such medieval scenes as a tree of life, martyrs at the stake, and characters groveling before Asian potentates. The hotel has two sections: One dates from 1461, and the other, rather plain guesthouse annex was built in 1957. The rooms, streamlined with a Nordic design and equipped with firm beds, often attract traveling families.

Rathausplatz, CH-8260 Stein-am-Rhein. www.adlersteinamrhein.ch. 052/742-61-61. Fax 052/741-44-40. 25 units. 185F–205F main house double; 120F–150F annex double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Rheinfels ★ This is a large and commodious building built in 1448 near the entrance to Stein-am-Rhein beside the Rhine. It’s well known for its pleasantly decorated bedrooms and for its popular restaurant with family-style tables. Bedrooms range from small to midsize, and each is traditionally furnished with comfortable beds. Upstairs from the restaurant is an antique room with wide, creaking floorboards, massive chandeliers, old portraits, and a collection of medieval armor.

Rhygasse 8, CH-8260 Stein-am-Rhein. www.rheinfels.ch. 052/741-21-44. Fax 052/741-25-22. 17 units. 190F–260F double. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, MC, V. Closed Jan–Feb. Amenities: Restaurant; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Where to Eat

Hotel Rheinfels Restaurant SWISS This regional restaurant offers a view of the head of the Rhine, where it exits from Lake Constance. Typical dishes include filet of fera (a lake fish) with lemon and capers, fricassee of Rhenish fish with baby vegetables, hot Bauernschinken (farmer’s ham), and grilled veal steak. New menu items include fried pike perch with boiled potatoes and poached catfish filet with sorrel sauce. A potpourri of desserts is offered. The cuisine is based on very fresh and quality ingredients that are deftly handled by the kitchen staff.

Rathausplatz. 052/741-21-44. Reservations recommended. Main courses 29F–52F. AE, MC, V. July–Sept daily 11am–2pm and 6–9:30pm; Oct–Dec and Mar–June Fri–Tues 11am–2pm and 6–9:30pm.

Restaurant Le Bateau ★★ INTERNATIONAL In the Hotel Chlosterhof, this deluxe restaurant is a bastion of elegance and a refined cuisine. The chefs have honed their technique to an amazing sharpness, and they follow their inspiration wherever it leads. Their fixed-price menus are arguably the finest in town. You can also order a la carte, beginning with such starters as an avocado carpaccio with lime dressing and a smoked salmon tartar with a sautéed quail’s egg. For a fish course, we’d recommend the poached sole in a whiskey-lobster sauce, or else a veal kabob with peppers, polenta, and artichokes, or roast beef with a remoulade sauce and seasonal vegetables. The desserts are rich enough to be sinful, including, for example, homemade nougat dumplings with an apricot ragout and macadamia ice cream.

In the Hotel Chlosterhof, Oehningerstrasse 2. 052/742-4242. Reservations required. Main courses 39F–45F. AE, MC, V. Daily 6–10pm.

Weinstube zum Rothen Ochsen INTERNATIONAL The Inn of the Red Ox opens onto the main square of town, sharing space with the city hall. It is the most revered wine tavern in town, a bastion of good food at affordable prices. Its frescoed facade will draw you inside a cozy atmosphere with an old-fashioned Kachelofen (tiled stove). At night, candles flicker on the wooden tables. Begin with a sausage salad, dried alpine ham, or a tempting antipasti. For the main course, try the savory goulash soup or beef Stroganoff. A selection of vegetarian dishes is also offered, along with some market-fresh fish, poultry, and beef dishes.

Rathausplatz 9. 052/741-2328. www.rother-ochsen.ch. Reservations recommended. Main courses 20F–39F. No credit cards. Mon and Thurs–Fri 11am–11pm; Sat 10am–11pm; Sun 10am–5pm.

Stein-am-Rhein After Dark

Most city residents head home after work in a city that’s not noted for its raucous nightlife. But the bar that attracts more business than any other, Le Papillon, is in the Hotel Chlosterhof (see above), Oehningerstrasse 2 ( 052/742-42-42). It opens every night at 6pm and offers lots of varnished paneling, a woodsy kind of coziness, and views of the river. They will happily stay open until the last customer leaves.

Schaffhausen ★ & the Rheinfall ★★

51km (32 miles) N of Zurich; 27km (17 miles) N of Winterthur

Once a major depot for river barges, Schaffhausen is built on terraces along the steeply inclined right bank of the Rhine. Although many sections of the city are modern and heavily industrialized, Schaffhausen retains its medieval spirit, exemplified by its romantic fountains and old, brown-roofed houses, dotted with oriel windows and decorated with statues in niches. It’s a center for visiting the Rhine Falls (Rheinfall), one of the most popular sights in northeastern Switzerland.

