If you are a fan of waterfalls, Switzerland is a place you need to visit! Switzerland is known more for its stunning valleys, the incredible Swiss Alps, crystal-blue lakes, and cheese and chocolate.
It’s thought of as a hikers and skiers paradise, and it is just that, but there are some amazing Swiss waterfalls to be discovered too.
Switzerland is home to more than 150 waterfalls, some of which are huge and famous, while others are hidden gems that require some effort to reach and find. It would be a crime to leave Switzerland without visiting some of its waterfalls and in this article, we are going to focus on the most beautiful ones.
Join me as I run through the most beautiful waterfalls in Switzerland so that you can stop off at one or two while you are exploring this magical country!
Rhine Falls, Schaffhausen
The largest waterfalls in Switzerland and the largest waterfall in Europe are the stunningly powerful Rhine Falls.
Rhine Falls is located in Schaffhausen, just an hour away from Zurich and close to the German border. They are the largest waterfalls by volume (not height) and pump out an amazing 500,000 liters of water per second.
Standing next to the Rhine Falls is incredible. The sheer power of the falls is a feeling you will not have experienced before and it is one you will not forget either.
These waterfalls are as stunning as they are powerful, with a rock outcrop in the middle of the falls surrounded by the Swiss countryside.
There are numerous ways to view the falls. The best way is on a boat ride that takes you right up to the falls or you can use the viewing platforms on either side and walk across the rail bridge upstream from the falls for a different perspective.
Reichenbach Falls
The Reichenbach Falls are situated in the Bernese Oberland. They are formed by the Reichenbach stream and have a total drop of 820 feet (250 meters).
What makes these amazing waterfalls so cool is that they fall in seven steps which is a stunning sight to see. The longest step is at the top and is known as the Grand Reichenbach Fall, which is one of the highest waterfalls in the Alps.
To see the Reichenbach Falls, you will have to hike to the top, which is a bit of a climb, or if you are feeling lazy, you can take the funicular up and back down if you want to.
The views from the falls are pretty great too as they sweep across the Hasli Valley. This is also one of the more famous waterfalls in Switzerland as it was featured in Sherlock Holmes on the BBC.
Trümmelbach Falls
One of the most unique waterfalls without question, Trümmelbach Falls, as this is a subterranean waterfall that plummets through a mountain!
The Trümmelbach Falls are the largest underground waterfalls in Europe, featuring 10 cascades that drop a total of 140 meters.
You will also find this waterfall in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and it features sharp drops, tons of boulders, and, while pumping out 20,000 liters of water per second, the mountain literally rumbles every second of every day of the year.
You might be wondering how you see a waterfall inside a mountain. Well, this is the only glacier waterfall on the planet that comes with some serious viewing infrastructure. You will find galleries, lifts, a viewing platform, paths, and illuminated tunnels to see the waterfall.
The hike to this impressive waterfall is stunning and you get to use a forest trail with stunningly beautiful views.
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Staubbach Falls
One of my favorite waterfalls is Staubbach Falls, which sits in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, the valley of 72 waterfalls.
This is the third-highest waterfall in Switzerland, with water dropping an incredible 300 meters from top to bottom. This is also one of the tallest waterfalls in Europe, as it falls from the mountain peaks into the valley.
You will have to do a short hike through the Lauterbrunnen Valley to get to the waterfalls. The views down the Lauterbrunnen Valley are incredible, and when you reach the waterfall, you can climb up to a rock balcony for a better view.
Staub is the German word for dust, and this describes how the winds move the spray and fling it around as the waters plummet into the valley.
Be sure to do some hiking around the valley after seeing the Staubbach Falls, as there are plenty more waterfalls to see, and you’ll be in the quintessential Swiss countryside too.
Giessbach Falls
The Giessbach Falls are located in the Bernese region of Switzerland and are among the best waterfalls in Switzerland you should lay your eyes on.
The Giessbach Falls drop between 300 and 600 meters, depending on the season. If you are there in spring or summer, it will be in full flow thanks to the snowmelt.
The falls drop over 14 different steps, each of which is named after soldiers who served in the Bernese war, making it a very important Swiss attraction.
You can either enjoy a lovely summer or spring hike through meadows and forests with views of the alps or hop on the 18th-century funicular for a more direct route.
At the waterfall is the architecturally stunning Giessbach Hotel, which looks like a castle from a fairytale. From here, you can also see incredible views of the turquoise blue Lake Brienz, which you can hike next to afterward or en route to the waterfall.
Foroglio Falls
One of the best waterfalls in Switzerland has to be Foroglio Falls, as they are incredibly unique. The Foroglio waterfall is formed by two glaciers that are interconnected in the Calneggia and Bavona valleys.
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They are best visited from April to August, as they are fed by meltwater from the two connected glaciers.
