Private Half Day · Year-Round · Flexible departure
Private Zurich Day Tour —
Rheinau & Rapperswil
Fifty kilometres north of Zurich, a small island has been inhabited by Benedictine monks since 778 AD. It has never been sacked. You reach it by a flat-bottomed ferry for two francs.
Price per person — group of
2 people
CHF 420
CHF 840 total
3 people
CHF 310
CHF 930 total
4 people
CHF 250
CHF 1,000 total
5 people
CHF 220
CHF 1,100 total
6 people
CHF 200
CHF 1,200 total
8 people
CHF 170
CHF 1,360 total
Minimum group booking: CHF 840 · Our most flexible journey — 3 to 5 hours, your pace
Duration
3 to 5 hours · Your choice
Departs
Flexible · Morning or afternoon
Summit
One-day and layover guests
Season
Active since 778 AD
Guide (private vehicle optional)
Rheinau ferry crossing
Monastery island walk
Rapperswil castle & lake
Photography
Zurich Tirggel biscuits
Switzerland That Has Not Changed in 1,200 Years
For guests with one day in Zurich,
or those who have already seen the mountains and want to understand what surrounds this city.
In 1,200 years of European history — invasions, wars, revolutions, the Reformation that stopped a few kilometres from here — this small island in a bend of the Rhine sat quietly in its river, unchanged. The Benedictine monastery has been active since 778 AD. You reach it by a flat-bottomed ferry for two francs. It takes ninety seconds.
Thirty minutes east of the city, on the shore of Lake Zurich, a castle has stood since 1220. The wooden bridge beside it crosses the lake on the same alignment as the original 1358 crossing. The rose garden on its terrace has 600 varieties. This is Switzerland without the cable cars and the summit queues — the Switzerland that the Swiss themselves drive to on a Sunday morning.
"For CHF 2, you cross a river that has been the same crossing for 800 years. The monks used to take this same boat to reach the mainland for supplies." — The guide, at the Rheinau ferry.
If the monastery's Vespers align with your timing — and we check before every trip — you may hear the monks sing from the church entrance. It costs nothing. It is one of the most unexpected moments in the entire portfolio.
What You Will Experience
The Switzerland most
visitors never find.
Practical Details
Our most flexible journey.
Built around your time.
Duration
3 to 5 hours · You choose the length
Departure
Flexible · Morning or afternoon
Ferry
CHF 2 · Included · Rheinau Island crossing
Monastery hours
Church open 08:00–18:00 · Vespers 18:00 (seasonal)
Lunch
We reserve your table · Paid directly on the day
Memory gift
Memory gift · Presented at journey's end
Group size
1 to 8 people · Always private
Season
Year-round · All-weather destinations
Transport
Model A (guide + transport) or Model B (private car)
Best for
One-night guests · Layover travellers · Those who have already seen the alpine routes
Tell us how much time you have and what you love most — history, photography, water, architecture, or simply somewhere quiet. We will design the half-day around that. Two destinations, three destinations, one slow morning at the monastery — all are possible. We respond within four hours.
Private Day Trips from Zurich — All Nine Routes
Zurich is the starting point for some of the most varied single-day journeys in Europe. Every one of our nine routes departs door-to-door from your hotel.
Full-day mountain routes (9–12 hours): Lucerne & Mount Pilatus from CHF 590 — medieval city, 2,132m summit, lake boat return. Jungfraujoch from CHF 700 — Europe's highest railway station at 3,454m, inside the Eiger North Face. Zermatt & the Matterhorn from CHF 800 — the most photographed mountain in the world from 3,089 metres. Weggis & Mount Rigi from CHF 590 — 13 lakes visible from the summit, Europe's first cogwheel railway. Bürgenstock from CHF 620 — the clifftop where Audrey Hepburn married.
Half-day routes (3–6 hours): Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen from CHF 340 — Europe's largest waterfall, Middle Rock by boat. Appenzell from CHF 360 — open-air democracy, 15th-century embroidery, secret cheese recipe. Zurich & Its Landscape from CHF 250 — Rheinau monastery island since 778 AD, Rapperswil castle since 1220. Bespoke journeys from CHF 720 — fully designed around your group.
Every route is private — your group alone, door-to-door, specialist guide, photography included.
Why Choose a Private Tour vs a Group Tour
No waiting.
Your group moves at your own pace — no fixed stops, no catching up, no rushed lunches
Flexible timing.
If you want to stay longer somewhere, your guide adapts. The day is yours
Hotel door-to-door.
Your driver picks you up from your hotel lobby and returns you there. No meeting points, no logistics
Specialist guide.
Your guide is focused entirely on your group — not managing 25 people simultaneously
Every detail pre-arranged.
Summit tables, cable car tickets, workshop visits — all confirmed in advance.
From CHF 250 per person · Flexible · 3–5 hours · Everything included · Our most accessible journey
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