Day Trip: Rapperswil

Situated on the southern shore of Lake Zurich, Rapperswil with its rose gardens, lakeside riviera, and castle radiates a charming Mediterranean ambiance.
Rapperswil, Castle

How Do I Get to Rapperswil?

The most picturesque way to travel to Rapperswil is by boat. From Bürkliplatz in Zurich, the boat trip takes around 2 hours. Those who do not have quite so much time to spare can reach the Town of Roses by train in 40 minutes.

Some Impressions of Rapperswil:

The Heart of Rapperswil

At the heart of Rapperswil is the Old Town. The weekly fresh produce market is held here, as well as music festivals or sports events. From the main square, 53 steps lead up to the castle, from where visitors can enjoy a fantastic panoramic view of lakes and mountains. Fallow deer live in the deer park, while at the foot of the castle hill, the fragrant scent of roses emanates from one of the numerous rose gardens.

Castle in Rapperswil

Anyone who would like to find out more about the Town of Roses Rapperswil, how it came into being, and why deer live on the castle hill, should go on a guided tour.

All public tours in Rapperswil

Sample Local Produce

Whether at the fresh produce market or in one of Rapperswil’s many delightful cafés: be sure to taste some local specialties during your visit.

Hunting for Treasure

The Obersee Adventure Trail extends along the upper part of Lake Zurich and features many lovingly designed puzzles of various degrees of difficulty for families or friends to solve together. All they need in order to do so is the “explorer backpack”. This contains a treasure map and indispensable tools to help them solve all the puzzles and recover the treasure from the Obersee. 

  

Island Hopping

The islands of Ufenau (also known as Ufnau) and Lützelau lie on a level with Rapperswil. Switzerland’s largest island, Ufenau, is owned by Einsiedeln Abbey, and is served by a scheduled boat service. Bathing is prohibited here, but instead visitors can enjoy wine from vines cultivated on the island and “Fischchnuschperli” – pieces of freshly caught, battered fish. Somewhat more lively and noisy is the smaller island of Lützelau, which can be reached by boat taxi, canoe, or pedalo.

Pack Your Swimming Gear!

Surrounded by water, Rapperswil is the ideal place to bathe. Particularly picturesque is the Seebad Rapperswil lido – a real gem and insider tip located below the castle. In the evening, it transforms into a pretty “Badi-Bar” – a great place to watch the sunset.

Stadtbadi Rapperswil

Cool off in these two urban open-air swimming pools:

There’s Always Something Going On in Rapperswil

These are the event highlights in Rapperswil

A Beastly Good Time

At the zoo of the traditional Swiss circus, Zirkus Knie, animal lovers of all ages can get up close and personal with their favorite species. What’s more, they can even ride on or feed some of them. Anyone who gets hungry themselves can find Thai specialties at the Himmapan Lodge, as well as other garden bistros in the zoo grounds.

Knie’s Children’s Zoo

Knies Kinderzoo is just 5 minutes from Rapperswil-Jona Train Station. It is open daily and is wheelchair accessible.

Plan a Visit

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