Since I married my husband 7 years ago, I have called Dachsen my home. Though Dachsen belongs to canton Zürich, it is part of the agglomeration of canton Schaffhausen and is located just 6km from the town Schaffhausen. This small historic town has plenty of charm and beautiful attractions. The highest attraction is the Rhine Falls which is only a 10-minute train ride from Schaffhausen. The buildings in the Old Town are adorned with decorative windows and richly painted facades. The Munot, which is located on a hill, offers the best vantage point for admiring the surrounding landscape. The Schaffhausen promenade (Lindli) stretches over 2 km along the banks of the Rhine river offering swimming spots, walking path and variety of restaurants, cafes and icecream shops.
Eating Out in Schaffhausen
- Enjoy breakfast at: Caffè Spettacolo in the old town. The café offers a wide variety of bread and coffee (which is what we prefer for breakfast usually) and a warm and cozy ambience.
- Grab a coffee at: Caffè Spettacolo or Café Vordergasse in the old town.
- For authentic Swiss hospitality: Located in the middle of the town, Kronenhof Schaffhausen offers an interesting combination of Mediterranean and Swiss food. To accompany this amazing food, you will find almost 30 different varieties of wine locally made in Schaffhausen. Gasthaus Adler which is located next to “Schwabentor”, is also one of the fine dining restaurants serving various Swiss dishes.
- For a hipster vibe: US-Mex Schaffhausen offers delicious US/ Mexican dishes and a hip ambience.
- For something more international: Afrikana restaurant offers a rich variety of Eritrean and Ethiopian food. Santa Lucia, located in the middle of the old town offers delicious Italian food with a great ambience. If you are in the mood to eat kebab, döner or dürüm, try Tasty – Gourmet Imbiss located very close to the railway station. Thai lovers can enjoy all the specialties offered by Lemongrass.
- Dine with the Family at: Restaurant Paradies (3km away from the old town), located next to Rhine river serving a wide variety of food and drinks. Our family`s favourite is Restaurant Alter Emmersberg, a very child-friendly Italian restaurant, located close to Schaffhausen Munot.
- In between Sightseeing take a break: at Luna’s Crêpes. It is run by two powerful women through an old and lovely citroen van parked directly at the Rhine riverside. The crêpes they offer are super delicious. Be it savory or sweet, there is a huge variety of choices.
- For when you need something light: Try different kinds of Focaccia with a cocktail or a coffee at Lindli Kafi, a pop-up café located on the banks of the Rhine river.
- Vegetarians will feel at home at: in almost all the restaurants in Schaffhausen. Being a vegetarian myself, I love eating at US-Mex, Santa Lucia and Lemongrass.
- For Date night: Visit Villa Sommerlust, a fine dining restaurant with a beautiful view of the Rhine river. The restaurant offers wide range of culinary delicacies, local and international wines, and a beautiful ambience for your perfect date.
- For girls’ night out: My favourite is Güterhof. It is a former warehouse converted into a restaurant and features a bar, lounge and terrace directly on the Rhine. On a fine sunny day, you will find lots of people enjoying different food and drinks on the cozy terrace.
- For drinks: Our favorites are BAR N°13, Güterhof, or Lindli Kafi
- Grab something sweet at: Zuckerbäckerei Ermatinger. They make all kinds of cakes, tarts, breads and chocolates. For the best homemade icecream, don’t forget to drop in at El Bertin Glacé located in the lower part of Schaffhausen.
Where to Shop in Schaffhausen
- Buy your groceries at: I usually buy at Migros which is right next to the train station or sometimes at Coop which is in the middle of the town. There is also an Asian store where I buy Indian products.
- Visit the Farmers Market: Every Saturday between 7am and 12pm. Find variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, flowers, and dairy products.
- Grab a loaf from: Müller Beck Schaffhausen offers varieties of fresh breads every day.
- Chocolate lovers shouldn’t miss: Thomas Müller Chocolatier & Zuckerbäckerei Ermatinger are my favorites when it comes to shopping local specialized chocolates.
