Bischofszell

Bischofszell grew at the confluence of the Thur and the Sitter, and the bishops of Constance who held it left it a compact town centre that survived a fire in 1743 to be rebuilt in a restrained baroque - so the main street has a coherence unusual for a place of this size, with a town hall of 1747, arcades and painted facades. The medieval Thur bridge, one of the oldest stone bridges in the country, crosses below the town. Every second year in late June the Rosenwoche fills the streets with rose displays, an event the town has run for decades. The surrounding Thurgau is fruit country, and cider and juice from the orchards are a local staple.

What you actually see

• A coherent baroque main street - rebuilt after the fire of 1743.
• A medieval stone bridge - among the oldest surviving in Switzerland.
• The Rosenwoche - a rose festival every second year in late June.
• Thurgau orchard country - cider and fruit juice from the surrounding farms.

When to go

Late June in even years for the roses; April to October otherwise. Half a day.

Honest expectations

It is a small town and an hour or two covers it. The rose festival is biennial - check the year. Museums keep short hours. Rail connections are branch-line and infrequent.

Nearby

St Gallen and its abbey library are east; Lake Constance is north.