Stein am Rhein means stone by the Rhine. There aren’t too many rocky geographical features in the area but there is a lot of cobblestone that is ready to destroy the soles of your shoes. Cobblestone aside, if you look up you’ll realise that many of the buildings in the main town area are colourfully painted or covered in artistic scenes from the 17th and 18th century.
Perhaps Stein am Rhein is the most classically artistic city in Switzerland? It was hundreds of years ahead in time of the Soviet Union, when the Russians included public art in their metro systems the Swiss had already painted the walls around public town squares for two hundred years. I believe many of the paintings feature scenes from the history of the local area or the life of the first owner of the building.
St. George’s Abbey 
St. George’s Abbey 
Kirche Burg 
St. George’s church 
Catholic church 
Armory
St. George’s Abbey right on the bank of the Rhine is definitely a museum to check out as it is a prominent historically and a significant piece of Gothic architecture with original roots dating back to the 11th century.
Clock tower gate 
Obergass 
The Rhein 
Café
If your eyes are dazzled by the award-winning preservation of architectural history, then stroll down to the Rhine and enjoy an Italian gelato from one of the many riverside restaurants. Alternatively, you could visit one of the local shops to get a very good bottle of local Riesling and pair it with one of the 80 types of cheeses available from their shelves.