- The best Cheese can be found: We find the ones we get in Migros Supermarket tasty and inexpensive.
- Pick up a souvenir at: Munot shop located in the lower part of old town Schaffhausen or if you are visiting Rhinefalls, you can buy them at the many souvenir shops located by the falls.
- Find something for the home at: Household section in Manor or Madal Bal, if you are looking for more eclectic items.
- Buy the kids something at: Children`s section in Manor or Orell Füssli.
- My favourite clothing store: is Newyorker located in the upper part of the old town. For more shopping options, you can visit Herblingen Markt, a shopping mall located 5km from the old town Schaffhausen.
- Grab a nice bottle at: URBN DRNK Store & Bar. We are not big fans of wine. But we usually buy our favourite gin here.
Acitivites In and Around Schaffhausen
- Hop on a bike and cycle: around the town, and along the banks of the river Rhine or ride to Rhinefalls or to Stein am Rhein.
- Families love to visit: The Munot, the most important landmark of Schaffhausen. Built in the 16th century, this fortress hosts open-air movies, children’s festivals, dance events and a wide range of other events.
- Take a dip: in Rhybadi Schaffhausen. Not only can you spend the day swimming and relaxing here, you can even enjoy the concerts, cinema and theatre they organize as well.
- Pull on your hiking boots and: take a hike from the old town Schaffhausen to the Rhinefalls. There is a good walking path and suitable for all hiking skill levels.
- An easy day trip: to Stein am Rhein, another beautiful medieval town in Canton Schaffhausen. You can easily reach Stein am Rhein from Schaffhausen through bike, car or train.
- Locals ski at: Opfertshofen (around 12km from the old town). It is a small child-friendly slope and probably the only ski slope in Schaffhausen.
- For the best views: Walk upto the Munot and enjoy the surrounding landscape.
- If it is raining: Spend time reading at Bibliothek Agnesenschütte. Check out the history and exhibits of the well-known IWC Schaffhausen watches at the museum located in old town Schaffhausen. Performing arts lovers can enjoy plays, music and dance at Stadttheater Schaffhausen. Spend a day at KSS Freizeitpark Schaffhausen. Whether its summer or winter, this leisure park offers wide range of activities for every age group.
- A great playground: is located at Munot (Munotspielplatz). It is quite spacious with lots of equipment for kids to play. There is even a small café which offers drinks next to the playground.
- Don’t miss a visit to: Kloster Allerheiligen, a former Benedictine abbey with a history spanning over 1000 years. You can visit the Museum zu Allerheiligen, an art museum and a natural history museum, the monastery garden, and the buildings of the former convent, including the library.
- When guests visit: Make sure to take them around the old town so that they can admire the town`s beautiful architecture and the painted facades.
All the Locals of Schaffhausen Know
- Local festivals not to miss: Lindli Fäscht (happening in July this year) is one of the highlights of Schaffhausen where people get to enjoy Music and street food. Stars in town, August 1st fireworks in Rhinefall, Christmas market, Fasnacht, Street food festival are some of the festivities to look forward to when you are in Schafhausen.
- It is busier on: any sunny weekend.
- The best time of year to visit is: summer when you can enjoy all the festivities this town has to offer.
- Best place to watch the sunset: is the Munot.
Getting Around Luzern
- Best to get around on: a bike or by foot. The town is quite small so you don’t need a car to go around. If you want to visit Stein am Rhein, you can park your car near the railway station and take a train.
- Closest airport/train station/bus stop: The nearest airport is Zürich airport. Schaffhausen town has a railway station and the main bus stop close to the old town.
- Traffic Tips: You can find a lot of traffic inside the town and the motorway (A4) heading in and out of the town during the peak hours in the morning and in the evening.
About Madhurya
I am a Sales Manager working and living in Switzerland with my husband Mike, our son Neel (4.5y) and daughter Nyra (1.5y). In my spare time, I love to read, crochet, travel, blog and ride my bike. With our blog “These fleeting days”, my sister Manasa and I share our stories in India and Switzerland, respectively.
