TL;DR: A 50-minute self-guided walk through Rapperswil-Jona, the City of Roses, on the upper shores of Lake Zurich. From the medieval castle overlooking the lake to the fragrant rose gardens, across the longest wooden bridge in Switzerland, and through a picturesque Old Town, discover why this small lakeside gem has been synonymous with roses since the Middle Ages.
Tour Overview
| Duration | ~50 minutes (walking + narration) |
| Distance | ~3 km |
| Stops | 7 |
| Difficulty | Easy (mostly flat; short uphill to castle) |
| Start | Rapperswil train station |
| End | Holzbruecke (wooden bridge) lakefront |
| Best Time | June through September for peak rose season; June is the absolute best month |
| Accessibility | Mostly paved paths; castle hill has cobblestones and moderate slope |
Introduction
[Duration: 2 minutes]
Welcome to Rapperswil, the City of Roses. This is your ch.tours audio guide, and for the next 50 minutes, we are going to explore a town that punches far above its weight -- a compact medieval gem on the shores of Lake Zurich that has been cultivating roses, and its reputation, for over 600 years.
Rapperswil sits at the narrowest point of Lake Zurich, where the lake pinches to a width of about 1,500 meters before expanding again into the Obersee, the upper lake. This strategic position made it a natural crossing point for centuries, and the town grew wealthy from controlling the bridge and the trade route that ran across it.
Today, Rapperswil-Jona -- the town merged with its neighbor Jona in 2007 to form a municipality of about 27,000 people -- is best known for two things: its castle and its roses. Over 15,000 rose bushes of more than 600 varieties bloom in gardens scattered throughout the town, reaching their peak in June and continuing through the summer. The annual rose festival draws thousands of visitors, and the town has been officially designated as the Rose City since 1913, though the connection between Rapperswil and roses stretches back to at least the 14th century.
But roses are only part of the story. Rapperswil has a beautifully preserved medieval Old Town, one of the finest small castles in Switzerland, a deer park, a children's zoo founded by the Swiss national circus, and a wooden pedestrian bridge that stretches 841 meters across the lake -- the longest wooden bridge in Switzerland.
Put simply, Rapperswil is one of the most pleasant small towns in the country, and it is only 40 minutes from Zurich by S-Bahn. Let us discover it together.
Stop 1: Rapperswil Station and Lakefront
GPS: 47.2265°N, 8.8176°E Duration: 4 minutes
[Narration]
Step out of Rapperswil's station and walk toward the lake. Within two minutes, you are standing on the Seequai, the lakefront promenade, and the view that greets you is immediately captivating. Lake Zurich stretches before you in both directions, framed by wooded hills and the distant silhouette of the Alps. Directly across the water, you can see the town of Pfaeffikon and the causeway that carries the railway across the lake.
Rapperswil's relationship with Lake Zurich is ancient. A prehistoric wooden bridge crossed the lake at this narrow point as early as 1523 BC -- that is not a typo, we are talking about the Bronze Age. Archaeological evidence, including wooden piles discovered on the lake bed, confirms that people were building bridges here over 3,500 years ago. These were among the earliest lake crossings in Europe, and they connected the communities on either side of the lake long before the Romans arrived.
Look to your right, toward the promontory where the castle rises above the Old Town. That rocky peninsula jutting into the lake is the reason Rapperswil exists. The Counts of Rapperswil built their fortress on that natural strongpoint in the early 13th century, and the town grew around the castle and the bridge crossing. Control the bridge, control the trade. It was a simple equation, and it made the Rapperswil counts wealthy.
On the lakefront promenade, you will already notice the roses. Rapperswil plants roses everywhere -- along the quay, in traffic roundabouts, on public buildings, in private gardens. The town takes its rose identity seriously. In 2008, Rapperswil-Jona won the World Federation of Rose Societies' Award of Garden Excellence for the quality and diversity of its public rose plantings. That is the horticultural equivalent of a Michelin star.
Walk now along the lakefront toward the Old Town. Follow the Seequai to the east, and after about 200 meters, you will reach the entrance to the Old Town at Fischmarktplatz.