Once ruled by the Habsburgs, Schaffhausen became an imperial free city and later the capital of a Swiss canton of the same name. Germany borders the canton on three sides, heavily influencing the Teutonic flavor of much of the city’s architecture.

Essentials

Getting There Schaffhausen is on all major north-south train lines between Stuttgart and Milan. There are at least 14 express trains from Zurich every day (trip time: 40 min.). Call 0900/300-300 for more information. If driving from Zurich, head north on Route 4 all the way, which takes about 1 hour.

Visitor Information The Schaffhausen Tourist Information Office, at Herrenacker 15 ( 052/632-40-20; www.schaffhauserland.ch), is open in summer Monday to Friday 9:30am to 6pm, Saturday 9:30am to 4pm, and Sunday 9:30am to 2pm; winter hours are Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm and Saturday 9:30am to 2pm.

Seeing the Sights

Spend a morning touring the Old Town ★ on foot. There’s a good view of the town from the battlements of the Munot, which dates from 1564. The round fortress has a tower, platform, and parapet walks. It can be reached by stairs and has a covered footbridge across the moat. The Munot is the only fortress to be based on a book by Albrecht Dürer, published in Nürnberg in 1527. The fortress is open May to September daily from 9am to 8pm, October to April daily from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free.

The crowning glory of the Old Town is the Münster (All Saints’ Church), on Münsterplatz. Now Protestant, it was formerly a Benedictine monastery, consecrated in 1052. Its Romanesque architecture is stern and plain. In a nearby courtyard is the 15th-century bell that inspired Schiller’s poem “Song of the Bell” and the opening of Longfellow’s “Golden Legend.”

The most characteristic street is Vordergasse ★, where visitors usually stop to photograph the frescoed Haus zum Ritter, dating from 1485. On Fronwegplatz, you’ll find two outstanding fountains from the 1520s.

Museum zu Allerheiligen (All Saints’ Museum) ★, Baumgartenstrasse 6 ( 052/633-07-77; www.allerheiligen.ch), is one of the most important national museums in Switzerland. The exhibits range from prehistoric times to the present, including traditional garb of the province, old weapons, and period furnishings. Visit the Treasury in the former abbots’ salon. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Admission is 9F for adults, free for children 15 and under.

A Spectacular Waterfall

The Rheinfall (or Rhine Falls) is the most celebrated waterfall in central Europe. It’s also the most powerful—700 cubic meters of water per second rush over a width of 137m (449 ft.). The water falls 21m (69 ft.), a sight that inspired Goethe to liken it to the “source of the ocean.” This natural wonder is most spectacular in early summer when it’s fed by mountain snows.

From the bus station at Schaffhausen, take bus no. 1. There are frequent departures for the 10-minute ride. A train runs every 30 minutes during the day from the station at Schaffhausen to Rheinfall.

To get to the Rheinfall from Zurich, take a train from the Hauptbahnhof to Neuhausen and get off at the Rheinfall stop. The trip takes less than an hour. It’s a 15-minute walk from the train depot at Neuhausen to the waterfall. To further enhance the experience, you can take a 15F boat trip to the rock in the center of the Rheinfall from April to October.

In addition, the falls can be viewed from the belvedere of Laufen Castle on the left bank. The castle has been converted into a restaurant with a staircase that leads to the view. Bring a raincoat.

You can also take a ferry across the river to Neuhausen and the little castle of Schlöseli-Wörth ( 052/672-24-21; www.schloessliwoerth.ch), built in the 12th century as a Customs post. Today it’s a restaurant, open daily from April through September.

Shopping

Consistent with its role as a hardworking, industry-conscious border town, Schaffhausen doesn’t place too much emphasis on folklore, so the handful of kitschy souvenirs you’re likely to find will probably be sold from small shops around the railway station, or from nondescript outlets beside either of the town’s main shopping streets, Vordergasse and Fronwegplatz. More appealing is a shop that specializes in equipment designed for climbing, skiing, and virtually every other sport you can think of: Benz, Schützengraben 9 ( 052/624-56-93; www.schaffhausen.ch). In addition to everything from tennis racquets to snowshoes, the outlet sells clothing suitable for any weather Switzerland can dish out.

