Just over an hour from Zürich by train, Stein am Rhein is centuries away from the urban world of banking and finance, a giant step backward into medieval Switzerland. So perfect are the half-timbered buildings that line its little main street that you could mistake it for a stage set. But Stein am Rhein is the real thing, a town whose foundations have been washed by the Rhine since the Romans built a fortress here in the third century to secure the river.

Many of the timbered houses are also painted with colorful frescoes, especially those around the Rathausplatz, where you can sit in a café and admire them over coffee or a glass of white wine from nearby riverside vineyards. After browsing in the excellent gallery of local artisans’ works, visit the well-preserved medieval Monastery of St. Georgen or Hohenklingen Castle, built above the town in 1225 and now home to an engaging museum. Or you could just order another glass of wine and savor Stein am Rhein’s relaxed medieval atmosphere.