Sciaffusa

May to September is the best time for the old town, the falls and the Rhine. Summer is warm, and the falls are at their strongest in early summer. Autumn is mild and quiet. Winter is cold and grey, and some boat trips stop. Rain is common in spring and summer.

• Munot is a round stone fortress built in the 16th century. You can walk on its roof and climb the Munotturm for views over the town and the Rhine.
• Münster Schaffhausen is a Romanesque church in the old town.
• Kloster Allerheiligen is a former abbey with a large cloister. It houses Museum zu Allerheiligen, with art, history and archaeology.
• Schwabentor is a medieval town gate on the old town wall.
• Schillerglocke is a bell linked to a poem by Friedrich Schiller.
• Vebikus Kunsthalle Schaffhausen shows contemporary art.

• Walk the old town and look at the bay windows and painted houses.
• Climb to the Munot for views.
• Visit the Rhine Falls from both banks.
• Take a boat or cycle along the Rhine to Stein am Rhein.
• Swim in the Rhine in summer. Use the marked swimming areas.
• Visit the abbey cloister and museum.

• The Rhine Falls are about 10 minutes away by train or bus, at Neuhausen. Paths and viewpoints lead to the water. Boats go to a rock in the middle of the falls in season.
• Stein am Rhein is a small town with painted façades. It is reached by train or boat along the Rhine.
• Zurich is about 40 minutes away by train.
• Lake Constance is about 1 hour away.

• By air: Zurich Airport is the nearest main airport. Trains take about 1 hour.
• By train: Schaffhausen is on the line from Zurich. Check times on SBB.
• The station is a 5-minute walk from the old town.

• The old town is flat, car-free and easy to walk.
• Local buses link the station with the Rhine Falls and the districts.
• Boats run on the Rhine in the warm months.
• The Rhine path is good for walking and cycling. Bikes can be rented at the station.

• A car is not needed in the old town, which is car-free.
• Car parks lie at the edge of the old town.
• The border with Germany is close. Carry your passport or ID.

Try Rhine fish, such as perch and trout. Schaffhausen is known for the Schaffhauser Zungenbrot, a local sweet bread, and for local wine from the surrounding hills. Cheese dishes and rösti are common.

People speak German with a local accent. English is widely understood.

• Schaffhausen is very safe.
• The Rhine has strong currents. Swim only in marked areas.
• Stay behind the barriers at the Rhine Falls.
• Tap water is safe to drink.

Schaffhausen grew where boats had to unload before the falls. The town became rich by trade and by moving goods around the rapids. It joined the Swiss Confederation in 1501.

The Munot was built in the 16th century to defend the town. In 1944, American bombers hit the town by mistake. The old town was rebuilt, and many of its decorated houses survive.

Quick practical facts for Switzerland at a glance: