Rheinfelden between the Rhine, the Old Town and the Salt Trail

The Rhine separates the Swiss town of Rheinfelden from the German town of Rheinfelden. In Swiss Rheinfelden, the Old Town, river and forest each offer a different side of a stay. Around half of the municipality’s 1,613 hectares is forest, with barbecue areas and hiking trails. If you would like to make time for the outdoors as well as the historic lanes, this gives your trip another focus.

Old Town, city parks and local history

The Old Town preserves historic buildings and street names that tell the story of a lively medieval town. It is entirely pedestrianised. Residents and delivery vehicles may drive on Marktgasse from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. When planning your routes through the Old Town, take this time-limited exception into account and check the current access conditions before your visit.

The town hall brings together several details worth seeing: it has a Baroque façade, a massive tower and a beautiful courtyard. A mural in the courtyard depicts the Battle of Sempach. The old part of the city park borders directly on the Old Town. With its mature trees, promenade, fountain and pond, it has the character of an English landscape garden. Different activities take centre stage in Stadtpark Ost: there is access to the Rhine, places to swim and barbecue, a large lawn, play and sunbathing areas, a large climbing frame and a natural stone garden. The park areas described thus differ both in their design and in what they offer.

The Fricktaler Museum is housed in Haus zur Sonne on Marktgasse and explores the history of Rheinfelden and the Fricktal region. Its collection includes archaeology and archaeological finds from the Fricktal, medieval crafts, and the history of the tobacco factory and cigars. Those interested in local lore will also encounter St. Anna-Loch: this underground geological fault lies beneath the Rheinfelden Bridge and is associated with numerous legends. A medieval defensive tower rises above the Rhine. In Rumpel, the carillon featuring a goat recalls the legend of the cunning tailor who is said to have saved Rheinfelden from the Swedes. It plays at 9:00 a.m., noon, 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.; check the schedule before your visit.

Inseli Burgstell occupies the former site of Stein Castle. Today, it is a park with views of the Rhine and the Old Town. The island is public land and accessible at any time; nevertheless, check access conditions before your visit. Rheinfelden thus brings together historic sites, parks and local stories, without limiting everything to the Old Town.

The Salt Trail, forest and paths along the Rhine

The 4.5-kilometre Salt Trail runs from the Riburg saltworks to Rheinfelden City Park and takes around an hour in total. Along the way, QR-code stations share interesting facts about salt. The Swiss saltworks at Riburg, near Rheinfelden, can also be visited. Visitors learn how salt is extracted deep underground and used as road salt for winter services in Switzerland. Check the saltworks’ visiting options before making plans.

For a comparison of walking times, consider another route: the cross-border circular trail runs from the old Rhine bridge to the new hydroelectric power station and back along the other side of the Rhine; the loop takes around 100 minutes. The Salt Trail is shorter, at around an hour. These approximate times can help you choose between the two routes based on how much time you have. The Fricktaler Höhenweg crosses the hilly Fricktal region and the elevations of the Tafeljura, offering views across the landscape. In the Weierhalde forest at the level of Augarten, the Rheinfelden Health Forum’s mindfulness trail has ten stations with exercises for relaxation and movement in nature.

There are also several ways to explore the area by bike. The Kleine Fricktaler Velorundfahrt starts and ends in Rheinfelden and, according to the tourism information, is particularly suitable for families. Rheinfelden is also a stage stop on the Rhine Route, which follows the Rhine from Andermatt to Basel’s major Rhine ports. On the river itself, the “R(h)ein ins Vergnügen!” SUP tour offers a guided tour of the town on the Rhine. Check availability before booking this tour.

Beer-making tradition, brine baths and seasonal events

Beer has been brewed at the Feldschlösschen brewery in Rheinfelden since 1876. Feldschlösschen Brauwelt is an attraction at the brewery that visitors can explore. There, visitors can pour their own beer at a digital tap system with 25 taps. Culinary city tours offer further highlights: one format combines a guided walk with food and a three-course salt menu; another culinary tour shares insights into Rheinfelden’s history as a beer town.

Two different brine-bath options are described for a day of swimming. Day visitors are welcome at Solebad Eden; admission includes the brine bath, sauna, steam bath and mindfulness garden. The bath offers water heated to 33°C with natural Rheinfelden brine, as well as a connected indoor and outdoor pool. The “sole uno” wellness world has an intensive brine pool with water heated to 36°C and a salt content of 12 percent, using natural Rheinfelden brine. Check the information about the facilities before your visit.

Recurring events are also part of the annual calendar: the Sebastiani Brotherhood’s Fountain Singing takes place on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve, commemorating the plague. The Rheinfelden Autumn Market is held every year in the Old Town on the first weekend of October. Market stalls offer fashion, crafts, food and more. Since the programme and dates matter when planning your trip, it is a good idea to check the latest information in advance.

Getting there and finding your way

The Interregio 36 takes 12 minutes to reach Rheinfelden from Basel and just under an hour from Zürich main station. Check the timetable for your travel date. The Rheinfelden city bus connects the Swiss and German towns of Rheinfelden every half hour, serving the railway stations and main residential areas on both sides of the Rhine. Together with the various routes, parks and cultural attractions, this information can help you plan which sides of Rheinfelden you would like to explore during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Rheinfelden, Möhlin, Kaiseraugst, Wegenstetten, Stein, Brugg, Kulm, Zofingen.

View the broader travel overview: Aargau.