Stop 2: Fischmarktplatz and the Old Town
GPS: 47.2264°N, 8.8209°E Duration: 5 minutes
[Narration]
Fischmarktplatz -- the Fish Market Square -- is the gateway to Rapperswil's Old Town, and the name tells you what happened here for centuries. Fresh fish from Lake Zurich was traded on this square, and the fishing industry was second only to the bridge tolls as a source of income for the medieval town.
Walk into the Old Town and notice the architecture. The buildings here are a harmonious mix of late medieval and early modern styles, mostly dating from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Many feature painted facades, bay windows, and wrought-iron signs -- the kind of decorative touches that indicate prosperous merchant families. The ground floors were shops and workshops; the upper floors were living quarters.
Rapperswil's Old Town is remarkably well preserved because the town was never seriously damaged by war or fire after the 15th century. The worst moment came in 1350, when the town was burned during a conflict between the Rapperswil counts and the Habsburg duke. It was rebuilt, and the reconstruction established the street plan and building scale that survive to this day.
As you walk through the narrow lanes, you are walking on history. In 1358, the last Count of Rapperswil died without a male heir, and the town passed through various hands before being purchased by the city of Zurich in 1464. Under Zurich's governance, Rapperswil became an important market town and transit point. The bridge across the lake was a source of perpetual revenue -- every cart, every horse, every merchant paid a toll to cross.
Look for the Curti-Haus on the Hauptplatz, one of the finest patrician houses in the Old Town. Its Renaissance facade, with sculpted window frames and a carved portal, dates to the 16th century and belonged to one of the leading families of the town. The Hauptplatz itself was the civic center, where markets were held, proclamations were read, and justice was dispensed.
Continue uphill now toward the castle. Follow the signs through Herrenberg, the steep lane that climbs to the castle gate. The climb takes about five minutes.
Stop 3: Rapperswil Castle
GPS: 47.2268°N, 8.8225°E Duration: 7 minutes
[Narration]
Rapperswil Castle stands on a rocky promontory overlooking the lake, and it is one of the most perfectly situated small castles in Switzerland. The views from the terrace are spectacular -- Lake Zurich in three directions, the Old Town rooftops below, and on clear days, the snow-covered peaks of the Glarner Alps on the horizon.
The castle was built around 1220 by Count Rudolf II of Rapperswil as the family seat. The original structure consisted of a residential tower, a defensive wall, and a chapel. Over the following centuries, it was expanded and modified, but the basic layout -- a triangular courtyard enclosed by three wings -- has remained essentially unchanged since the 13th century.
The most distinctive architectural feature is the trio of towers that crown the building. They give Rapperswil its iconic skyline and are visible from kilometers away across the lake. The tallest tower served as the main residence of the count and his family. The others were defensive watchtowers and, later, clocktowers.
Inside the castle courtyard, the atmosphere shifts from military to domestic. The courtyard is planted with roses, naturally, and on summer evenings it is used for concerts and cultural events. The castle also houses the Polish Museum -- the Polenmuseum -- and thereby hangs one of the most unexpected tales in Swiss history.
In the 19th century, Switzerland became a refuge for Polish political exiles fleeing Russian, Prussian, and Austrian oppression following the failed Polish uprisings of 1830 and 1863. Many of these exiles settled in Rapperswil, which became an informal center of the Polish independence movement abroad. In 1870, Count Wladyslaw Broel-Plater established a Polish museum in Rapperswil Castle, collecting artifacts, documents, and art related to Polish history and the independence struggle. The collection grew to become one of the most important repositories of Polish cultural heritage outside Poland.
When Poland regained independence in 1918 after World War I, much of the collection was transferred to Warsaw. Tragically, a large portion of what remained in Warsaw was destroyed during World War II. The Rapperswil museum was re-established after the war and continues to operate, preserving the memory of the Swiss-Polish connection and the role that Rapperswil played in keeping Polish culture alive during the long decades of partition.
Walk now to the south terrace of the castle. From here, you look directly down on the rose gardens and the deer park, our next stop.
