Visit The Land of Roses in This Stunning Swiss Town

In summer last year I was cycling the Eurovelo 6. I began the route in Caen, France and followed the Loire and the Rhine all the way to Mulhouse. In Mulhouse I stayed with a sweet older married couple who lived in a quiet neighborhood on top of a hill. Their home was small but elegant, and they had an energetic puppy who loved to play.

There was another cyclist staying that night also. We each were given our own rooms to sleep, of which belonged to the couple’s children who are now away living their adult lives. The husband only spoke French, so the wife would translate as we spoke. She prepared dinner for me and the other cyclist, I cannot remember where he is from. He was cycling the Eurovelo 6 in the opposite direction. 

Our hosts had a dinner with friends to go to, so they left us both to enjoy the dinner they had made for us. It was veggies and tofu (meat for the other cyclist) with, of course, camembert and a crisp white wine - both very popular in France. (For those unfamiliar, camembert is a soft, creamy mould cheese originating from Normandy, France. It’s well-loved by the French, though I have to admit I prefer harder cheeses such as Comte.)

After a very comfortable sleep in a cozy bedroom, I was ready to hit the road to Switzerland. After a healthy breakfast of yogurt and fruit, and coffee, I packed up ol’ Dusty and wheeled her out of the garage.

I waved goodbye and cycled the short distance to the Swiss border, crossing the bridge to Basel. As always, crossing a border into another country is thrilling, and I took in the unique culture of Marktplatz on the Rhine River and the modern European architecture of the buildings on its bank.

If I’m being completely honest, my time in Switzerland was hard. I spent three weeks alone in a large, ostentatious house in a semi-rural village, and fell into a crippling depression. I was isolated most days and I didn’t fit into the environment. Not my best time, unfortunately. 

For that reason I didn’t get to explore as much of the country as I had hoped. However, I did venture out for some activities a handful of times. I visited Zürich, went for a hike with some other travelers I met (and it was gorgeous), rode an Alpine coaster, and on one sunny day I visited a beautiful village called Rapperswil-Jona, which means ‘town of roses.’

I had no clue about Rapperswil, and only decided to visit after a local told me that it’s a nice place to spend a day. 

There was a lot of rain during my time in Switzerland, but perhaps the sky knew I needed some positivity and chose my day out to let loose the sun.

When I arrived in Rapperswil, a short bus ride from the village I was staying, I walked around the city center admiring its charming European buildings in pastel colors and the Bavarian influence of the homes surrounding the area. The city led pedestrians along typical cobblestone streets past shops, markets, and quaint cafes.

There were two things I noticed during my time walking around in Switzerland cities; the first is that it’s perfectly acceptable to take a swim in the rivers, even right in the middle of the city. The second is that the towns all have drinking fountains where water runs nonstop out of an ornate faucet and usually into a rounded bowl. My guess is the water gets funneled back up into the fountain.

There’s a lot to explore, as the tiny coffee cafes tucked into narrow alleyways tempt passersby and the handmade gifts, such as the flower pinwheels I was captivated by, catch the eye. Once you get to the town square, it opens up to reveal a courtyard of restaurants and in the center a grand fountain in front of fifty-three stone steps leading up to an ancient medieval castle. 

I didn’t go inside Rapperswil Castle but I did walk around the stone walls and didn’t miss out on the best part - the breathtaking views of staggered homes in the traditional soft colors of cream, pale yellow, and light gray. The fact that the houses are closely clustered together adds to the feeling of coziness and the historic charm. With the sweeping vistas of Lake Zürich and the rolling Alpine peaks in the background, you would almost think you’re looking at a postcard.

Rapperswil’s striking beauty can be experienced from ground level too. If you walk along the river below the castle, you’ll find yourself surrounded by roses - 16,000 to be precise. There is something so sensory about roses, especially when you’re immersed in gardens full of them. The combination of the light, romantic scent and the strikingly bright colors is truly majestic. Even without the colors, one can get lost in an imaginary fairytale just by breathing in the sweet, velvety scent of the flower. In fact, on the “Schanz” the city put a rose garden for the visually impaired, with the names of the flowers written on braille guide panels. I'm currently kicking myself for not getting a photo of the roses. That's how enchanting they were - it put me in a trance!

Before you leave Rapperswil, you must walk the boardwalk. The wooden bridge is built of untreated oak and runs about half a mile long, the longest in Switzerland so I’ve read. You are bound to spot wildlife as you walk over the river, such as the swans and Eurasian coots I saw. I was inspired walking along the boardwalk as I took in the sight of the green mountains behind the glistening lake. If you want, you can even take a picnic and enjoy it on one of the small beaches, or rent a paddle boat near the harbor.

I told myself I would visit Rapperswil once more before I left Switzerland, but by the end of my stay I was so down I left in rather a hurry, eager to get back on the bike and ride away from my depression. That’s its own story, which I share a little about in a former blog post. The good news is after leaving Switzerland and entering Germany I found light again, and I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my time on the Eurovelo 6. 

If I do ever return to Switzerland, and I hope that I do, I will definitely make it a point to go back to Rapperswil. And maybe this time I’ll purchase one of those pinwheels. 

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