Liechtenstein
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Normally I stay a couple of months in a country. If you just come for an easily-digestible sneak-peek and some sharable selfies, what’s the point, really? Might as well stay home and use one of those filters Millenials are so fond of, as you don’t get the full experience anyway. Not when it comes to Liechtenstein though, with its 160 km². It took me 6 months in its also not so substantially-sized neighbour Switzerland (41,285 km²) before I finally felt like I was getting a grasp of the country’s essence, which would translate into an average 0.8 days for Liechtenstein to get to the absolute bottom of it. To think I took 2 full days means that I literally left no patch unexplored. I explored every patch twice.
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The first day by car, facilitated by a friendly Couchsurf*-chap, whose name was Steve but who looked like a Peter, who not only welcomed me into his house in Balzers, but also volunteered as my private guide for the day. Now I know you probably lead busy lives, and odds are high Liechtenstein doesn’t qualify for more than just a quick drive-through for shits and giggles… so let me at least give my personal top-5 towns to get a sense of your most beneficial driving direction (yes, this 160-km²-country has no less than 11 municipalities).
1. Malbun
Why did I go to the Swiss Alps for more than half a year? Right, to go skiing. So obviously, Liechtenstein, being a miniature version of Switzerland, comes with a miniature ski resort as well. Cute. I like it how they really try to sell those 23 km of ski slopes (what – in circles?), but hell yeah, I’ll take it. 2000m for sure ain’t bad. They really made an effort with their teeny-weeny après ski bars as well, and they even made a fair go at getting some Nordic ski trails started. Good vibes.
1. Malbun
Why did I go to the Swiss Alps for more than half a year? Right, to go skiing. So obviously, Liechtenstein, being a miniature version of Switzerland, comes with a miniature ski resort as well. Cute. I like it how they really try to sell those 23 km of ski slopes (what – in circles?), but hell yeah, I’ll take it. 2000m for sure ain’t bad. They really made an effort with their teeny-weeny après ski bars as well, and they even made a fair go at getting some Nordic ski trails started. Good vibes.
2. Gaflei
Do you like breath-taking panoramic views? Yes, of course you do. It’s like people writing in their dating profiles they like ‘good food’. Well yeah, didn’t expect you to enjoy a mouldy, soppy mash of junk for dinner. Anyway, as you indeed do enjoy those views, you can’t really get around Gaflei. Best photos you’re gonna make of entire Liechtenstein, period. Or well, actually of Switzerland – you’re basically looking into Switzerland from a Liechtensteinian* mountain, but fair enough.
* Yes, that’s a word – I googled it.
Do you like breath-taking panoramic views? Yes, of course you do. It’s like people writing in their dating profiles they like ‘good food’. Well yeah, didn’t expect you to enjoy a mouldy, soppy mash of junk for dinner. Anyway, as you indeed do enjoy those views, you can’t really get around Gaflei. Best photos you’re gonna make of entire Liechtenstein, period. Or well, actually of Switzerland – you’re basically looking into Switzerland from a Liechtensteinian* mountain, but fair enough.
* Yes, that’s a word – I googled it.
3. Planken
Special mention as ‘planken’ actually means ‘planks’ in Dutch, and indeed the village is entirely made of wood. That’s not even funny, but well, here it is as #3. (Don’t worry, it’s pretty).
4. Triesenberg
Oh yeah, why not, let’s take another look-out point. We’re in the Alps, that’s what we’re here for. The great thing of the city Triesenberg (not to be confused with the ‘region’ Triesenberg – they really took their pocket-sized geography seriously here) is that it actually has some stuff to do/visit, besides the town ‘an sich’. There’s the Walsermuseum, the St. Joseph Parish, and last but definitely not least: a Lama & Alpaca garden. Authentic. Can’t miss out on a one-on-one with that typical (there we go again) Liechtensteinian fauna, of course. Sorry, I’m being mean.
