Veloland Rhine Route: 9 attractions and experiences between Schaffhausen and Bad Zurzach

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In this post, I take you on a bike tour along the Rhine from the northeasternmost city of Switzerland to Bad Zurzach. Just cycling through? No way—there’s a lot to discover over the 53 kilometers. Therefore, we will focus on the sights and experiences along the Veloland Rhine Route in the following lines, making the journey the destination.

The Rhine Route Overview

The Rhine Route (signed with route number “2”) follows the Rhine from its source at Oberalp Pass to Basel. This 435-kilometer bike route is divided into nine stages. And yes: While some “hard-core cyclists” might cover this route in two to three days, the nine stages provide a guideline for the rest of us “ordinary folks” on how a multi-day bike ride downstream along the Rhine might be divided. Now the question is what the actual goal is—to get from A to B as quickly as possible or to experience as much as possible along the way?

New (E-)Bike Experience: RheinWelten

After a look at the RheinWelten App, the answer is crystal clear for me. The journey is the goal! This product, launched by 12 tourism destinations, is aimed at pleasure-oriented cyclists and encourages discovery, enjoyment, and lingering along the Rhine Route.

In RheinWelten, the areas you traverse on the bike ride from the source of the Rhine to the “Port of Switzerland” in Basel are divided into 15 experience worlds. The app contains numerous experience tips for each world. So many, in fact, that one quickly realizes that the stage can easily be extended over several days.

At least that’s my experience. We chose the seventh stage of the Rhine Route (Schaffhausen – Bad Zurzach) to test the RheinWelten app as a source of inspiration and navigation aid. An area that is basically not unknown to me. Nevertheless, thanks to RheinWelten, I discovered some new spots on our bike tour.

Sights and Experiences Along the 7th Stage: Schaffhausen – Bad Zurzach

On our tour from Schaffhausen to Bad Zurzach, we take a closer look at three experience worlds: Schaffhausen including the Rhine Falls, the Zurich Wine Country with its charming half-timbered villages and nationally protected riparian landscapes, and the versatile Aargau Hochrhein. We took two days, equipped with the RheinWelten app and e-bikes rented from the Rent a Bike station at Schaffhausen station, to scout the best sights and experiences along the seventh stage of the Rhine Route.

1. Rhine Falls View at Schloss Laufen

Our first stop is not long in coming. From Schaffhausen station, we follow the clearly posted route signage to the Rhine river promenade. The Rhine Route leads us directly from here to Schloss Laufen at the Rhine Falls. Conveniently, there are not only bicycle parking spots here but also lockers where you can securely store your saddlebags during the visit to the Rhine Falls. Thanks to integrated sockets, you can even charge the battery of the e-bike if needed.

In my opinion, the viewing platforms at Schloss Laufen offer one of the most beautiful views of the roaring waters of the Rhine Falls.

The advantage of a morning visit: before 11 AM it is usually not very busy, and in good weather, you can strengthen yourself with a coffee at the self-service restaurant between the parking lot and the castle under shade-giving trees.

Current opening hours: 09:00 to 18:00 | Cost of tickets to the viewing platforms: 5 CHF for adults | More information: Schloss Laufen

2. Rock Boat Ride

On the opposite river side, the two tour providers “Rhyfall Mändli” and “Schiffmändli” offer various short round trips in the Rhine Falls basin as well as larger round trips with start/end point at the Rhine Falls.

One of the highlights: The approximately thirty-minute rock boat ride, where you have the opportunity to climb the Middle Rock, only accessible by water. In good weather and high visitor numbers, traffic jams can occur when ascending to the viewing platform at the top of the Middle Rock. Therefore, I recommend considering either one of the first tours in the morning or one of the last in the evening.

Cost of rock boat ride from 20 CHF per person | Tickets can be purchased in advance online.

By the way, the opposite side can be reached either on foot via the railway bridge (you can park your bike on the Zurich side during this time) or you can follow the Rhine Falls Route (No. 752) to Schlössli Wörth, where the boat dock is located.

