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0Stein am Rhein is a small, historical town located west of Lake Constance (known locally as Bodensee). The city is known for it’s incredibly well-preserved half-timbered medieval houses, many with beautifully intricate painted facades. The homes are clustered in the old town around the Rathausplatz, or main town square in the old part of the city. Overlooking the town from a nearby hilltop is Hohenklingen Castle which dates to the Middle Ages.
Getting to Stein am Rhein from Zurich
We were staying in Schlieren, a neighborhood just outside of the Zurich City Center. From there we caught a city train to the Zurich Main Station (Zurich Hauptbahnhof – Abbreviated Zurich HB in Switzerland). Then we caught a train bound for Stein am Rhein. Both the city and intercity trains were covered by our Eurail Pass which we highly recommend for saving money while in Switzerland. You need to book it well in advance of your planned travel. You can book your own Eurail Pass here.
Cruising the Countryside on the train was refreshing and beautiful. Green grass for miles, mountains in the distance, cattle grazing, charming Swiss village houses – basically the antithesis of Bangkok. Nature is good for my soul and this is exactly what I needed.
The trains have huge windows perfectly suited for enjoying the countryside and soaking in the views. It took about an hour to get there from Zurich main station, but we enjoyed every minute of it.
How we Spent Our Day Trip in Stein am Rhein
While in Stein am Rhein we started our visit by strolling from the train station through the old city and then hiking to the castle above town – Name of Castle. The trail was pretty steep and definitely not stroller friendly as there were a great number of stairs. Adventure Daddy carried Miss C to the top in our Tula Toddler carrier, and she walked a bit of it, but I found myself huffing and puffing more than once on the climb. There’s also a bit of poison ivy along the way, so be aware, especially if you have little ones walking up with you. Once at the top, there are no tours or anything special for visitors. The castle is mainly used as a restaurant now, but we were in no condition for fine dining after that hike. However, the prices seemed reasonable for Switzerland and the options seemed nice. You can walk around by yourself and see some of the inside of the castle. The views from the top are stunning and include nice panoramas of the city, the Rhein River and, on a clear day, the Bernese Alps.
With our legs shaking from the climb and our shirts thoroughly soaked with sweat, we headed down to town and had ice cream by the river. On the opposite shore, many families were relaxing and swimming at a riverbank park. If you are looking for a kid-friendly activity in Stein am Rhein this would be a great option to consider – so bring your swimsuits!
Floating the river is also a popular activity and we saw many with inflatable rafts, tubes and even pool noodles riding the current past the historic city center. What a fun way to see the city! We hadn’t brought along our swimsuits but I was wishing we had as the clean, cool water was very tempting after our hike.
If you are looking for a bite to eat, many restaurants line the river and are also tucked into charming storefronts in the downtown area. These cafes and restaurants are the perfect place to relax and enjoy a meal with views of the Rhein River and people strolling through the historic Old City – a perfect way to soak in the essence of this historic town.
All in all, Stein am Rhein is a fantastic place to take a day trip from Zurich.
Planning a trip to Europe and hoping to save a few bucks? Check out our guide to saving money while traveling in Europe.
