Not many people in India know about Liechtenstein. It is familiar with some rich Indians looking to stash their “hard-earned” money, but only a few tourists visit this small country. Let us see some interesting aspects of this country.
- Liechtenstein is the sixth smallest country in the world, with a population of just over 38,000.
- It is one of the two doubly landlocked countries in the world. Uzbekistan is the only other country!
- It has the second-highest per capita GDP after Monaco.
- Liechtenstein does not have an army!
- There is no airport in Liechtenstein.
Our travel
Innsbruck in Austria was part of our Central Europe itinerary. I realized that we could cover Liechtenstein as a day trip.
It was a rainy day in Innsbruck. As we drove further, we gained altitude, and it started snowing. It was my first experience with snow. I was a bit worried about the driving conditions, even contemplating to return back. But we continued!
The entire journey was on hills. There were a series of tunnels on the way, the Erdberg tunnel being the longest at 15 km. Interestingly, while it was snowing heavily on one side of the tunnel, the weather was clear on the other side of it!
We crossed the border town of Feldkirch to enter Liechtenstein. Within a few minutes, we were in its capital city, Vaduz.
Our plan for the day was simple. First, drive to Malbun, a ski resort town, while visiting various places on the way. Later, spend some time in the capital city before returning to Innsbruck.
Vaduz castle
The first place we visited was Vaduz Castle. Located on the hill overlooking Vaduz, it is resided by the royal family. When we visited, the castle was undergoing renovation.
Triesenberg
We drove further to reach Triesenberg, a beautiful little town. The town looked picturesque, with stunning views of the mountains and valleys. We pulled off our car to savour the surroundings.
Here, I was tested with the rules of the road. We had to enter a narrow tunnel which allowed one-way traffic. The signal showed red light, and I promptly stopped my car. Few vehicles passed from the opposite direction. The light turned to flashing yellow, which led to confusion. I waited for the light to turn green. In the meantime, a lady behind our car got irritated by my confused state and overtook me. I realized that I made some mistake and followed her car!
Later, I realized that flashing yellow means “proceed with caution”!!
Stausee steg
We continued climbing to reach the lake of Stausee Steg. Surrounded by snow-clad mountains, the lake looked stunning. We spent a long time enjoying the beauty of the lake. There were hardly any souls present, and the place was serene and peaceful.
Malbun
Our drive continued to the Ski town of Malbun. We started seeing snow on the roadside as we gained altitude. The ski season had ended just ended, and the town was deserted. It would again open for tourists after a maintenance period. Since we were in that “period”, there were no tourists. We spent some time playing in the snow.
Vaduz
We then drove down to the town of Vaduz. Here, we parked our car in a parking garage and set out to explore the town.
The historical part of the town can be easily covered on foot. There were museums like Kunstmuseum, Postmuseum and Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum. St. Florin Cathedral was another attraction. There was also a city tram that showcased the tourist attractions!!
Information and tips
- Liechtenstein has good public transport. We saw buses regularly going even to Malbun. So, it is possible to manage without a car.
- Like any other Western European country, Liechtenstein is an expensive place. Probably, more expensive than in other European countries.
- Liechtenstein is a kind of extension of Switzerland. Tourist place like Lucerne is about 2 hours drive from Liechtenstein.
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