Eglisau is a beautiful village along the Rhine River with a medieval center. Just a few miles from the German border, Eglisau is nestled amid vineyards on gently sloping hillsides. And while you may not know Eglisau as much as other places in Switzerland, it’s worth checking out anyway.
Eglisau is in the Bülach district of the canton of Zurich, Switzerland.
Eglisau is a small and pretty village near Zurich City, surrounded by vineyards and by the Rhine River. Zurich’s main station, Zurich Hauptbahnhof, is 31 minutes away from Eglisau Train Station.
Take a day trip from Eglisau or explore the various routes from Eglisau. Find out below all the wonderful things that you can do in Eglisau, Switzerland.
Discover the Historic Center of Eglisau
The Historic Center of Eglisau reflects a typical medieval center with houses from the 17th century. Some of the buildings you’ll find here are:
- Eglisau Reformed Church – Located on the Rhine, this property is of national significance. Though the church is older, it was reconstructed in the Baroque style in 1715. Besides frescoes, the church has the grave of Bernhard Gradner, a baron from Styria who became lord of Eglisau.
- Gasthof Hirschen – A half-timbered building from the 13th century. It’s a six-story late Gothic building. The Gasthaus Hirschen is now a hotel and restaurant. Gasthof Hirschen was selected as the Historic Hotel of the Year (2009) by ICOMOS, the International Council of Monuments and Sites. The rooms use historic elements. Its interiors include furniture from the 18th century obtained from the region.
- Weierbachhaus – The most beautiful and biggest wine farmer’s house in the region. It houses the local museum Ortsmuseum Eglisau.
- Bäckerei und Café zum Nachtwächter Bakery
- Törliplatz
Aside from these historic buildings, you will also find the Library, the Catholic Church, and the Outdoor Pool Rhybadi Eglisau in the village.
Take a Cruise on the Rhine
Eglisau was historically a major crossing point over the Rhine River. Eglisau has been dominating river traffic on this part of the Rhine since 892.
Between April and mid-October, Eglisau has regular river connections to other Rhine towns like Tössegg, Rüdlingen, and Ellikon. The river round trips in this region take you past vineyards, the Tössegg watchtower ruins, and the beautiful village of Rüdlingen with its half-timbered houses.
For more info, you can check out the website of Rheinschifffahrten Wirth at schiffwirth.ch.
Also worth citing is the Eglisau Railway Bridge (Eisenbahnbrücke Eglisau). The bridge is 457 meters long and 50 meters above the Rhine.
Enjoy Eglisau’s Viticulture
Vineyards and wine cellars are some of Eglisau’s best-known features. There are a bunch of things wine lovers can do here:
- Short Wine Hiking Trail (Weinwanderweg) – A 1.2-kilometer-long hiking trail that begins in Weierbachhaus, the local museum of Eglisau. From this beautiful house is the path to the vineyards (Hinteren Stadtberg). There is also a description of the wine harvest and the work of the wine producers. These wines are called Eglisauer Stadtberger.
- Wine Hiking Trail until Rafz – If 1.2 kilometers is too short for you, you have a longer alternative with the Wine Hiking Route from Eglisau until Rafz. With this hike, you will go through the villages of Rafz, Wil ZH, Hüntwangen, and Wasterkingen as well.
- Farm Museum Eglisau (Bauernmuseum Eglisau) – The farm museum is open only four times per year. If you want to visit it, you can ask the museum beforehand. They are open to families and groups, school children, and more. Located in an old barn, this free museum takes one hour to tour. Objects from farm life in the past, agriculture, and viticulture are on display.
- Wine Tasting – Oberli & Oechsle Wein Shop (at Untergass 6) has wine-tasting sessions every Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Bechtel-Weine (at Rebbergstrasse 18) also has Open Wine Cellars, you can find more info at: https://www.bechtel-weine.ch.
Walks in Eglisau
Eglisau, being on the banks of the River Rhine, is also a perfect place to begin hikes. These are just some of the trails that start from or go through Eglisau:
- Circular Trail Eglisau – This 10-kilometer circular trail (Rundwanderung Eglisau) goes through Eggberg, Honegg, Buchberg, and Oberriet before ending in Eglisau again.
- Beaver Trail – The Beaver Trail (Biberweg) on the Rhine goes between Tössegg and Rüdlingen. It has information regarding beavers, Europe’s largest rodent. It is a four-kilometer-long information trail right next to the river. It is perfect for families with small children as well.
- River Hike from Eglisau to Flaach – A 12-kilometer hike from Eglisau to Flaach over the vineyards, small streams, and sandy slopes. You’ll also see the confluence of the Töss and Rhine rivers.
- Short Wine Hiking Trail (Weinwanderweg) – A 1.2-kilometer-long hiking trail that begins in Weierbachhaus, the local museum of Eglisau. From this beautiful house is the path to the vineyards (Hinteren Stadtberg). There is also a description of the wine harvest and the work of the wine producers. These wines are called Eglisauer Stadtberger.
- Wine Hiking Trail until Rafz – If 1.2 kilometers is too short for you, you have a longer alternative with the Wine Hiking Route from Eglisau until Rafz. With this hike, you will go through the villages of Rafz, Wil ZH, Hüntwangen, and Wasterkingen as well.
Aside from the routes mentioned above, the ViaRhenana trail from Kreuzlingen to Basel (Trail 60) also goes through Eglisau.
How to Get To Eglisau
When you come from Zurich, you can park at Parkplatz Eglisau, Bahnhofstrasse 2, a parking lot right next to the Rhi-Brugg or Rheinbrücke Eglisau bridge. There are also parking spaces parallel to the River Rhine in Lochmühlestrasse near the bridge.
If you are coming by train, simply take the S9 regional train to Eglisau from Zurich Train Station. The total travel time by train is 32 minutes.
Resources
- Flusswanderung: Eglisau – Flaach. WegWandern.ch. Accessed on 21 March 2022. https://wegwandern.ch/listing/flusswanderung-von-eglisau-nach-flaach/.
- Der Gasthof Hirschen in Eglisau – Historisches Hotel des Jahres 2009. Kunst + Architektur in der Schweiz, 2008.4, page 53. Accessed on 21 March 2022. https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=kas-002%3A2008%3A59%3A%3A331&referrer=search#331.
- Runwanderung Eglisau. Hirschen Gasthof Eglisau. Accessed on 21 March 2022. https://www.hirschen-eglisau.ch/cms/images/pdf/rundwanderweg%20eglisau.pdf.
- ViaRhenana. Kreuzlingen–Basel. Switzerland Mobility. Accessed on 21 March 2022. https://www.schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/routes/route-060.html
- Wanderung durch Rebberge von Rafz nach Eglisau. Wanderungen.ch. Accessed on 21 March 2022. https://www.wanderungen.ch/de/touren/wanderungen/zuerich/Rafz-Wil-H%C3%BCntwangen-Eglisau.html?tour=1359.
- Weinwanderweg – Orientierungstafel. Weinbau-Genossenschaft Eglisau. Accessed on 21 March 2022. https://www.eglisau-weine.ch/weinbaugenossenschaft-eglisau/weinwanderweg/orientierungstafel.
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Darla Uhl is the owner of TouringSwitzerland.com. Her home is in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Having lived almost 20 years in Switzerland, she's traveled extensively all over the country.
Darla's favorite regions to visit in Switzerland include Engadin, Lake Geneva, Bernese Oberland, Ticino, and Valais. She loves spending time with her family, hiking, visiting museums, and reading books.