Rapperswil is a small medieval town on the north shore of Lake Zurich, built on a rocky peninsula that juts into the narrowest point of the lake. It calls itself the town of roses — the rose gardens along the lakefront are one of the prettiest spots in eastern Switzerland in early summer — and it has the compact charm and intact old town of a place that history largely left alone. The castle on the hill, the Gothic parish church, and the lakeside promenade can be covered in a half day, but most visitors end up staying longer.
Rapperswil Castle sits on the hill above the old town, its towers visible from the lake for several kilometres. It now houses the Polish Museum — an unexpected institution whose origins lie in the waves of Polish exiles who settled in Switzerland after the failed uprisings of the 19th century. The collection is genuinely moving and the view from the castle grounds is outstanding.
The Holzbrücke — the wooden bridge crossing the narrow arm of the lake to Hurden — is one of the oldest continuous crossings in Switzerland. The original pile-supported bridge dates to at least the 13th century; the current timber construction follows the same ancient line, and the walk across it gives a remarkable sense of continuity. Below the bridge, archaeologists have found prehistoric pile-dwelling remains dating to the Bronze Age.
Rapperswil is 40 minutes by train from Zurich and equally reachable by lake steamer in summer. It can feel crowded on summer weekends when Zurich empties onto the lake, but on weekday mornings the old town belongs mostly to its residents.