Where to Stay

Hotel Park Villa ★ This chiseled gray hotel is located near the train station in a municipal park with massive trees. Originally built as an opulent private home around 1900, it was converted into a hotel in the 1960s. It’s designed very much like a castle, with towers and steep roofs. The interior is as graceful as the exterior is rough, containing crystal chandeliers and several public rooms with fresh flowers, comfortable chairs, and oil paintings. A few bedrooms are decorated regally with antiques; others are in an uninspired modern style. All units are well maintained.

Parkstrasse 18, CH-8200 Schaffhausen. www.parkvilla.ch. 052/635-60-60. Fax 052/635-60-70. 20 units. 215F–235F double; 294F–308F suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; room service; outdoor tennis court (lit). In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Rheinhotel Fischerzunft ★★★ Located on Freier Platz next to a promenade along the Rhine, this is an inviting inn that was formerly occupied by the fishermen’s guild. The Jaeger family converted it to a hotel in 1898. The main public room has Chinese decor. Since there are so few bedrooms, and this place is so well known, reservations are especially important in summer. The château-style, contemporary bedrooms at first appear out of place in such a medieval city, but they’re soothingly comfortable. The six with views of the Rhine carry higher price tags.

The excellent restaurant mixes classic European and Asian influences, featuring such dishes as stewed morels with sugar snaps or roast sirloin of veal from the Grisons served with a morel-studded ravioli. The dishes are rich in taste, texture, and presentation. The desserts include a medley of passion fruit and papaya.

Rheinquai 8, CH-8202 Schaffhausen. www.fischerzunft.ch. 052/632-05-05. Fax 052/632-05-13. 10 units. 295F–360F double; 460F junior suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Where to Eat

Consider an elegant dinner at the Rheinhotel Fischerzunft (see above), which many critics concur is one of the top three restaurants in Switzerland.

Restaurant Gerberstube ITALIAN/INTERNATIONAL The Guidi family runs the finest Italian restaurant in Schaffhausen. The dining room is in a 17th-century guildhall, which contains a changing exhibit of modern paintings. You may begin with stracciatella, the famous egg-and-consommé soup of Rome, and follow it with spaghetti, cannelloni, or a veal schnitzel pizzaiola. Some favorite offerings include chargrilled shrimp with basmati rice or sliced veal in a Madras curry sauce. They also serve many classic dishes, including chateaubriand with béarnaise sauce and various preparations of veal and pasta. The cooking, although not exactly innovative or exciting, is always reliable and satisfying and is prepared with quality ingredients.

Bachstrasse 8. 052/625-21-55. www.gerberstube.ch. Reservations required. Main courses 21F–69F. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues–Sat 11am–3pm and 6–10:30pm.

Wirschaft zum Frieden ★ SWISS One of Schaffhausen’s most folkloric and romantic-looking restaurants occupies five richly paneled dining rooms within the thick and solid walls of a building that dates from 1445. In summer, expect masses of flowers on the building’s balconies, and even more pleasingly, one of the city’s finest gardens in back, where tables are set up beneath wisteria vines and venerable trees as a means of appreciating the seasonal warmth. Some of the more delectable menu items include fried monkfish cheeks crusted with cilantro and served in a red curry sauce; fried perch filets in a lemon butter sauce; roast braised veal cheeks with a potato mousseline; Zurich-style minced veal in an herb-flavored cream sauce; an excellent version of calves’ liver with rösti potatoes; and a mixed grill that combines portions of veal, beef, calves’ liver, and chicken. Dessert may include a satisfying dish of poached seasonal fruit (including plums, peaches, and/or apricots), sometimes garnished with ice cream.

Herrenacker 11. 052/625-47-15. www.wirtschaft-frieden.ch. Reservations recommended for dinner Fri/Sat. Main courses 39F–48F. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues–Sat 11am–2:30pm and 6pm–midnight.

Schaffhausen After Dark

Many night owls gravitate toward Schaffhausen’s Saffrangasse, a narrow historic street with the most crowded and popular bars in town. Two of them stand out. The Bar Orient, Stadthausgasse 13 ( 052/633-02-02; www.orient.ch), a loud, sometimes raucous hangout for folks under 35, offers high energy, foaming mugs of beer, and occasional bouts of live music. Its most visible competitor is the smaller, somewhat calmer Cuba Club, Saffrangasse 2 ( 052/625-34-98; www.cuba-club.ch), which is also favored by clients under 40. Catering to an older and somewhat more sedate crowd is the Piano Bar Eckhaus, Stadthausgasse 1 ( 052/624-55-55), where stiff drinks, a cozy setting, and live piano music help Keep the conversation rolling. Most spots are open 7 days a week.