Stop 4: The Castle Rose Garden and Deer Park
GPS: 47.2262°N, 8.8228°E Duration: 6 minutes
[Narration]
Below you, cascading down the hillside from the castle to the lake, is Rapperswil's most famous feature: the castle rose garden. This is the heart of the City of Roses, and if you are visiting between June and September, the sight and fragrance from this garden are unforgettable.
The rose garden was formally established in 1913, when the town council decided to make the rose the official symbol of Rapperswil and began systematic planting around the castle hill. But the connection between Rapperswil and roses is much older. Local tradition holds that the Counts of Rapperswil cultivated roses in the castle grounds as early as the 14th century, and the rose appears in the town's coat of arms from at least the 15th century -- two red roses on a silver field.
The garden today contains over 8,000 rose bushes representing more than 200 varieties. They are planted on terraces that follow the natural contours of the hillside, creating a cascading effect of color that is best seen from above -- exactly where you are standing now. The varieties range from heritage roses that have been grown in Europe for centuries to modern hybrid teas, floribundas, and climbing roses. Look for the David Austin English roses, which combine old-fashioned bloom forms with modern disease resistance, and the Swiss-bred varieties developed specifically for the Rapperswil climate.
The garden is maintained by the town's parks department with considerable care. Roses are demanding plants -- they need regular pruning, feeding, and disease management -- and the quality of the Rapperswil plantings is a point of civic pride. The annual rose festival, held on the second weekend of June, attracts over 10,000 visitors and features garden tours, floral displays, and rose-themed culinary events.
Adjacent to the rose garden is the Hirschpark, the deer park, where a small herd of fallow deer has been kept since the Middle Ages. The park was originally established as a hunting reserve for the castle's lords. Today, the deer are a popular attraction for families, and the combination of deer, roses, and lake views makes this one of the most idyllic spots in the Zurich region.
Walk downhill through the rose garden now, following the path toward the lake. At the bottom of the hill, you will emerge near the Circus Museum and the Knies Kinderzoo.
Stop 5: Knies Kinderzoo and Circus Heritage
GPS: 47.2250°N, 8.8230°E Duration: 4 minutes
[Narration]
At the bottom of the castle hill, you will find an institution that connects Rapperswil to one of Switzerland's most beloved cultural traditions: the circus. Knies Kinderzoo -- Knie's Children's Zoo -- was established in 1962 by the Knie family, who have operated the Swiss National Circus since 1919.
The Knie family dynasty is one of the great entertainment families of Europe. Friedrich Knie, an Austrian rope dancer, founded the family's performance tradition in 1803. His descendants settled in Switzerland and built what became the Circus Knie, which tours the country every spring and summer. The circus has its winter quarters here in Rapperswil, and the children's zoo grew out of the circus's animal collection.
The zoo covers about 3 hectares and houses over 300 animals from around the world. It is designed for children, with an emphasis on close encounters -- feeding giraffes, riding camels, and watching sea lion shows. But it also includes native Swiss wildlife and participates in conservation breeding programs. About 500,000 visitors come through the gates each year, making it one of the most popular family attractions in the Zurich region.
The Knie family's connection to Rapperswil goes back generations. Their winter quarters, including rehearsal spaces, workshops, and animal housing, occupy a significant portion of the lake-front area. In many ways, the Knie circus is to Rapperswil what Omega is to Biel -- a defining institution that has shaped the town's identity and economy for over a century.
Continue walking along the lakefront toward the wooden bridge. You will pass the public swimming area and a series of parks and gardens, all planted with roses.
Stop 6: The Capuchin Monastery Rose Garden
GPS: 47.2258°N, 8.8202°E Duration: 4 minutes
[Narration]
Tucked behind the lakefront, you will find the Capuchin Monastery, established in Rapperswil in 1606. The Capuchins are a Franciscan order known for their simplicity and their commitment to contemplative life. The monastery's rose garden, though smaller and more intimate than the castle garden, is one of the finest in town.
Monastic gardens have a long history in Switzerland. Medieval monks were the primary cultivators of medicinal and ornamental plants, and the rose held particular significance in Christian symbolism -- associated with the Virgin Mary and with the mysteries of the faith. The Capuchins maintained a traditional monastery garden with herbs, vegetables, and flowers, and roses were always part of the planting.
