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A Visit to the Rhine Falls

Its been a bit of a cloudy and rainy weekend. Not exactly the weather to go outside and take a trip somewhere. Instead, I went on a trip through my collection of pictures and discovered this beautiful photo of the Rheinfall (the Rhine Falls).

Rhine Falls

The biggest waterfall in Europe is very impressive and definitely worth a visit if you are in the area! It is part of the Rhine river and is located between the Swiss cantons of Zurich and Schaffhausen. They are 150m wide and 23 high but the size isn't the most impressive part of it all. What gives the Rhine Falls an aura of grandeur is the sheer amount of water falling down over the rocks: about 250 m3/s in winter and more than 600m3/s in the summer months with peaks almost double that.

In the middle of the falls there is the now iconic rock of the Rhine Falls. It seems to withstand the masses of water rushing by its side without a problem. You can get there by boat and climb up the steep stairs to the top. It's a climb well worth it! Visiting the rock isn't the only activity in the area. There are quite a few other things to do around the Rhine Falls for people of all ages and abilities.

What to do during your visit to the Rhine Falls

  1. You can take a boat ride across the Rhein river. You can either start at the Schloss Laufen or at the promenade on the other side. There is also a combo-ticket for a visit to the rock in the middle of the Rheinfall. It is perfectly safe to climb the rock unless the weather is terribly bad in which case the boat won't run anyway! 
  2. There is a big rope park right next to the Rheinfall. It's one of the largest rope parks in Switzerland with a panoramic zipline route that has a great view of the falls. Bring good shoes and lots of energy for a few hours on the move!
  3. Inside Schloss Laufen, the beautiful medieval castle right next to the Rhine Falls, there is an exhibition about the history of the Rheinfall region. It is a multimedia exhibit and definitely worth seeing. Remember, if you visit the Rheinfall from Schloss Laufen you'll have to pay an entrance fee which includes the visit to this exhibition and an adventure path.
  4. If you visit the Rheinfall in the evening you can enjoy a great light show that draws out the almost magical qualities of this enormous waterfall.
  5. Of course there are also restaurants and a park where you can enjoy a meal or have a picnic.

 More information, prices and directions to the Rheinfall can be found on the official Rhine Falls Website!




© 2011 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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