When I visited London, Paris, and San Francisco for the first time, I knew exactly what I wanted to see. Who doesn’t want to take a touristy picture in front of Big Ben, climb the Eiffel Tower, or walk along the Golden Gate bridge at dusk? I grew up watching films set in each of these cities – they were never mysterious to me. I certainly veered off the beaten path in each of these destinations, and had a number of exciting and unexpected experiences that were far from tourist cliches. It’s undeniably fun to visit a place you’ve only seen in films or on puzzle boxes.
Then, there’s the opposite kind of destination: the one you know absolutely nothing about. Some might not even know that this destination exists. For me, there’s something so exhilarating about travelling to a completely unknown destination, one that very few people will ever have the privilege of visiting.
When Kevin and I had the opportunity to visit the small principality of Liechtenstein, we jumped. What are people from Liechtenstein like? What is there to do? Why are all the hotels so expensive? Are there even going to be tourists? What’s the name of the capital city, if there even is one? It was with these questions in mind that I began my research, and my interest was piqued even more when I realized how little information was actually available online.
Liechtenstein was a few hours out of the way on a trip where every moment counted; visiting would essentially require Kevin and I to drive the entire width of Austria and even so, we’d only have enough time to spend half a day in the entire country. Yes, it’s one of the smallest countries in the entire world, but I fretted that wouldn’t be enough time. Or, alternatively, would it be too much? Would we arrive and find that there’s nothing to do?
We had planned for all possible outcomes, except one that should have been obvious: we had trouble finding Liechtenstein. I know this sounds ridiculous. It’s a country, not your apartment keys when you’re in a rush to leave. How can a country be difficult to locate?
It’s not just that this country is smaller than Rhode Island, but believe me, that’s definitely a part of it. We had planned to enter Liechtenstein from Western Austria, since we’d spent the night at a small (unexpectedly uber-Christian; there were crucifixes everywhere) B&B in the Alps. The drive should have only taken thirty minutes, and we started to suspect something had gone amiss when we realized we’d been driving for nearly an hour. Kevin pulled over at a rest stop and decided to use data on his phone to pull up Google Maps. My fellow international wanderers, you know you only do this when you’re at wits end. It turned out that we had not only passed the Liechtenstein border, but we’d driven nearly twenty minutes into Switzerland. Can you imagine not knowing what country you’re in? Us Americans, we can’t accidentally end up in Canada. Also, before pulling over, Kevin and I had guessed we were in Germany. We’d gone from Austria, through a sliver of Germany, and into Switzerland. We’d somehow crossed two borders without even realizing it. It’s the future, people!
Ah, Liechtenstein. Twas the nation that did not want to be discovered. Thanks to a little data usage (sorry, Kevin’s dad, who generously puts up with our international phone use), we were back on track and soon in the small capital city of Vaduz. Hopefully, Kevin and I agreed nervously, this absurd detour would be worth it.
Before visiting Liechtenstein, my knowledge of tiny European principalities didn’t extend much beyond Monaco, that small nation on the Mediterranean famous for two things: Monte Carlo and Princess Grace Kelly, the American film actress turned royal. While I’ve never visited Monaco, I suppose I expected Liechtenstein to be similar in its ostentatious wealth and old-world self-importance.
Is the standard of living high in Vaduz? Absolutely. Liechtenstein is technically an independent state, but they receive everything from political protection to public transportation from neighboring Switzerland. Any visitor can tell that life is good for a Liechtensteian. Lichen? Liechtensteiner? However, like Monaco, and many European nations, Liechtenstein has a solvent monarchy complete with a hereditary royal family. Liechtenstein’s royal family has near complete control over the state’s politics, and was the last European country to extend the right to vote to women. C’mon. It took them until 1984. Can you believe that?
If you’re outdoorsy, a trip to Liechtenstein will make for an ideal getaway. I thoroughly enjoyed the easy hike from
downtown Vaduz up to the royal castle, which is where the ruling family continues to live to this day. Castles are a dime a dozen in central Europe, and many were hardly used before being converted into museums. While you can’t tour the inside of Vaduz Castle, visitors are allowed to walk past the perimeter. Travelers in search of authenticity will appreciate the unassuming abode. The hike is good for children over the age of ten, and it’s possible for travelers with disabilities to drive up to the castle as to not miss out on sightseeing fun.
Outside of the castle hike, there isn’t much to do in Vaduz. A stroll around downtown is lovely, and there are a fair number of shops and pricey cafes, but we visited on a Sunday and the city, surprisingly, had its share of tourists. There was a group of loud American college students in the town’s main grocery store while a large tour bus unloaded in the city center with dozens of enthusiastic Chinese tourists. Folks, let this be a lesson. Wherever you are in the world, there will surely be a few boisterous Yankees there alongside you.
Once we finished lunch at a semi-satisfying tiny pizza joint near the Co-op grocery store, we debated whether or not we should continue on to Malbun, a small town in Liechtenstein about twenty-two minutes from the capital. We’d planned to do more hiking, but clouds had just rolled in and we feared it might start to rain. Thankfully, we shrugged and agreed that we’d probably never visit Liechtenstein again, so we might as well see as much as possible, regardless of the weather.
This was the best decision we’d made the entire trip.
When we reached Malbun, the temperature was steadily dropping and the clouds remained threatening. We were also losing daylight, and still had a few sights left to see in Germany before finishing the evening in Munich. A hike, we realized, was probably out of the question. That’s when we noticed one of the ski lifts seemed to be moving. Upon closer inspection, we realized that, in the summer months, the ski lift doubles as a lift to quickly chauffeur tourists up to a viewing deck.
I’ll confess, the lift ticket was a little pricey, about eighteen U.S. dollars per person, but the experience was completely worth it. Look at the photograph below, which I took when some fog started to cover the Alpine peaks. Glorious, right? I couldn’t help but feel as though I’d stepped onto the set of The Sound of Music.
My verdict, as though it’s not obvious: Liechtenstein is a hidden European gem. With unbeatable scenery, spectacular hiking, and fun alpine roads, this is one destination not to be missed. Vaduz is a fun, quirky European city with a definite charm and atmosphere. We visited on a less-than-desirable weather day, and still had a blast while being able to enjoy the natural beauty that Liechtenstein has to offer.
Traveler Tips
- Learn from Kevin and my error: pack good maps and download GPS directions on your phone before attempting to drive to Vaduz.
- Most of the hotels in Liechtenstein are rather pricey, to the point where they would deter those on a budget from visiting. Broaden your search to include hotels within an hour radius; Liechtenstein would even be a excellent day trip for those staying in Zurich, Switzerland.
- Even in summer months, pack a coat with you when heading into the Alps. We enjoyed seventy degree weather in Vienna, but in Liechtenstein, the temperature didn’t go above forty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Weather can also be fickle in the Alps – just look at the pictures below. We enjoyed a tantalizing blue sky for a total of ten minutes as we rode the ski lift in Malbun, and before we could blink, the cloud cover returned and it actually started to snow.
- You’ll have most sights in Liechtenstein to yourself, even Vaduz Castle, arguably the principality’s prime attraction. If you’re used to asking fellow tourists to take your picture – this may be a good opportunity to break out that selfie stick.
