Rhine Falls - a wonder of nature

In Christmas 2012 some friends gave me a "Wonderbox" that allowed me to choose one of the 50 destinations for 2 nights. In the list, Schaffhausen and its Rhine falls caught my attention. A choice I do not regret. It was an amazing weekend!

Taking advantage of a christmas gift given by friends, a weekend destination chosen by me, I decided to visit the famous Rhine falls, in the town of Schaffhausen in Northern Switzerland, near the German border. I added a vacation day to that weekend to enjoy 3 days of relax dedicated to walking and photography. First I visited the falls, the main attraction in the region. And I found out why. What a wonder of nature! After traveling several hundred miles from the Alps in Eastern Switzerland, when the waters of the Rhine arrives at Schaffhausen region, they found a geological accident with 75 ft height by 492 ft wide, falling down by it and conceiving the biggest waterfalls in Europe. In the middle of it stands a huge rock, which bore the fury of the elements for an entire millennium. The rock can be reached by boat at the end of a tour around the falls of the Rhine, during which I was able to closely observe this natural spectacle. Parked in the middle of the waterfall at the top of the rock, there is a platform that juts out, giving me the sensation of hovering above the Rhine. Decorating the landscape there are the castles of Wörth on the Rhine basin and Laufen at the top of the hill, which give even more romance to the landscape. A beautiful garden surrounds the Rhine basin where is possible to admire the falls sitting on a park bench or walking along the sidewalk. At night the scene changes and becomes magical when the Rhine falls is illuminated by spotlights.

On the second day I began visiting the city of Schaffhausen. The historic centre of Schaffhausen is considered one of the most beautiful of Switzerland, due to its many glazed bay windows and lavishly painted façades. Many of the houses date from the Gothic and Baroque periods. The Munot fortress, the emblem of the city can be seen for miles around. This ring-shaped fortress was built between 1564 and 1589 according the project of Albrecht Dürer. At its highest point, the view over the city enjoys extreme magnitude, extent and beauty.

In the end of the day, I drive to the shores of the Lake Constance, approximately 30 miles far from Schaffhausen. Formed by the Rhine River and measuring 39 miles long and 7 miles at its widest point, the Lake Constance is the third biggest lake in Central Europe situated between Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Its landscape promotes relax and inspiration. The cities and villages on the shores provide a wonderful sight, with many natural attractions, medieval castles, islands, vineyards, churches, abbeys, and an inestimable cultural value. Is like travel back in time! In the cities, medieval houses, with their crowded flower pots of colorful flowers, were transformed into cosy restaurants, hotels and cafes. A good way to know its shores is to do a boat trip. Unfortunately I didn’t had time.