Today, the monastery garden has been expanded and opened to the public. It contains about 2,000 roses of 120 varieties, arranged in a formal pattern around a central fountain. The garden is quieter and more contemplative than the castle rose garden, and many visitors prefer it for exactly that reason. It is a place for sitting, breathing, and noticing the detail of individual blooms rather than the spectacle of thousands.
The monastery itself is still active, and a small community of Capuchin friars maintains the grounds. The monks' daily rhythm of prayer, work, and silence has continued here largely unbroken for over 400 years. In a world of constant change, there is something grounding about a place where the daily schedule has not fundamentally altered since the 17th century.
Walk now to the lakefront and turn south. After about 300 meters, you will reach the wooden bridge, our final stop.
Stop 7: The Holzbruecke -- Wooden Bridge
GPS: 47.2240°N, 8.8198°E Duration: 5 minutes
[Narration]
The Holzbruecke, Rapperswil's wooden pedestrian bridge, stretches 841 meters across the lake to the village of Hurden on the opposite shore. It is the longest wooden bridge in Switzerland and one of the longest in Europe.
But here is the remarkable thing: this bridge is the modern successor to a crossing that has existed for over 3,500 years. Archaeological surveys in the 2000s discovered the remains of prehistoric wooden piles in the lake bed along the alignment of the current bridge. Dendrochronological dating -- the science of determining age from tree ring patterns -- placed these piles at approximately 1523 BC. That makes the Rapperswil lake crossing one of the oldest continuously used bridge sites in Europe.
The first documented medieval bridge was built in 1358. It was a wooden toll bridge that connected Rapperswil to the southern shore, and it was a major source of income for whoever controlled it. The bridge was rebuilt, repaired, and replaced numerous times over the centuries. A stone and timber dam-bridge replaced the wooden structure in 1878, and this in turn was replaced by the current wooden pedestrian bridge in 2001.
The 2001 bridge is a beautiful piece of engineering. It is built from local larch and oak timber, supported on concrete piles, and designed for pedestrians and cyclists only. Cars cross the lake on a separate road dam a few hundred meters to the east. Walking across the bridge takes about 15 minutes, and the experience is meditative -- nothing but water, sky, and the rhythmic sound of your footsteps on the wooden planks.
On the bridge, you are at the dividing point of Lake Zurich. To your left, the Obersee -- the upper lake -- stretches toward the canton of Glarus and the mountains. To your right, the lower lake leads toward Zurich, 30 kilometers to the northwest. The bridge marks the natural boundary between the two sections, and the water levels on either side can differ slightly depending on wind and rainfall patterns.
If you walk the full length, you will reach Hurden, a tiny village in the canton of Schwyz with a chapel, a restaurant, and views back across to Rapperswil that are well worth the crossing. But even walking halfway and stopping to look back at the town -- the castle on its promontory, the church towers, the rose gardens cascading down the hillside -- is one of the finest views in the Zurich region.
Conclusion
[Duration: 2 minutes]
Thank you for exploring Rapperswil with ch.tours. You have walked through a town where medieval ambition, horticultural passion, and lakeside beauty converge into something truly special.
A few final recommendations. If you are hungry, the Old Town has excellent restaurants. Try the Eglifilets -- fried perch fillets from the lake -- which are a specialty of every lakeside town in the Zurich region. Pair them with a glass of white wine from the Zurichsee vineyards, and you have one of the simplest and most satisfying meals in Switzerland.
For a different perspective on the town, consider taking the boat. The Zurichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft -- try saying that three times fast -- operates regular ferry and cruise services on Lake Zurich, and the boat from Rapperswil to Zurich is one of the most scenic urban commutes in the world. The journey takes about two hours by the regular service and passes through some of the most expensive waterfront real estate in Switzerland.
Rapperswil is an easy day trip from Zurich, just 35 to 40 minutes by S-Bahn on the S5 or S7 lines. It is also accessible by boat, by car, or by bicycle along the lakefront cycle path. However you arrive, the roses will be waiting.
This has been your ch.tours audio guide to the Rapperswil Rose City Walk. Safe travels, and stop to smell the roses.