Liechtenstein may not be among your preferred destinations when it comes to going on vacation, but if you are one of those who travel a lot and you want to discover a European corner with a lot of history and charisma, this is your country. We are talking about a micro country that is actually the Principality of Liechtenstein, and that is the sixth smallest country in the world, and the smallest German-speaking.
It is made up of eleven municipalities, and has several interesting curiosities, such as that it is entirely in an alpine region, or that half of its territory are natural spaces. It can certainly be a visit of great interest, and if there are places not to be missed, we must mention Vaduz, its capital, and Schaan, the largest municipality, which we will talk about later.
Vaduz
This city is the capital of Liechtenstein, and it is where the royal family resides, in the old medieval castle that is in the highest area. It is a castle that has been expanded and fortified in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, until it has its current appearance. Unfortunately, the castle is closed to visitors inside, but there are organized tours that can give us a broad overview of this building and its history.
If we take a walk through the city, there are many things not to be missed, such as its beautiful old town, where there are restaurants that have brought us culinary specialties for centuries, such as Gasthof Löwen. The Museum of Art is the most important of the principality, and has the oldest private collections in the entire country. In addition, in the National Museum it is possible to enjoy learning about the history of this small European country.
malbun
If there is something we are going to want to do once in Liechtenstein, it is to go to the mountains. It is a country that is completely in a mountainous region, so there will be mountain populations with a charm that is difficult to match, and Malbun is one of them. It is located in the Alps, and it is in the road between Steg and Vaduz, so it can be a good visit after seeing the capital. It is a mountain resort that hosts tourists all year round, although the high season is certainly during winter.
This is a small town with a center closed to traffic through which you can walk quietly. There are ancient writings that say that in winter Malbun used to belong to the ghosts, although now there is nothing further from the truth, as it is a full-blown tourist center. At its station you can find chair lifts and ski lifts, as well as 23 kilometers of ski slopes. There are also Nordic skiing and toboggan runs, as well as special programming for children during high season.
Triensenberg
If we continue to want to live the most authentic mountaineering spirit, we can go to the city of Triesenberg, which is also the name of the municipality in which this city and others such as Malbun are integrated. This city was one of the largest agricultural production in the past, but today it has also become a winter resort.
It has a ski resort, and during the summer they also take place sports activities on Lake Steger. In this town you can also visit the small museums in religious buildings such as the Church of St. Joseph's Parish, where ancient relics are kept. In the nearby town of Steg there is a great hiking area for those who love this sport, and also a famous ski slide, so entertainment is assured.
Schaan
This is one of the older settlements of the whole country, and one of the main cultural centers. It has the most important theater, and it can also be said that it is one of the best communicated cities, since it is the only one that has a train station in the whole country. One of the great events that can be seen in this city is its carnival, the most famous in the entire principality.
balzers
This is the southernmost town, and it is also the closest to Switzerland. The most significant thing about this town is its old castle, the Gutenberg castle. It is a building from the XNUMXth century, which served as the home of Baron Frauenberg, to later belong to the Dukes of Austria. After a period of neglect, it was sold to a sculptor who gave it its current appearance, and it was finally used as a restaurant. It is currently closed to the public, but events are held in its gardens. The Church of St. Nicholas is right next to the castle, and has a neo-Romanesque style.