Arbon: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Arbon was the Roman Arbor Felix, a fort guarding the road along the lake, and its castle stands on the Roman walls. Around 610 the Irish monk Gallus stopped here before going into the forest to found what became St Gallen. Later the town grew rich on embroidery and on the Saurer works, whose trucks went all over Switzerland. This short walk covers all three, in about an hour and a half.

A short history of Arbon

On the shore of Lake Constance the Romans built the fort of Arbor Felix, whose remains lie beneath the old town. According to tradition the Irish monk Gallus died here around 640, and his disciples founded the monastery from which the city of St Gallen grew. In 1853 the Saurer family's factory was founded in Arbon, making embroidery machines and later lorries and buses, and the small town became an industrial town. The factory closed at the end of the 20th century.

The ten best sights in Arbon

1
Arbon Castle
The castle keep holds the history museum; Roman finds from the fort
2
Gallus Chapel
Tiny chapel by the church with old frescoes; usually open by day
3
Saurer Museum
Old Saurer trucks and huge embroidery machines, shown running
4
Abbey Library St. Gallen
20 minutes away and the region's great sight; felt slippers over your shoes
5
St. Gallen Synagogue
A 19th-century synagogue still in use; tours by arrangement
6
Kornhaus Rorschach
Baroque granary on Rorschach harbour, 10 minutes by car
7
Hundertwasser Market Hall
Colourful Hundertwasser building at Altenrhein, with café and shops
8
FFA Aviation Museum
Vintage planes by the Altenrhein airfield; open on set days
9
Arbon Harbour
Small harbour by the old town; park here and walk
10
Seepark and Schütti
Long lakeside park with a free swimming spot

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Arbon →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Arbon:

Free walking tours in Arbon

Roman fort and Irish monk

Arbon Harbour · Lake Constance is the only large lake in Central Europe whose borders have never been fixed by treaty, and Arbon looks straight across it to Germany. The harbour is the easiest place to park for the old town.
Arbon Castle · The castle keep stands on the site of the late Roman fort of Arbor Felix. Later it belonged to the bishops of Constance, and today it holds the town's history museum.
Gallus Chapel · Gallus came with the missionary Columbanus from Ireland and was taken in at Arbon by the priest Willimar. The little chapel next to St Martin's church keeps his memory and medieval wall paintings.
Saurer Museum · Adolph Saurer's company began with embroidery machines and went on to build trucks and buses, many of them Swiss postbuses. The museum runs its giant shuttle embroidery machines for visitors.
Seepark and Schütti · Arbon's lakeside park was laid out on filled land along the shore and runs north from the old town. The Schütti is a free bathing spot where locals swim straight off the lawn.
Arbon Lido · Swiss towns on the lake each have their Strandbad, a fenced lido with lawns, changing cabins and a kiosk. Arbon's is the place to end a hot cycling day.

To St Gallen

St Gallen grew from the hermitage of the monk who once stayed in Arbon, and it lies just 20 minutes up the hill. Its abbey precinct is a UNESCO site, and its library is one of the oldest in the world. The city also has a living Jewish community with a 19th-century synagogue. Half a day by car or train; the library is the one thing not to miss.

Arbon Station · Trains from Arbon reach St Gallen in about 20 minutes, often quicker than parking in the city. The line along the lake also runs to Rorschach and Romanshorn.
Abbey Library St. Gallen · The baroque hall holds manuscripts from the 8th century on, and the abbey district became a UNESCO site in 1983. Its treasure is the Plan of St Gall, drawn around 820, the oldest surviving architectural plan of the Middle Ages.
St. Gallen Synagogue · Built in 1881 in the Moorish style popular for synagogues of the time. In 1938 the St Gallen police captain Paul Grüninger let Jewish refugees from Austria in against orders; he was dismissed, and recognised by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations.
Kornhaus Rorschach · The abbots of St Gallen built this granary on the harbour in the 1740s to store and trade grain from across the lake. Its long baroque front is the face of Rorschach from the water.
Hundertwasser Market Hall · Friedensreich Hundertwasser drew the plans, with onion domes, uneven floors and trees on the roof, but died in 2000 before it was finished. It opened the following year, built to his designs.
FFA Aviation Museum · Altenrhein was the home of the Swiss aircraft maker FFA, and the museum keeps planes from its hangars and the Swiss air force. Some are still flown on special days.

