Stein am Rhein : Switzerland’s hidden gem
Imagine a Swiss town. What comes to your mind? A valley with beautiful wooden chalets surrounded by Alps, green pastures grazed by cattle and ofcourse a lake where you can relax and soak in all the stunning views. And hence, when the lady at the Tourist Information centre in Zurich informed me about Stein am Rhein I had to go and visit it. Not because its name sounded cool but because it is a town unlike any of the Swiss towns.
Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein, which in English means “stone at the rhein”,is located very near to the German border. Stein am Rhein is a historic town whose origin dates back to 1000 AD. The moment you enter the well preserved town gate you are transported to a medieval era. The buildings, especially the ones in the city centre, are extremely well preserved. But what makes this town unique are the frescoes on the buildings. They depict a variety of stories including some legends of the town. Walk around the town and you will feel you are inside an open air art gallery.
Ferry ride on Lake Constance
Interestingly, Stein am Rhein is located at the point where Lake Constance becomes the Rhine river. While walking on the promenade I noticed a few people getting on a ferry. On inquiring, the captain informed me that the boat had made its stop at the town and would continue along Lake Constance.
“We will be leaving in 5 minutes. You can purchase your tickets from the counter in case you want to board” said the captain
“Does this work?” removing my Eurail pass from the inner pocket of my jacket
“Aha! Sure it does. With this pass, the ferry trip is absolutely free for you” he smiled while making way for me to board
I took a seat on the upper deck and in a few minutes the ferry continued its journey. After every few minutes we would stop at a beautiful Swiss town. The setting sun and the light breeze along with some peaceful scenery made the ride memorable. I got down at Ermatingen, a village in Switzerland, to catch a train back to Zurich.
How to reach Stein am Rhein
This charming town can be easily reached from Zurich either by car or train. By car it takes only 45 mins while it takes a little above an hour to reach by train (it’s not a direct train, you will have to change at Winterthur).
Sincera Tip
· Your ideal day trip from Zurich should have its first stop at Schaffhausen where you can witness the famous Rhine falls, the largest waterfall in Europe
· Then board a ferry from Schaffhausen to Stein am Rhein. Infact, it’s the same ferry which continues its journey along Lake Constance!