Day trip to Rapperswil-Jona

Arrival

We went by car to Rapperswil-Jona, but you can also reach the city easily by public transport.  The drive with the car from Basel takes a little more than an hour. There are numerous possibilities to park the car. We chose the Parkhaus See because it is very well located, right next to the old town and the lake promenade. 

Wooden bridge

Just behind the train station begins the wooden bridge that connects Rapperswil with Hurden. The bridge is 841 m long and the longest wooden bridge in Switzerland. It is a pedestrian bridge, which means that you can only cross the bridge on foot. The historic pier is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The bridge also has a long tradition as a stage of the Jakobsweg and represents the connection between Rapperswil and Einsiedeln. The pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela had to cross the Lake Zurich at the narrowest point between Rapperswil and Hurden and they did so over an unsafe wooden bridge. The planks were neither nailed to the bridge structure nor was there a railing. Therefore, crossing the bridge was not a safe pleasure. Quite different today.  

As it is already towards the end of autumn, the bridge was not visited by many people. We had plenty of space to ourselves. When the sun came out, we sat down on one of the seats on the bridge and enjoyed the sun's rays.

Old town

The medieval town enchants you from the very first moment. The heart of the city beats in the old town. The main square dates to the 14^th century with a picturesque fountain and an impressive staircase lading up to the castle. Rapperswil is known as the city of the roses. Of course, with late autumn here, we don’t have the perfect starting point, but I can well imagine it. We enjoyed strolling around the alleys and looking at the beautiful houses. From the first moment we felt comfortable.

Castle

The castle is the landmark from the city. The castle hill offers a panoramic view from the Glarus Alps to the Zurich Oberland. Just below the castle it has a deer park. The deer park has its origins in a legend that tells of the birth of the town. The legend says that Rudolf, Count of Altendorf and his wife came across during a day of hunting and saw a deer on the shore of the lake and chased him up the hill where the castle now stands. However, both decided to mercifully spare the animal. Shortly after this event, this deer appeared to the countess in a dream and laid its head on her lap in gratitude. Since the count interpreted this event as a divine signpost and so he decided to build a castle on the hill and a town directly below it.

Currency and means of payment

In Rapperswil-Jona you pay in Swiss Francs (CHF). You can pay everywhere with credit cards. It is accepted as a means of payment in all shops, Restaurant or Hotels.

Tip

You do not have to tip in Switzerland. Nevertheless, a tip of 10% of the bill is normal in Switzerland, as it is in the neighboring countries of Germany, Austria and France.

Language

In Rapperswil-Jona the people speak German.