Special mention as ‘planken’ actually means ‘planks’ in Dutch, and indeed the village is entirely made of wood. That’s not even funny, but well, here it is as #3. (Don’t worry, it’s pretty).
4. Triesenberg
Oh yeah, why not, let’s take another look-out point. We’re in the Alps, that’s what we’re here for. The great thing of the city Triesenberg (not to be confused with the ‘region’ Triesenberg – they really took their pocket-sized geography seriously here) is that it actually has some stuff to do/visit, besides the town ‘an sich’. There’s the Walsermuseum, the St. Joseph Parish, and last but definitely not least: a Lama & Alpaca garden. Authentic. Can’t miss out on a one-on-one with that typical (there we go again) Liechtensteinian fauna, of course. Sorry, I’m being mean.
5. Vaduz
One I tried to ignore on this list, as it’s just too easy, but nah… it’s part of the package, can’t get around this one. As expected, Liechtenstein’s capital isn’t more than just a bunch of streets, too small to really take a stand… but a really nice bunch of streets, with sunny terraces and shops to efficiently drain your travel funds (Liechtenstein is ex-pen-sive – so expensive that locals go shopping in pricy Switzerland to be ‘cheaper off’, madness!). One thing that really won me over though, is it’s hard-to-miss sight: Schloss Vaduz. The prince – yeah, they have a PRINCE - actually lives in this medieval castle. How ‘Once upon a time’ that may sound though, I liked Peter’s stories about the guy just driving around his mini-land on the way to the supermarket, where he stands in line like everybody else.
* Besides Couchsurfing, there are plenty of hidden wild-camp spots for tents guaranteeing a cheap / free stay in pricy Liechtenstein. Yes it’s officially illegal, but doesn’t that give life that extra flavor?
One I tried to ignore on this list, as it’s just too easy, but nah… it’s part of the package, can’t get around this one. As expected, Liechtenstein’s capital isn’t more than just a bunch of streets, too small to really take a stand… but a really nice bunch of streets, with sunny terraces and shops to efficiently drain your travel funds (Liechtenstein is ex-pen-sive – so expensive that locals go shopping in pricy Switzerland to be ‘cheaper off’, madness!). One thing that really won me over though, is it’s hard-to-miss sight: Schloss Vaduz. The prince – yeah, they have a PRINCE - actually lives in this medieval castle. How ‘Once upon a time’ that may sound though, I liked Peter’s stories about the guy just driving around his mini-land on the way to the supermarket, where he stands in line like everybody else.
* Besides Couchsurfing, there are plenty of hidden wild-camp spots for tents guaranteeing a cheap / free stay in pricy Liechtenstein. Yes it’s officially illegal, but doesn’t that give life that extra flavor?
First day by car, second day by my favorite means: hiking. Which is quite beneficial, as not only is it smack-bam in the Alps with exactly the same panoramas as stunning Switzerland and Austria, but you can also cross the entire country on foot and feel pretty damn good about yourself. In length it’s 25 km, width 6 km… you pick. After reading my series of long-distance hiking diaries I don’t think I need to elaborate on my hike of choice, but let me conclude that this is what the hiking sport is made for. The sweetest mountains of Europe, greenery like there’s no tomorrow, scenic little streams to take a dip, even the birds seemed to whistle in good spirits. It’s so idyllic it’s almost disgusting, but in a good way.
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Sitting there in the sun, leaning back into a little cascade while a butterfly landed on my knee, I realized I’ve been here before. When I was a little version of myself, and my parents were still together. It’s tempting to fall into cliches and call those the “good old days”, when life was easier.
But no. Those were good times, but here I sit, like a Disney princess in hardly-a-country called Liechtenstein. The road was quite bumpy, but life really took off from there.
But no. Those were good times, but here I sit, like a Disney princess in hardly-a-country called Liechtenstein. The road was quite bumpy, but life really took off from there.
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