The scenery surrounding the Terra Di Foroglio is beautiful, and combined with the sheer power of the 110-meter waterfall, makes it one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Switzerland.
Nearby, you will find the village of Foroglio, after which the waterfall is named. It is a magical town to visit, full of 11th-century churches and castles.
You will have to hike to see the waterfall, but the trail is beautiful with wildflowers and awesome views across the valleys.
Mürrenbach Falls
One of the most impressive Swiss waterfalls is without question the Mürrenbach Falls. This is the tallest waterfall in Switzerland, standing at 417 meters high. The waterfalls and hits the ground with impressive power as it cascades down five different staircases.
This waterfall is located in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and is fed by the surrounding Jungfrau Mountains. It is thought of as the crown jewel of the valley due to its height, and you will be blessed with awesome views of Jungfrau, too.
The most efficient way of seeing the waterfall is by boarding the Schilthornbahn cable car. The cable car goes right past the waterfall and is alarmingly close to it, giving you incredible views of the waterfalls, alps, lakes, and alpine meadows too.
The best time to see this beautiful waterfall is in spring, when the snowmelt is at its peak. This provides the waterfall with a ton of power and it is quite awe-inspiring.
Engstligen Falls
Engstligen Falls is the second-highest waterfall in Switzerland, as it drops 397 meters into the river below.
Located in the Bernese Alps and among the highest waterfalls in the country, the Engstligen Falls is a very popular tourist attraction, and it can get quite busy.
Standing next to this waterfall is quite an incredible experience. The force of the falling water makes the air shudder. There are numerous ways to view the waterfall. You can either get a boat ride on the river to the base of the falls or follow some rocky paths to get close to it.
The area surrounding the waterfall is very pretty, featuring snow-capped mountains, meadows, and wildflowers, and you will meet lots of Swiss cows if you go for a hike.
If you want to see the waterfall at its full power, then be sure to visit between the months of April and August when the snow melt is at its highest.
Rosenlaui Falls
The Rosenlaui Falls are literally a work of art, which makes them one of the top waterfalls in Switzerland without question.
You will find the waterfall way up high in the Alps, close to the mountain village of Schwarzwaldalp. The town is best reached by car as it is quite remote. You should expect the waterfall to be quite busy as it is a massive attraction for both tourists and locals.
What makes this waterfall so special is the amazing glacial gorge the water has carved over millions of years. When you look at the rocks, you will see lines and shapes that make the cliffs look like a piece of art.
You can follow a footpath through the gorge and up to the massive waterfall that comes thundering past. The water is glacial, meaning it is incredibly blue and just walking along the river is quite enchanting in itself.
Roffla Waterfall
In southeastern Switzerland, close to the Italian border in the alps, is one of the waterfalls in Switzerland that might just blow your mind.
This waterfall is man-made and was built by Christian Pitschen-Melchoir. He wanted to create a passage through the Roffle Gorge and wanted to make the waterfalls look just like Niagra Falls, and they look just like it.
It took Christian Pitschen-Melchoir 7 years, 8000 explosions, and countless hours of chiseling to complete his masterpiece.
To see the waterfall, just wander through the Roffla Gorge. You will find a museum about the history of the gorge, a restaurant, and an old inn. The path then leads behind the waterfall and under the Rhine.
This is, without doubt, one of the most unique waterfalls in Switzerland and while being a busy tourist attraction, you kind of have to see a man-made waterfall in the Swiss Alps.
Tine Conflens Waterfall
Sitting in the Vaud region of Switzerland, the Tine Conflens Waterfall is one of the best waterfalls in the area and one you must see.
This waterfall has been described as a fairytale and for good reason. The waterfall is formed where the Veyron and Venoge rivers meet and over the years they have shaped the limestone into magical canyons.
Along the rivers and next to the waterfall are magical wildflowers, forests, vines, moss, meadows, and more. It truly is like walking into a forest you imagined as a child! The plunge pool at the bottom is constantly illuminated, making it even more magical!
Getting to this waterfall takes about a 40-minute hike from the nearby village of Ferreyres. Once you have seen the waterfall, you should continue hiking along the stunning trails and see other sights such as the Nozon Gorge.
Seerenbach Falls
The Seerenbach Falls is the last of the best waterfalls in Switzerland we are going to look at. Located along the shores of Lake Walensee near the village of Betlis, the views are about as pretty as they come.
The waterfall consists of three cascades with a combined height of 585 meters, making it one of the highest waterfalls in Switzerland and Europe.
When the waterfall reaches the lowest cascade, it plummets into a cave system within the mountain. The cave system creates a 3 km long canal that goes to the heart of the mountain but no one knows what happens in there.
Divers have been trying to investigate the 3 km long canal but have never managed to work out what happens inside.
Getting to the falls requires a lovely hike with amazing views of the lake from Betlis Village.
