Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein: The Tiny Country Most People Skip
We took the regional trains from Zurich to Vaduz with one bus transfer, and the ride alone was worth the trip. Scenic doesn't really cover it—mountains, glacier-fed lakes, and the kind of views that make you put your phone down and just look. It set high expectations for what was waiting at the other end.
Liechtenstein is one of the world's smallest countries, tucked between Switzerland and Austria, and it has a quiet, unhurried quality that's hard to find anywhere in Europe. Vaduz is the capital, and it's small enough to cover on foot without much effort. Vaduz Castle sits on a hill overlooking the city and is the official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. It's not open to the public, but the view of it from below is striking enough that it doesn't matter. The architecture in the city is a mix of medieval and modern—ancient castles sitting alongside contemporary art galleries—and the whole place feels well kept in a way that reflects how much pride the locals take in it.
We visited off season, which meant most of the shops and a lot of the buildings were closed. So we did what you do when a place doesn't give you much to work with—we walked around and took pictures. And honestly, Liechtenstein is a good place for that. The streets are charming, the scenery is beautiful, and there's enough to look at that an afternoon of wandering doesn't feel wasted.
I'm glad we went. It's the kind of place you can say you've been to that most people haven't, and the train ride through Switzerland to get there is genuinely beautiful. That said, I wouldn't rush back. If you go, do it as a day trip and visit during the season when things are actually open.
