Bonnie Gross

After exploring Lucerne, Switzerland, we had to travel to Austria. Although we could have taken a direct train there, we noticed a tiny country (Liechtenstein) in between Switzerland and Austria and decided we should stop and see it.

We soon found out how difficult this stop would be. There is no main airport or train station in Liechtenstein because it is so tiny. After searching online, it seemed that the only way to reach this country was from a bus in Sargans, Switzerland. The only way to get to Austria from this country was to get back on the same bus to Feldkirch, Austria. Thus began our journey.

A train from Lucerne to Zurich

A train from Zurich to Sargans

Bus 11 Sargans to Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Since there is no airport, the only way to get a stamp in your passport is to go to the tourist information and pay 3 CHF. (Of course we had to get the stamp)

Some fun facts about Liechtenstein:

1. It has an area of about 160 sq. km.
2. It is the fourth smallest country in Europe
3. It is a constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein
4. The Prince of Liechtenstein is the world’s sixth richest monarch
5. It has a monetary union with Switzerland and also enjoys one of the world’s highest standards of living

We only had a couple hours to explore, which is really all you need. The main thing to see is the Vaduz Castle, where the Prince resides. There is also a post stamp museum and an art museum. We hiked up to the castle, but you are not allowed inside.

Next, we headed back on bus 11 to Feldkirch, Austria, where we were spending the night. Our hotel was right outside the bus stop, but instead we walked the same streets for an hour with all our luggage trying to find it. Since my sister and I speak no German, it became clear that we were going to have some trouble getting around. Even ordering dinner was a challenge and a gamble.

Feldkirch is a small town and there are only a couple main things to do. We decided to tour Schattenburg Castle. It is a medieval castle where tourists can walk through all the old rooms. I don’t know why I always get a creepy vibe in old bedrooms, but maybe its the old weird children’s toys. Or maybe it was the fact that the beds have ceilings in order to protect from bugs falling on you at night.

After lunch, we took a train to Innsbruck for the next part of our journey. Until next time, please enjoy this photo of me taking advantage of the photo-op in the Liechtenstein tourist center…