Liechtenstein Unveiled

By Pepe Strub, October 31, 2023

From Zurich, the very small country of Liechtenstein can be reached about 90 minutes. We took the train to Sargans from where the bus took us right into the heart of its main town, Vaduz. It is a scenic ride along Lake Walen, and through pleasing mountain scenery.

As a travel agent I was very interested in finally getting to know Liechtenstein. With the help of Liechtenstein Tourism we arranged for an overnight stay which turned into a great experience. Not only did we visit Vaduz, we also connected with the very friendly locals, saw a few museums and spent the night in Malbun.

Upon arrival in Vaduz we bought the Liechtenstein all-inclusive Adventure Pass. It enabled us to discover many of the attractions for free or for a reduced entry. Included were the art and culture of the country in its museums, wine tasting, swimming in the open air pool, riding the cable cars in Malbun, watching the impressive birds of prey show, and discover the entire country by bus.

Since the Vaduz castle is not open to the public, we enjoyed a short and interesting movie (also included with the adventure pass) of the Vaduz castle and the family which resides above the town. The medieval castle from the 12th century is the official residence of the Princely Family. This virtual tour “behind” the castle can be seen at the Princely Theater in the heart of Vaduz.

We then went on to visit the National Museum and the Treasure Chamber. The National museum provides a good idea about the archaeology, history, art, and nature of Liechtenstein. The Treasure Chamber was even more special, as it showcases fascinating objects that are closely related to Liechtenstein and the Principality, including the Princely Crown, the famous Apple Blossom Egg by Fabergé and moon rocks brought back from the Apollo 11 and 17 missions.

Towards the end of the first day we took the bus up to Malbun which took 30 minutes. We had views over the Rhine plane and deep into Switzerland on the other side of the valley. The mountains are precious and one reaches Malbun after entering a Cirque. We stayed at the attractive 3-star superior Hotel Turna. Not only did we sleep in updated and spacious room, we also dined at the hotel. We only later discovered that their restaurant is famous far beyond the borders of Liechtenstein. Our meal was spectacular and far above expectations. They emphasize on delicious local specialties, tempting international classics and healthy, seasonal dishes.

The night was absolutely quiet! After breakfast we started our day by taking the cable car up to Sareis to connect with Princess Gina trail. This magnificent round trip hike to the Augstenberg, along flower carpeted ridge down to Pfälzer cabin and back down to Malbun via the Gritsch Alp took us 6 hours including a light pick-nick lunch. We saw the Swiss, Austrian and Liechtenstein Alps from the ridge line. There are many more hiking trails including the 75km Liechtenstein Trail which passes through all 11 of the countries municipalities.

Before heading back down to Vaduz we took advantage of the free admission (with adventure pass) to the Birds of Prey show at the Galina Falconry which takes place every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from June until the end of September. We got breath-taking close an Eagle, Harris Hawk, Owl, Buzzard and a Falcon. We felt very close to the energy and the majestic calmness of these noble wild birds.

Back in Vaduz we spontaneously decided to return to Zurich via St. Gallen. It takes a little more time along the Rhine Planes but is equally scenic. The bus took us back to Sargans from where we took a direct train to St. Gallen. Other options include the bus to Schaan, Buchs and Altstätten and from there with the train to St. Gallen and Zurich.