If you’re planning to travel Switzerland, add a visit to Schaffhausen! It’s a cute Medieval town in northern Switzerland and a perfect destination for fall.
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Schaffhausen hit the sweet spot for a few days’ getaway: a historic city, a beautiful setting, surrounded by hilly vineyards, with plenty of good food to be had.
The nearby Rhine Falls is a tourist draw, and they’re worth a visit. Most people visit the Rhine falls as a day trip from Zurich, and often only pass through the town’s train station on the way there. But Schaffhausen is way more charming than Zurich, so I recommend spending at least one night here to get to soak up the town. That means it’s not choked with tourists!
I highly recommend that you visit Schaffhausen in October. Going in fall was gorgeous! The leaves were in full color. Fall can mean the weather isn’t always sunny, but we had sun every afternoon and no rain, just clouds.
Need to Know: Schaffhausen Logistics
Language: As is unsurprising in Switzerland, the vast majority of locals speak English. They were very patient and kind with our lack of German!
Currency: Swiss francs, but I’ve rarely had need for cash in Switzerland. The main time is if you want to shop at the market, and even then, some take credit card. Just ask before you sit down or start shopping.
Geography: Don’t forget that Switzerland is not part of the EU! Not a big deal, but that’s part of the reason why they use unique currency.
Switzerland is part of the Schengen, which means there are far fewer border controls. If you travel by car or train, there’s probably nothing.
Weather: Typical for the area is cold winters, mild summers, and by September you’ll want a sweater in the mornings. It’s more mild than some of mountainous parts of Switzerland. Pack a raincoat year round.
Transportation: Schaffhausen has a train station just outside the old town, so easy to get here by train. You can drive easily in this area too, but not in the old town if that’s where your hotel is.
Phone data: As always, I recommend an eSIM over a physical SIM card, so much simpler. . Keep in mind that if you already bought an EU based eSIM, it probably won’t work here! I use Airalo, and if you use this link you’ll get 3€ off your first eSIM!
Schaffhausen Hotels
We booked last minute and stayed at the Vienna House. While chains aren’t always my go-to, I thought this one was great for what it offered. It’s also just outside the historic old town, so parking was on-site but we were a 5 minute walk into the middle of things. It was also next door to the train station.
Visit Schaffhausen: what to see and do
The “tourism” draw to visit Schaffhausen is its proximity to the Rhine falls, which is only about 5 km away. It’s close enough to make it a river walk on paved or gravel paths the whole way! I’ll share a separate guide to the Rhine falls soon. But I put tourism in quotes because the vast majority of visitors don’t actually spend time in the charming city; at best they pass through the train station.
I highly recommend grabbing the brochure from the Visitor’s Center. They have a great city map with a self guided walking tour. It’s an easy way to see the city’s most beautiful buildings and a free way to explore the city!
I won’t re-create the whole city guide, but here are some of my favorite historic buildings:
Visitors Center – like I said, this is one of the most beautiful exteriors in the city. Historically, this was the town hall.
Munot Fortress – This is the circular fortification sitting above the city! This 500 year old fortress is meant to protect the city and surrounding area. Climbing up here gives beautiful panoramic views. You can either do the 227 steps up or take a bus up. Entry is free!
Haus zum Steinbock – the intricacy of the art! Used to be the guild house of the butchers.
Haus zum Grossen Käfig– the weird name (translates to “house of the great cage”) refers to a previous tower that was here used as a prison. Now, the paintings on the exterior reference Babylonian and Greek history, including the Trojan war.
Want more on the history and culture? Join a night watchman tour! Unfortunately I didn’t get to check this out (traveling with a baby makes night activities tough), but it looks like a fun way to get some of the history.
If you’re like me and love a European market, visit Schaffhausen’s weekly market on Saturdays! It’s a great place to start if you want a picnic lunch for a walk or a day out.
No matter where you are, keep your eyes to the skies for blimps! Zepplins still run in these areas. It’s a popular tourist thing in the region (both here in the Schaffhausen/Rhine falls area and around Lake Constance).
Schaffhausen Museums
Museum zu Allerheiligen is the city’s history museum. Exhibits date back to prehistoric and up to current rotating exhibitions. The building itself is a former Benedictine monastery and cool enough to consider a visit on its own! Also check out the garden and cloister right behind.
IWC, the International Watch Company, has its headquarters here in Schaffhausen! They have both a museum and boutique here if you’re looking for a luxury watch. Luxury watches aren’t really my vibe, so we didn’t go, but if you’re here and on the hunt for one, the is the spot.
Schaffhausen Restaurants
Before we get into the best Schaffhausen restaurants, a gentle reminder that food is not cheap in Switzerland. For a medium nice meal that’s not fine dining, don’t be surprised if entrees are $40-50 each! This trip, we aimed for cheaper eats because traveling with a baby/toddler means you never know if you’re going to need to make a quick exit. With that in mind, these are some of my favorite restaurants when you visit Schaffhausen.
Restaurant Falken – if you’re looking for a place to get a less expensive but still authentically Swiss meal, this is your spot. It feels more like a bar than a restaurant, but the food was delicious! It is a brewery so do yourself a favor and get a beer here. We ordered off the seasonal menu and both were great.
Noordlicht – this was my favorite if you want something filling for a day walking or hiking! Their star is their bagel sandwiches, but they offer a full breakfast menu. I especially loved the egg bagel. Americans, don’t expect New York style bagels. These are pretty typical to bagels in Europe – a bit flatter and softer. They’re still tasty and make great sandwiches!
WeinKeller – Great way to try regional wines! The staff don’t necessarily speak English, but Cami was happy to give us an extensive tasting and we figured it out. We had a great time! Tasting is free but consider buying a bottle to enjoy on a picnic or back at your hotel.
Müller Beck bakery – good typical bakery, also open early on Sundays (most places close Sundays, a few open but not early). Has both a counter service to order bread, pastries or desserts and a sit down space in the back for a typical breakfast.
Chekes Mexican Food – One of the things we miss most living in Europe is great Mexican food! This place had solidly great burritos with well seasoned proteins. The al pastor was my favorite!
Fassbeiz – This place feels like a bar, but has a food menu with a mix of bar snacks and a few main dishes. At lunch it’s all locals, which is always a good sign! Also decently cheap by Swiss standards. The food was fine, didn’t blow it away, but it did hit the spot for price point and would be fun as a spot for a drink!
If you’re thinking of visiting as part of a bigger trip, Schaffhausen is an easy add on from Zurich, Basel, Lake Constance, Liechtenstein, or other parts of Switzerland!
If you’re planning to travel Switzerland, visit Schaffhausen! I thought it was a darling town without the crowds of more well known Swiss destinations.
