A Magical Day in Stein am Rhein!

Posted by Michele August 29, 2024

A Magical Day in Stein am Rhein!

What shall we do today? How about we go to Stein am Rhein?? Sounds like a great plan to me!

After an amazing breakfast, where everyone except me decided they would never eat another soft-boiled egg in an egg cup, we jumped in the car and headed on our next adventure; Stein am Rhein. The drive to get there was gorgeous.

The roads here are narrow and the speed limits seem quite high for all the twists and turns, but Gabriel did an amazing job navigating the trip. Upon arriving, he also had to find parking and navigate the parking meter. We have never had a car in Europe before, and while there have been a few challenges, the ability to get up and go on our schedule has been rewarding.

Walking into the town was like walking into a fairyland; just what you would expect in Switzerland. It was magical and historic and the facades were beautifully done.

Stein am Rhein is a small town west of Lake Constance, in northeastern Switzerland. It is known for its half-timbered medieval houses with painted facades, clustered around Rathausplatz in the old town.

We found that some places in Stein am Rhein accept credit cards, and others do not. Since we really wanted a curry bratwurst, and they only took cash, we had to hit up the ATM. The money it spit out was beautiful! This money allowed us to order “the best curry bratwurst in the world” and they were not kidding. It was delicious, as were the French fried potatoes. I never would have dreamed that a bratwurst, slathered in curry “gravy” could taste so good.

After lunch, we went to the Museum Lindwurm: Haus Lindwurm is one of the oldest buildings in the city, dating back to the 16th century. In 1712, the back house was built as a stable and farm building. The Gnehm family and their descendants were the last inhabitants of the Lindwurm.

It is beautifully preserved and the most amazing historical house I have ever been in. The rooms, the furniture, the sleighs, the kitchen, the barn equipment, the pressing machine, everything unique and historic. Only pictures can do it justice. There were three floors in the house and the barn, all fully staged so you could imagine what it was like to live there hundreds of years ago.

The city church was erected in the 12th century and is not a gaudy church like many you see in Europe, but it was well-preserved. I found it interesting that the graves in the churchyard were current. The people buried there died recently. Typically, the graves in churchyards date back hundreds of years.

The dolphin headstone seemed so out of place.

We enjoyed strolling the streets, window shopping, people-watching, and taking photos of signs; I am a sucker for signs, door knobs, and knockers.

After exploring the town, we drove up to the Castle; Burg Hohenklingen. It has been renovated to include a restaurant and public “toilets” which are a rarity here. I imagine many people are married in the castle as the views are stunning. Rattling around a castle always makes me wish the walls could talk.

Thoroughly wiped out and satisfied we headed back towards home. We needed a few food items and stopped at an ALDI; for those of you shopping in Switzerland, ALDI is the place to go! They had an amazing selection of food and is so much cheaper than Migros. They even sell beer and wine. A true one-stop shop!

Home for another charcuterie board experience and then a walk to the top of the hill to watch the sunset.