Hotels near Rapperswil

Rapperswil sits on a small peninsula on the upper part of Lake Zurich and is known as the Rosenstadt, the town of roses, for its many rose gardens. Its car-free old town climbs up to a 13th-century castle that looks out over the lake to the Alps. In December the arcaded lanes are decorated for the season, and the lakefront promenade is quiet and peaceful.

From the town, a wooden footbridge stretches about 840 metres across the lake to Hurden. It was rebuilt in 2001 along the line of a medieval bridge used by pilgrims on their way to the monastery of Einsiedeln, and walking it at dusk, with water on both sides, is one of the best lake walks in the region. Trains back to Zurich run every 15-30 minutes.

Pro Tip: Walk the wooden bridge at sunset, then warm up in one of the old town's cafes before the short train ride back to Zurich.