How to visit Liechtenstein on a day trip from Zürich
Liechtenstein is the sixth smallest country in the world, and is the second least visited country in Europe (behind only Moldova). Most people seem to just look over it or don’t even know it exists which is a shame because Liechtenstein is actually a very beautiful country with a lot of greenery, forests and castles.
Liechtenstein is located between Austria and Switzerland, and its national language is German so I was right at home (though the accent was thick – I suppose the English equivalent of Scouse or something). It is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world (in case you don’t know, a double-landlocked country is a country that borders only landlocked countries), and fun fact: one man is worth 50% of the entire country’s GDP. I couldn’t wait to visit!
How to get to Liechtenstein from Zürich
Liechtenstein has no airport, so you have to access it from another European country. Switzerland is the easiest option so once I knew we we were going, we had to get a visit in to the itinerary.
The closest major city in Switzerland from which to visit is Zürich. From Zürich there are two ways to get to Liechtenstein’s capital city, Vaduz:
- By Car/Taxi – A 1hr15 minute drive to Vaduz. A taxi will cost you around £400 each way, and car hire is around £80/day plus petrol.
- By train/Bus – A 1hr train from Zürich to Sargans, and then a 30 minute bus from Sargans to Vaduz. This route is free with the Swiss Travel Pass, or will cost you around £20 per person.
We went by train/bus as we had the Swiss Travel Pass and it was super easy. The bus drops you in central Vaduz and we spent our day exploring Liechtenstein’s tiny capital city.
What to see and do in Liechtenstein
We spent our day in Vaduz and found a variety of interesting things to do.
Hike the Wanderweg
The walking trails around Vaduz are just stunning. We chose to do a walk from Gaflei down to the centre of Vaduz, along the Wanderweg. We managed to get beautiful views out over the mountains, although as normal I got sunburnt and my husband got such bad hay-fever the inhaler was out again.
Visit the Castle
Hilarious. We trekked all the way up to see the castle in Vaduz and well…the pictures speak for themselves. You can’t go in the castle either as it’s still lived in by the Royal Family here so is a private home! I found it interesting to learn that Liechtenstein has had a Monarchy since the 1500s, and no dramas over lines of succession which is odd in Europe. The family tree is a little close (with cousins marrying cousins at points), and no longer on a direct line as some Monarchs didn’t have children – but instead willingly passed the throne to nephews etc. Very civilised.
Enjoy the National Museum
I really enjoyed Liechtenstein’s little national museum. It was interesting to learn all about how it developed over time, and about its links with Switzerland. There was also an exhibit on Liechtenstein’s culture, and its role as a haven for businesses (including Swarovski). Who knew Liechtenstein’s employment rate is actually over 100% vs its population as so many cross the border each day from Switzerland to work there. Another interesting fact – Liechtenstein has no army!
Get your passport stamped
A little touristy gimmick, but a nice one none the less – make sure you get your passport stamped in the Tourist Information Centre. There’s even a throne in there if, like me, you want to be a Queen for a second or two.
Stroll the old town
Liechtenstein’s charming old town is small but beautiful. It has a lovely church, lots of quaint houses and cobbled streets to explore. It’s also home to quite a few nice restaurants, bars and cafes so we spent an hour or so relaxing in the sunshine with cake and ice-cream before heading back to Zürich.
We really enjoyed our little trip to Liechtenstein and would recommend it to anyone visiting Zürich if you can spare the time. What did you think of this tiny little nation? Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!
