Curious about Liechtenstein
 

Has anyone traveled to Liechtenstein? What do you know about it? I am planning a vacation to Europe and Scandanavia in 2007 and I am starting to think about places I want to see. My husband and I met a family from Liechtenstein while we were honeymooning in Bermuda. So that has sparked the interest. I see on the world atlas that Liechtenstein is very small. Makes me think how meeting a family from here seems rare and special.
Anyone have anything to say about this place?
Thanks,
Annika

I have been there, but it's been many years ago so I'm not sure how much might have changed since then. I enjoyed my day trip there, however, and think it would be even more enjoyable if you know someone there.

Yes, it is very small and if I recall correctly, it only took about an hour or so to drive across the entire country. :)

Thank you for the reply Statia. Something tells me it is the road less traveled and I wont get many replies. Makes it even more appealing really. Let me know if you think of anything else about it though. I would appreciate it.
Annika

Other than the postage stamps the place is noted for all i can tell you is that to GET there you'll have to do it by road since all trains apparently pass through without stopping.

It's about the size of a postage stamp - and indeed they have a postage stamp Museum if you're interested. It's not that interesting - think Luxembourg as an example - but smaller. The people are nice enough though.

It is famous for being the biggest producer of false teeth in Europe, or the world, or something odd like that. Like Monaco, it teeters between being a private estate and Ruritania, and there was quite a bit in the papers not so long ago about constitutional arguments between the Grand Duke and the parliament.

Bill Bryson said some rather uncomplimentary things about it in "Neither Here Nor There" - but his title may indeed cover what he said!

Liechtenstein is indeed small but VERY rich. There are a lot of secret bank accounts there.

You can visit Liechtenstein in an hour or two and then go to Appenzell and Urnasch to see a very quaint part of Switzerland.

We went to Liechtenstein this past May. We were driving to Appenzell and decided to detour to Liechtenstein for a few hours.

I read in several places that the detour wasn't really worth it, and after we did it I realized that the information is correct. The country is small and, in my opinion, really not that picturesque. We weren't impressed so after I paid my euros for my passport stamp we decided we had our fill. We ended up gettig a little lost trying to get out of the country so the detour ended up taking longer than we thought.

If you have the time and want to add stamp to your passport, go for it. Otherwise I probably would just skip it.

Tracy

Wow! I'm so glad I asked! This is great stuff. (To me anyway). I would be traveling by car. My idea was to actually start my trip in Switzerland. I've always wanted to see the Alps. Then make my journey north to Sweden and then back down to Switzerland. Thanks so much for the replies. I am interested in all the suggestions on what else to see. I have no set itinerary yet though. Just in the planning stages.
Annika

P.S. It has a very nice castle where the Prince and his family lives. I couldn't find any available public tours of the castle though.

Other sights in the vicinity:
Sargans, Switz.: A nice castle to tour for SFr. 5.-- (my family's coat of arms is painted on the walls)

Feldkirch, Aus.: a nice old city

You can drive easily from Zurich - 100km, about 70 miles. They grow some wine in Liechtenstein and you can apparantly ski there - though I have never done so.

If you're planning on getting a passport stamp in Liechenstein, be prepared to pay a small fee for the stamp to prove you have been there.

How do you grow wine?

i've also been through it...klosters to munich. it has lovely mountains and the castle is a nice site (saw it at sunset). agree that it is hardly worth it as a destination, however.

You stick an empty bottle with a cork in it in the soil. You pour old wine over it every day and then presto, a case of bottles appears.

Very helpful and also very funny! Thank you everyone!
Annika

lawchick, something like growing potatoes? ((b))

Very similar. We can't grow wine in Ireland so we grow potatoes and make a type of moonshine out of it.

I thought about including a side trip to Liechtenstein (from Bregenz, Austria)when I'm biking around the Bodensee (Lake Constance), but haven't yet inquired as to distance or "elevation" change. Schuler, do you have any info that would help me decide? I'm not sure a passport stamp would be worth it. :)

No, it is really not worth the detour. The scenery in nearby Swiss regions is much more beautiful. Think of Lake Walensee, the Raetikon mountains, Maienfeld and the Heidi village (for those who like it), Appenzell ...

There are no guided tours of the castle in Vaduz. It is private and you cannot get in.

Thanks, Ingo. I'll skip. :)