A Day in Liechtenstein
While visiting Switzerland in May 2022, we took the opportunity to do a day trip into Liechtenstein. We first took the train an hour from Zurich to the Swiss border town of Sargans. The view from the train was gorgeous, especially the vibrant blue water of Lake Walen (Walensee). From Sargans, we caught a bus that took us over the border of Liechtenstein and rode it to Vaduz, the capital.
Liechtenstein is a principality with a surface area of only 160 square km and a population of about 34,000. It has eleven municipalities, varying in size between 1,000 and 6,000 residents. |
Our first stop in Vaduz was the Liechtenstein Center, where we got our passport stamps (they don't do this at the border). We then walked past Kathedrale St. Florin on our way to the Rhine River. Alte Rheinbrücke is a bridge that crosses the river and halfway across is the border for Switzerland. If you walk to the middle, you can stand in both countries.
Next, we started upward to the Vaduz Castle. Unlike most castles, Vaduz is still the private residence of the Royal family, and you can't visit inside the grounds or castle itself. After the hike up, tourists are left outside the castle gates or can stand further up the hill to take a photo of themselves in front of the castle, before heading back down to the town.
Back in the centre, we visited the Red House. The house was built in 1338 and got its name from the dark-red colour the building has had since the middle of the 19th century. The house also overlooks some beautiful vineyards. We walked through the grape vines and found ourselves in front of the Cellars of the Prince of Liechtenstein (Hofkellerei des Fürsten von Liechtenstein).
We headed inside to the downstairs tasting room and tried several wines. Two favourites were the Profundo Zweigelt 2017 and the Herrnbaumgarten 2020. Our host was amazing, he told us all about the winery and also about life in Liechtenstein, including that foreigners can't buy property in the country. To purchase, foreigners need to obtain a residence permit, live in the country for at least three years, and get permission from the government.
We headed inside to the downstairs tasting room and tried several wines. Two favourites were the Profundo Zweigelt 2017 and the Herrnbaumgarten 2020. Our host was amazing, he told us all about the winery and also about life in Liechtenstein, including that foreigners can't buy property in the country. To purchase, foreigners need to obtain a residence permit, live in the country for at least three years, and get permission from the government.
We wandered through the town centre, down Städtle street, admiring the buildings. If you don't feel like walking any further, there is a small city train that you can ride to the popular spots. We bought chocolate at Läderach and then found the bus station to take us to Triesenberg, a municipality in Liechtenstein with a population of 2,636.
The center of Triesenberg rests at an elevation of 884–1,000m. With an area of only 30 square km, it is the largest municipality in Liechtenstein. The view over valley and river is beautiful and there is also a church, Katholische Pfarrkirche Triesenberg, to see.
The center of Triesenberg rests at an elevation of 884–1,000m. With an area of only 30 square km, it is the largest municipality in Liechtenstein. The view over valley and river is beautiful and there is also a church, Katholische Pfarrkirche Triesenberg, to see.
There wasn't a bus departing anytime soon, so we walked all the way down the hill to Triesen. This isn't recommended, as the road is steep and has no proper walking paths. Thankfully there weren't that many cars on the road. In Triesen, we caught the bus to Balzars. We walked up to Burg Gutenberg, a castle built around 1200 and rebuilt in the early 1900s. We weren't having a lot of luck with castles, and this one was also closed. We were able to go inside the castle gate to have a look around the courtyard, but weren't able to get inside the castle rooms. The view for this vantage point is gorgeous, so it was definitely still worthwhile.
Our final stop was a short walk from the castle, St Nicholas Catholic Church (Katholische Pfarrkirche St. Nikolaus). The church was built between 1909 and 1912 and replaced the old parish church of St. Nicholas.
We caught the bus back to Sargans and hiked up to visit Spleekapelle (Splee Chapel), built in 1502, and Sargans Castle, which was built in the 12th century. Finally, after a long day of exploring, we waited for the evening train back to Zurich. Liechtenstein is one of the least visited countries in Europe. in 2019, the United Nation World Tourism Organization reported that only 87,000 people visited the country (second least visited behind only San Marino). It’s hard to believe, given how easy it is to visit from neighbouring countries- not to mention the breathtaking mountain scenery, fairytale castles, and great wine.
We caught the bus back to Sargans and hiked up to visit Spleekapelle (Splee Chapel), built in 1502, and Sargans Castle, which was built in the 12th century. Finally, after a long day of exploring, we waited for the evening train back to Zurich. Liechtenstein is one of the least visited countries in Europe. in 2019, the United Nation World Tourism Organization reported that only 87,000 people visited the country (second least visited behind only San Marino). It’s hard to believe, given how easy it is to visit from neighbouring countries- not to mention the breathtaking mountain scenery, fairytale castles, and great wine.
Questions about travelling in Liechtenstein? Email us and we will be happy to help!