The old town of Rheinfelden lies on the left bank of the Rhine. There, the approximately 150-metre-long Inseli divides the Rhine into two branches. Rheinfelden is on the High Rhine, around 15 kilometres east of Basel. Choose from a range of options when planning your trip: brine and wellness, historic lanes, and routes that vary considerably in length and number of stages.
Wellness with brine and bathing facilities
The «sole uno» wellness world has a 36°C pool with a salt content of 12 percent and Rheinfelden natural brine®. It also offers saunas inspired by Finnish and Russian traditions, the SalzReich area, a fire and ice bath, tropical rain, Alpine waterfalls and aromatic steam. Individual facilities may be temporarily unavailable; check current operating conditions before your visit.
The Eden & Spa Eden brine baths have indoor and outdoor pools, border a quiet little park and offer a sauna, a steam bath with various infusions, and a fitness room. Services and access conditions may change. Here, too, we recommend checking the latest operating conditions before your visit.
Old town, museum and walks
Guided tours of the historic old town tell stories about its buildings, lanes and notable figures. The night watchman’s tour winds through dark old-town lanes and offers a journey back to the Middle Ages. Check the official booking page for the latest dates for this tour.
The Fricktaler Museum is housed in Haus zur Sonne on Marktgasse. Its regional exhibits range from archaeology and finds from the ground to medieval crafts, work in the tobacco factory and cigars. During a redesign, access and the exhibition layout may change; check the latest visitor information before your visit.
Stadtpark West is right next to the old town. Stately trees and a spacious promenade offer another place to go for a walk. This means the city experience combines guided insights into the lanes with time outdoors, without requiring you to choose the same activity for both.
Routes for different time frames
The 3.2-kilometre Rheinfelden Salt Trail leads from the Riburg saltworks to Rheinfelden City Park. Ten different steles tell the story of salt, from the primordial sea through antiquity and the Middle Ages to the present day. Check the latest route description for the Salt Trail before your trip.
The Fricktaler Höhenweg offers an option for a longer hiking trip: the trail is just under 60 kilometres long and can be explored in three to five stages. Its first stage starts in Rheinfelden and covers just under 10 kilometres, crossing wooded Steppberg and the long ridge of Magdener Galgen to Sonnenberg and on to Zeiningen. Hiking conditions and trail markers on this stage may change seasonally; check the latest route information before setting out. The comparison gives you a clear sense of the time involved: a 3.2-kilometre themed trail versus a trail of just under 60 kilometres with several stages.
Gardens, beer and boat trips
When the cherry trees are in bloom, the Fricktaler Chriesiweg is a colourful spring outing. The historic Castelen estate has an architectural garden and a landscape garden, as well as picturesque views of the Rhine plain and Augusta Raurica.
Feldschlösschen Brauwelt Rheinfelden offers brewery tours and a visitor centre where you can learn how beer is brewed. A one-day course combines a brewery tour with participants brewing their own beer. Check course availability before booking; access to the visitor centre and tour dates may change.
The boat trip from Basel to Rheinfelden takes around 2.5 hours, passes through the Birsfelden and Augst locks, and offers views of both the Swiss and German sides of the Rhine. Rheinfelden’s landing stage is just a short walk from the historic old town. Sailing dates and timetables are seasonal, and docking conditions may also vary by season. Check the latest timetable before planning your trip.
Getting there and finding accommodation
Rheinfelden has direct motorway access and good public transport connections; many express trains stop here. Basel is 15 minutes away by train or car. Check current timetables when planning your journey.
Discover more destinations: Stein, Wegenstetten, Möhlin, Kaiseraugst.
Go to the main travel overview: Rheinfelden.
