Schaffhausen Things to Do

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You can walk around the lower basin to see the water coming in huge cascades. It is just so impressive.
We also saw a small boat - there are boat tours to the big rock that is standing in the middle of the falls. This would certainly not be the right thing for me, but might be great for people seeking a little more adventure and thrill. For more information on this, click on the link below. You can see the blue boat in the middle of the main picture. It is possible to climb the rock on some stairs.

As described in the Off The Beaten Path tip, we walked along the river, crossed a bridge and then came to the viewing platform, but you don't need to do that. You can also reach the platform if you go down from Schloss Laufen. Beware, though: The paths around the falls are quite slippery and very narrow.

I think that the view from around the lower basin is much better than the one from the platform, but on the platforum you are very close to the water and really feel its power.

You can see the platform itself on picture 2

This castle is beautifully located above the upper falls. I think that it looks quite idyllic.
It is not known when exactly the castle was built. First documentary evidence is of 859 and suggests that the castle got its name because the Rhine Falls were then called "grosses lauffen" ("big running", because of the running water).
The castle has changed owners very very often (so no real sense in explaining its history here), but in 1941 it was bought by the Kanton of Zurich and since then has become a major tourist destination.

I visited the castle in 2007, but it was completely renovated in 2009.
I also have not visited the interior, so I cannot say anything about the inside. The website says that there is a visitor centre, a museum, a luxurious restaurant and a playground.

There is also a Youth Hostel inside - I think it might be a great experience to sleep there! In a medieval castle, and so near to such a mighty waterfall!

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The Rhine Falls -- Largest Falls in Europe
Formed during the ice age, 17’000 - 14’000 years ago. While there you can visit the The medieval castle Schloss Laufen
On the hilltop. Schloss Laufen (Castle Walk/Run) offers facilities such as dining, refreshments and shopping. It is accessable by car with parking nearby. While there it was worth paying the small fee, 2F i believe, to walk down to the observation platform to get a close up view of the falls. Their also is a boat you can take that brings you to an extraordinary rock formation in between the falls. Below is some useful information.

Getting there:
From the train station Schaffhausen via Neustadt down to the Rhine River heading in direction of the Rhine Falls
(by bicycle 15 minutes, by walking 1 1/4 h)

Interesting facts

Width of the Rhine Falls - 490 ft / 150 m

Height of the Rhine Falls - 80 ft / 25 m

Volume of flow
The average flow of water is 26’450 cubic ft/sec. In 1965 the maximum flow of water was 44’000 cubic ft/sec and in 1921 the minimum flow of water was 3350 cubic ft/sec.

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The falls are 150 metres (450 ft) wide and 23 metres (75 ft) high.

You can go for a boat trip to the foot of the waterfall. You can get out and climb the little island in the middle of the falls, where you have a spectacular view on the falls.

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This year the festival was in Schaffhausen. it involves the northern Kantones of Switzerland and is carried out in different places each year.
Various choirs and musical groups all dressed uo traditionaly, are playing traditional Swiss music, while as usually in Swiss festivals, the main event takes place arroud the long tables with beer, wine and traditional food.

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I have reached the age, where I am content to visit some places and take photos, maybe for the information of other VTers. I can point out the places of interest, like the boat trip to the island, or across the river to the castle.

It is just as enjoyable for me to be with VT friends and to enjoy the view from the restaurant having an unforgettable meal, especially if the dessert is a favourite.

A nice thing to do in Schafhausen is joining a Night-watch tour. It starts at 21:00 when the bells of the Munot ring. It is a special city tour where two guys tell you the stories of the daily life in the 15th to the 19th century very lively. Just imagine: Back then in the town lived
10 000 pigs, people emptied their night pots out of the windows....what a smell!! The tour is about 1 to 1,5 hour long depending on who you might meet :-)... it is Fr. 12.- a person, Kids Fr. 10.-. Check for dates on the homepage. Down side: it is in Swiss German.
Meeting point: Tourist Information Center.

If you are in Schaffhausen you will or should not miss out the biggest waterfalls in Europe. Over 150 m the water falls down 23 m. If you want to get very close, you can take a boat up to the falls to a rock in the middle. Otherwise you can walk down from the castle of Laufen.

The area is nice for walking around and enjoy some restaurants as well.
From Eastern to end of October all trains from 7:45 to 18:15 stop at the falls.