The Rhine separates Swiss Rheinfelden from German Rheinfelden. On the Swiss side, discoveries range from the medieval old town to forest paths and stops exploring the history of salt. Around half of Rheinfelden’s 1,613-hectare municipal area is forest, with picnic spots and hiking trails.
The Old Town: Alleys and Stories
Historic buildings and street names tell the story of Rheinfelden as a medieval town. The entire old town is a pedestrian zone. Residents and delivery vehicles may use Marktgasse from 07:00 to 14:00; check the rules before your visit. The town hall stands out for its Baroque façade and massive tower. A mural in the beautiful courtyard depicts the Battle of Sempach.
The Fricktaler Museum is housed in the Haus zur Sonne on Marktgasse. Its collection includes archaeology and finds from the Frick Valley, medieval crafts, and the history of the tobacco factory and cigars. The museum also tells the history of Rheinfelden and the Frick Valley. If you would like to explore the city on a guided tour, you can choose from more than twenty themed walks, which also cover the city’s history. Check the current programme before booking.
Parks on the Rhine
The old section of the Stadtpark borders the old town directly. With its mature trees, promenade, fountains and pond, it has the character of an English landscape garden. Stadtpark Ost offers something different: access to the Rhine, swimming spots, picnic areas, a large lawn, play and sunbathing areas, a large climbing frame and a natural stone garden.
Inseli Burgstell occupies the former site of Burg Stein and is now a park with views of the Rhine and the old town. It is public land and accessible at any time; check the access rules before your visit.
The Salt Trail and Brine
The 4.5-kilometre Salt Trail leads from the Riburg saltworks to Rheinfelden Stadtpark and takes around an hour in total. QR codes at various stops provide information about salt. The Swiss saltworks in Riburg, near Rheinfelden, can also be visited. During a visit, you can learn how salt deep underground is extracted and used as road salt for winter maintenance in Switzerland. Check the visitor requirements before you travel.
Brewery History and Local Traditions
Beer has been brewed at the Feldschlösschen brewery in Rheinfelden since 1876. Feldschlösschen Brauwelt is a visitor attraction at the brewery: visitors can pour their own beer at a digital beer-tapping station with 25 taps.
The carillon in Rumpel recalls the tale of the clever tailor who saved Rheinfelden from the Swedes. Accompanied by the Geiss, it rings out musically over the city wall at 09:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 17:00; check the schedule before your visit. Another tradition is the fountain singing performed by the Sebastiani Brotherhood. It takes place on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and commemorates the plague. If you are travelling specifically for the event, check the programme in advance.
Trails, Tours and Getting There
The Fricktaler Höhenweg offers views across the hilly landscape of the Frick Valley and crosses the heights of the Tabular Jura. A cross-border loop runs from the old Rhine bridge to the new hydroelectric power station and back along the other side of the Rhine; it takes around 100 minutes. At around an hour, the Salt Trail is the shorter of the two routes described.
Rheinfelden can be reached by train in 12 minutes from Basel on Interregio 36 and in just under an hour from ZĂĽrich Hauptbahnhof. Check the timetable before travelling. The city bus connects Swiss and German Rheinfelden every half hour, serving the railway stations and main residential areas on both sides of the Rhine; check departure times here too.
Cyclists will find Rheinfelden on the Rhine Route, which follows the Rhine from Andermatt to Basel’s major Rhine ports. Check the conditions and services along the route before travelling. The Kleine Fricktaler Velorundfahrt starts and ends in Rheinfelden and is particularly recommended for families by the tourist information office.
Discover more destinations: Rheinfelden, Möhlin, Kaiseraugst, Wegenstetten, Stein, Zurzach, Bremgarten, Aarau.
For the main travel overview: Aargau.
