Things to Do in Switzerlandwith theMX-Academy

These things to do in Switzerland lie close together in the north-east, around Schaffhausen and Lake Constance. Every stop comes with a measured driving time from Schlatt TG, so you can plan your day without guesswork.

Rhine Falls around 16 minStein am Rhein around 17 minTechnorama around 27 minZurich Airport around 39 min

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Things to do in Switzerland: the Rhine Falls with Laufen Castle on the wooded cliff and two boats near the rock — Photo: Klaus Bärwinkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Switzerland sightseeing at the Rhine Falls

Start with the Rhine Falls near Neuhausen am Rheinfall, around 16 minutes from Schlatt TG. Switzerland Tourism calls them the largest waterfall in Europe: across a width of 150 metres, the Rhine drops 23 metres. They formed during the last Ice Age, roughly 14,000 to 17,000 years ago, and in summer an average of 600 cubic metres of water per second pours over the edge, against around 250 in winter. Laufen Castle stands directly above the falls, and paths and stairs take you down to platforms so close to the water that the spray reaches you.

For the boldest view, boats leave from both banks of the river and stop at the rock in the middle of the falls, where a stairway climbs to a viewing deck. Whether they run depends on the weather and on the water level. The falls themselves can be visited in every season, so they also work on a short winter trip.

Switzerland sightseeing at the Rhine Falls: autumn trees, the arched railway bridge and stairs up the central rock — Photo: Christian David, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Motocross in Switzerland: rider jumping a Honda against a blue sky above green countryside

MX-Academy Switzerland

Your own motocross day in Switzerland

Between the sights, swap the camera for the handlebars: at the MX-Academy in Schlatt TG you ride a Honda on green tracks with professional coaches – around 16 minutes by car from the Rhine Falls and 39 minutes from Zurich Airport.

Ages 4 to 74, no driving licence needed
Honda and protective gear from kids’ sizes to XXL for hire
Course days on Wednesday and Saturday
A day with rental bike from €390 (CHF 360), non-binding

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Things to do in north-east Switzerland: Schaffhausen and the Munot

Schaffhausen is the nearest town, around 11 minutes by car. Its landmark is the Munot, a round fortress built between 1564 and 1589 on the Emmersberg hill. Vineyards surround the walls, and from up there your eyes wander across the roofs of the old town below. The design of this circular stronghold drew on the fortress ideas of Albrecht Dürer, which explains its unusual round shape.

Watch fans should add the IWC Museum. IWC was founded in Schaffhausen in 1868 by the American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones, and the museum shows more than 230 exhibits from the company's history, from early pocket watches to pilot's and diver's watches. Original documents from the company archive complete the display.

Things to do in north-east Switzerland: the round Munot tower above vineyards and the old town of Schaffhausen — Photo: Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Best things to do in Switzerland by the water

Stein am Rhein, around 17 minutes away, sits on the banks of the Rhine. Its narrow lanes are lined with well-kept half-timbered houses, and many facades carry paintings of biblical and everyday scenes. The former Benedictine abbey of St. Georgen, founded in the 11th century, now houses a museum about the town and the surrounding region.

Further east, Lake Constance is shared by Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Kreuzlingen lies around 41 minutes from Schlatt TG, and the German city of Konstanz around 47 minutes. Konstanz hosted the Council of Constance from 1414 to 1418, and the Imperia statue at the harbour entrance, which slowly turns on its base, recalls that time.

Across the border in Germany, the island of Mainau lies close to Konstanz and has been part of the city since 1971; it is around 52 minutes from Schlatt TG. Known as the flower island of Lake Constance, it owes its gardens to Lennart Count Bernadotte, who turned the overgrown park into a world of flowers and plants and opened the island to the public. Look out for the Italian rose garden, the butterfly house and the arboretum, where some trees are more than 150 years old. The baroque castle was built for the Teutonic Order between 1739 and 1746.

Best things to do in Switzerland: painted facades and oriel windows on the town hall square of Stein am Rhein — Photo: JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

More things to do in Switzerland: Technorama and Zurich

The Swiss Science Center Technorama in Winterthur is around 27 minutes away. More than 500 experiment stations on three floors cover mechanics, electromagnetism, optics, mathematics, perception and biology. Touching is encouraged: at every station you try the effect yourself instead of just reading about it.

Zurich is around 42 minutes by car, and Zurich Airport around 39 minutes, so the north-east makes an easy first or last stop on a longer journey. The city itself deserves its own planning, so this page leaves it out on purpose; you find ideas in our sister guide to things to do in Zurich. Arriving the evening before means you can start your first full day with the Rhine Falls.

Things to do in north-east Switzerland: the Technorama science centre in Winterthur above its garden and pool — Photo: MaddaMom, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Longer day trips for Switzerland sightseeing

With a car and a full day, bigger names come within reach. The measured driving times from Schlatt TG grow, but each of these cities still works as a day trip, especially if you combine it with one of the nearby stops on your way back:

St. Gallen, around 1 hr: the Convent of St Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983
Lucerne, around 1 hr 20 min: the Chapel Bridge, a covered wooden footbridge over the river Reuss
Basel, around 1 hr 40 min: a city on the Rhine, further downstream
Bern, around 2 hrs: the Old City of Berne, on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983

Switzerland sightseeing on a day trip: the twin-towered cathedral and abbey buildings of St. Gallen behind a lawn — Photo: JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Best things to do in Switzerland for action: a motocross day

Every driving time on this page starts in Schlatt TG, home of the MX-Academy. On Wednesdays and Saturdays you can ride a Honda CRF on a private training ground with four tracks. You need no driving licence, bikes and protective gear are available to rent, and riders between 4 and 74 years old are welcome.

A motocross day pairs well with sightseeing, because the Rhine Falls and Schaffhausen are only around 16 and 11 minutes away. Travelling with children or hoping for ideas on a rainy day? Our page on what to do in Switzerland sorts the region by traveller type. If riding is the main reason for your journey, read our guide to a motocross trip to Switzerland, which explains the course day, the prices and the journey from Zurich Airport.

Best things to do in Switzerland for action: low view of a motocross rear wheel throwing sand under dark clouds

FAQ: Things to Do in Switzerland

How long is the drive from Schlatt TG to the Rhine Falls?

Around 16 minutes, according to a route planner calculation that leaves traffic out. Schaffhausen is around 11 minutes away.

Can you take a boat to the rock in the Rhine Falls?

Yes. Boats from both banks stop at the central rock, where a stairway leads up to a viewing deck. Trips depend on the weather and the water level.

Is Konstanz in Switzerland?

No. Konstanz is a German city on Lake Constance, around 47 minutes from Schlatt TG by car.

What is the Munot in Schaffhausen?

A round fortress built between 1564 and 1589 on the Emmersberg hill above the old town, surrounded by vineyards. It is around 11 minutes from Schlatt TG.

Which sights are close to Zurich Airport?

Schlatt TG is around 39 minutes from Zurich Airport. From there, the Rhine Falls, Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein are each less than 20 minutes away by car.

How much water flows over the Rhine Falls?

On average around 600 cubic metres per second in summer and around 250 in winter. The falls formed during the last Ice Age, roughly 14,000 to 17,000 years ago.