3. Smilestones Miniature World

If you find yourself on this side of the Rhine, a short detour to the Smilestones Miniature World is also worthwhile. In Switzerland’s largest indoor miniature world located at the Industrial Platz in Neuhausen (approximately 15 minutes’ walk from the boat dock at Schlössli Wörth), you can not only see the Rhine Falls in miniature, but also other exciting corners of Switzerland from a bird’s-eye view. To fully appreciate all the lovingly crafted and sometimes humorous scenes in detail, plan for about an hour and a half to two hours.

Summer season opening hours: 11:00 to 17:30 | Adult admission price 21 CHF | For current visit information, go to: Smilestones

By the way, this is also one of those destinations along the Rhine Route that is great for adding to the list of ideas for rainy day excursions.

4. Lama Walk in the Wine Country

As you can see, you can easily spend half (if not a whole) day just around the Rhine Falls. We now continue along the Rhine Route downstream into the Zurich Wine Country. Next on the agenda is a very special experience: a lama walk with Petra Heussi from Wyland-Usziit in the hamlet of Radhof.

To get there, we follow the signage towards Marthalen and from there head towards Rheinau (if you continue directly to Rheinau, you won’t pass Radhof).

Since the mid-2010s, Petra Heussi and her husband have established a new business at Radhof near Marthalen: Workshops focusing on the Wim Hof Method and animal encounters. For the latter, we are here. As soon as we arrive, Petra Heussi gives us our first task: feeding the two Mini Pig siblings, Henry and Josephine. Watching them happily munching and grunting is wonderfully grounding.

After that, we get to know the lama gang and can choose a duo for the walk. We decide on Charlie and Sunny and start our walk after a brief introduction. Petra’s passion for lamas is infectious! During the walk, I learn all kinds of fascinating facts about the so-called “New World camels,” and at the same time, I notice how focusing on Charlie and Sunny and interacting with them calms me down inside. A wonderful experience, and I already know: This was definitely not my last lama walk.

Address: Radhof 1, 8460 Marthalen | You can find a schedule of upcoming lama walks on the Wyland-Usziit website | A 90-minute walk costs 45 CHF per person | individual walks and trekkings are also available upon request

5. Rheinau Monastery

From Radhof to Rheinau it’s only about 15 minutes by e-bike—a breeze! Here we rejoin the Rhine Route. Instead of turning directly towards Flaach, we continue along Poststrasse further into the village until the prominent St. Nikolaus hill church appears on the left, visible from afar. From here, there is a wonderful view of the Rheinau Monastery Island.

In the early Middle Ages, a Benedictine abbey was founded on this Rhine island, which existed until the mid-19th century. After that, the monastery buildings served as a psychiatric clinic until the year 2000. In recent years, the monastery island has been repurposed and today houses, among other things, the Canton of Zurich’s domestic science school and a music rehearsal center. A museum detailing the history of the place is in planning.

It’s worth taking a look inside the 18th-century Baroque church. It impresses with magnificent stuccowork, eleven altars, and frescoes by the Tessiner Francesco Antonio Giorgioli.

The monastery church is accessible only during specific opening hours | Guided tours can be booked individually at this link

Extra tip: Directly opposite the monastery island is the Restaurant Augarten—a country inn as if from a picture book. Moreover, they cook well here!

6. Thurauen

The next section of the route from Rheinau through the Thurauen to Flaach we have already explored on foot. From the bike, there is a completely different perspective, especially since the Rhine Route runs mostly away from the hiking trail, which I welcome. We follow the route signage into the village center of Flaach. There we turn left and are led by the “Badi-signage” to our next planned stop: the Nature Center Thurauen.

Here, you can learn more about the largest floodplain protection area in the Swiss Midlands, its development over the last hundred years, and the local flora and fauna. In an interactive permanent exhibition, you can get to know the various habitats of a floodplain and set out on a short, entertaining discovery trail to search for the inhabitants of the floodplains. Highly recommended for those traveling by bike, as the Thurauen is only touched on the edge by the Rhine Route.

