Musing in Schaffhausen

Rhine Falls’ landscape highlighted by fall shades

Another month, another Swiss city. Last week a very dear friend of mine came to visit from abroad and we decided to explore yet another part of my own country I didn’t know at all: Schaffhausen.  And oh my were we not disappointed?! Switzerland is definitely full of unexpected surprises!

Schaffhausen is a little town located in northern Switzerland, only a few minutes away from the German border and dating back to 1045! It’s mainly known worldwide for two reasons:

1. The area is home to Europe’s largest waterfall, the Rhine falls;
2. Schaffhausen is also home to the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC.

While in Schaffhausen we went to the Rhine falls. But also discovered a charming town made of an array of pastel-coloured houses and ivy-covered medieval towers and castles. By taking the time to really explore the city you really get its “medieval spirit”: secret alleyways, tiny cobbled streets, romantic archways and let’s not forget the 171 houses adorned with their typical oriel windows. Schaffhausen really takes you back in time. Plus, it has such a peaceful and relaxing vibe (although the relaxing vibe might also have been due to the spa of our hotel…).

And of course there is the “waouh-factor” aka the Rhine Falls! Located about ten minutes by bus from the city center, they really were the highlight of our little adventure in the “Schaffhauser Land”. When you arrive with the bus from Schaffhausen you still have a 5-minutes’ walk down the road before the actual Rhine river banks. Once you’ve reached these, the landscape you’ve in front of you is mind-blowing! We even booked a 15 minutes tour on a boat taking people within a touching distance of the Falls. During this tour you can also climb on a “lonely” rock in the middle of the Falls basin so you can admire them from close-up: A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

And now I even have another item of my bucket list checked!

What also helped making this three-day trip a success were the weather and local’s friendliness! Except for the Sunday, we had a beautiful fall sunshine and warm temperatures. The fall shades of the lush nature surrounding the Rhine Falls where nicely highlighted. Plus people were so nice and helpful!

All in all, if you want to be surprised go and visit the Schaffhausen region! It’s perfect for a 2-3 days getaway, allowing you to combine sightseeing with shopping. You can also extend your visit to the country side and explore the region’s unsuspected vineyards.