The Rhine Falls is the largest waterfall in Europe by volume — not by height, but by sheer mass of water moving through. The falls drop about 23 metres over a width of 150 metres, and in June when Alpine snowmelt peaks, the roar is audible from several hundred metres away. Standing at the railings on the Swiss bank, with spray on your face and the current visibly accelerating before the drop, is genuinely impressive.
Boat trips run from both banks out to the central rock, which sits in the middle of the falls and has a flagpole on it. Getting there requires a short climb up metal steps in the spray — it is wet and loud and good. The best months are May through July. In late summer the volume drops noticeably, and while it is still worth seeing, the experience is different. Laufen Castle on the cliff above provides the most dramatic viewing angle.