Next to the Nature Center Thurauen is the TCS Camping—both are tips located in the RheinWelten app. Right next to it is the Freibad Flaach. TCS Camping also includes the Restaurant Stäubis, where we fortified ourselves before continuing our journey.

The Nature Center Thurauen is open during the summer season (until mid-October) from Wednesday to Saturday from 13:00 to 17:00 and on Sundays and public holidays from 11:00 to 17:00 | Adults pay 7 CHF admission, families 15 CHF | More information: Nature Center Thurauen

7. By Boat from Rüdlingen to Eglisau

Those who, like us, are hardly making progress due to the many sights, can switch modes of transportation between Rüdlingen and Eglisau. Instead of trudging uphill from Flaach along the Rhine Route to Berg am Irchel, we head to the boat station at Rüdlingen, which is only ten minutes from the Nature Center Thurauen.

Between Rüdlingen, Tössegg, and Eglisau, excursion boats of the Züri-Rhy Shipping Company operate in the summer months. Whether with or without a bike—the 45-minute boat trip downstream on the Rhine is scenically attractive and wonderfully relaxing. We will also remember the friendly crew. Refreshing drinks, a sweet snack, or a chat with the captain—there is something for everyone here..

Season from mid/late March to mid-October | Ticket prices vary depending on the section of the route between 9 and 28 CHF, GA/Half-fare not valid | More information at RheinWelten – Activities

8. Aue “Chly Rhy”

One last look at the pretty town of Eglisau and we move on. The Rhine Route leads us past the Rhine Bridge on less traveled side streets via Zweidlen and Weiach towards Kaiserstuhl. We save the visit to the compactly built and historically protected town of Kaiserstuhl for another time. Instead, we head straight for the renatured floodplain “Chly Rhy” near Rietheim. Here we meet Ambros Ehrensperger. The resident of Fisisbach has been engaged in nature and biodiversity promotion for years and has played a significant role in the development of the floodplain “Chly Rhy”.

The nature reserve, opened in 2015, exudes an almost Amazon-like atmosphere in some corners. With some luck (and at the right time of year), you can also spot the beaver as well as rare amphibians and birds here. For example, the sand martin, which nests in the specially built sand martin wall during the spring months. Fireflies also create special moments here in the summer months, Ambros Ehrensperger tells us.

The floodplain “Chly Rhy” is open year-round and free to access | Dogs must be leashed in the nature reserve | More information about the floodplain “Chly Rhy” can be found on the RheinWelten website

9. Bad Zurzach

After so many exciting experiences, we treat ourselves to some relaxation at the end of our two-day tour through the RheinWelten. Conveniently, the Rhine Route leads right past the Therme Zurzach. In the first half of the 20th century, a probe drilling near here for salt at a depth of over 430 meters tapped into 39.9° warm water from a thermal spring. However, this source was not used for spa purposes until the 1950s. Today, Bad Zurzach is one of the most renowned thermal spa resorts in Switzerland.

The spa facility is worth visiting in summer and winter alike. In summer, the extensive outdoor area including the natural swimming pool and barefoot path comes into its own and invites you to linger. Starting this autumn, the Papa Moll Water World will be added as an additional attraction for families.

Therme Zurzach is open 365 days a year | Prices vary seasonally – discounted admissions are available in the summer months | Further information and offers can be found here: Therme Zurzach

More Tips for Your Bike Tour Along the 7th Stage of the Rhine Route

• • In RheinWelten, you’ll find not only many excursion tips and sights along the Rhine Route, but also tips for restaurants and hotels. For example, we discovered both our accommodation in Bad Zurzach (the VitalBoutique Hotel Zurzacherhof) and the Restaurant & Brasserie Zur Waag in Zurzach in the app. Hotel stays can also be booked directly through RheinWelten.

• • In addition to orientation and navigation, you can also win prizes with RheinWelten. For every tip you discover, you earn points—and once you’ve collected enough, you can redeem them for enjoyable prizes.

• • The app also offers the option to save highlights or mark them for a future tour.

• • All further information can be found on rheinwelten.com.