Ferries and castles

Arbon sits halfway along the Swiss shore, between the ferry port of Romanshorn and the Rhine at the eastern end. Inland the Thurgau countryside is apple orchards, which is why the canton is nicknamed Mostindien, cider India. This loop by car goes up the shore to the ferry, inland to a moated castle and back by the lake. Half a day; the ferry can carry the car to Germany if you want to continue.

Romanshorn Harbour · Romanshorn grew as the railway ferry port of the lake: trains were once shipped across to Germany on boats. Today a car ferry crosses to Friedrichshafen in about 40 minutes.
Hagenwil Moated Castle · It is one of the few fully moated medieval castles still standing in Switzerland, with a drawbridge over the water. The family that runs it as a restaurant has lived in it for generations.
Arbon Castle · Back in town, the museum in the keep explains the pile dwellings found along this shore as well as the Roman fort. The castle terrace looks out over the lake to the German shore.
Arbon Boat Landing · Boats along the Swiss shore link Arbon with Rorschach and Romanshorn in season, a slow and lovely way to cover the same ground. Bikes can usually come aboard.
Kornhaus Rorschach · Rorschach was the port of the abbey of St Gallen and its window on the lake. The granary later served as a museum and a hall, and its arcade faces the boat landing.
Hundertwasser Market Hall · Near the mouth of the old Rhine, the market hall ends the loop with coffee among golden domes. The Rhine delta reserve begins just beyond it.

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Getting to Arbon and getting around

St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport · Small airport 15 minutes east, mainly flights to Vienna
Arbon Station · Lakeside line to Romanshorn and Rorschach, connections to St Gallen
Arbon Boat Landing · Lake boats along the Swiss shore stop here in season

Cheap eats in Arbon

Thurgau is Switzerland's orchard, so cider, apple juice and apple cake are everywhere, and the lake adds perch and whitefish. Switzerland uses francs and is expensive: a restaurant main runs CHF 25-40. The bakery counter and the weekday set lunch are how to eat well for less.

Kunz Bäckerei · Bakery in the old town; a roll or pastry about CHF 2-6
White Café Arbon · Ice cream and coffee in the old town, about CHF 4-8
Café Conditorei Kölbener · Pastry shop and café near the station, about CHF 5-12
Restaurant Römerhof · Weekday set lunch, about CHF 20-28

Museums in Arbon

Saurer Museum · Trucks and embroidery machines that run
Abbey Library St. Gallen · Baroque library and UNESCO abbey
Arbon Castle · Town history from Romans to industry
FFA Aviation Museum · Vintage aircraft on set opening days
St. Gallen Synagogue · Moorish-style synagogue; visits by arrangement

Nature and day trips near Arbon

Seepark and Schütti · Lakeside park and free swim
Arbon Lido · Lawns and lake swimming
Hagenwil Moated Castle · Through orchards to a castle in water
Romanshorn Harbour · Shore walk and ferries to Germany
Hundertwasser Market Hall · Gateway to the old Rhine delta

Things to do in Arbon with kids

Saurer Museum · Big trucks and loud machines
Arbon Lido · Pools, slides and the lake
FFA Aviation Museum · Fighter jets up close
Seepark and Schütti · Lawns and a playground by the water
Hundertwasser Market Hall · A crooked, colourful building to explore

Where to eat in Arbon

Hotel Restaurant Park · Hotel restaurant near the lake; Swiss classics
Wasserschloss Hagenwil · Dinner in a moated castle; book ahead
Restaurant Römerhof · Old-town restaurant for dinner
Pizzeria Alpenblick · Pizza for the family, a little out of town

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Frequently asked questions about Arbon

What is there to see in Arbon?

The top sights in Arbon are Arbon Castle, Gallus Chapel and Saurer Museum. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Arbon?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Arbon without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Arbon?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Arbon, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Roman fort and Irish monk.

How do you get to Arbon and get around?

The main ways are St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport, Arbon Station and Arbon Boat Landing. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Arbon, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Arbon that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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