Two Days in Vaduz, the Capital of Liechtenstein
Jun 3rd, 2025 | 04:49 PM
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Two Days in Vaduz, the Capital of Liechtenstein
By Saul Schwartz
In our third stop of our May 2025 European trip, my wife Fern and I took the train from Interlaken, Switzerland to Vaduz, the capital of the tiny country of Liechtenstein. The train trip took about 3 and one-half hours, including a switch of trains in Zurich. The closest Swiss train stop to Vaduz is in Sargans, Switzerland. Vaduz has about 5000 residents.
Liechtenstein is one of the smallest countries in Europe. The country does not get many visitors, in part because it is not all that easy to get to from Switzerland or other locations. There is no train service within Liechtenstein and no airports.
To get to our hotel in Vaduz, we arranged for an English language driver pick-up at the Sargans train station. Although the arranged service was expensive (70 Swiss Francs), it would not have been possible for us to take the local bus service from Sargans to Vaduz with our luggage. Our driver told us many interesting stories about his life in Vaduz, including his transportation of the royal family. It took about twenty minutes to be driven to our hotel.
Lodging – The Residence Inn is a modern hotel in the heart of Vaduz. The rate included a very nice, extensive breakfast buffet. The gym was very small, but not busy. The hotel staff were helpful and friendly. Prices were moderate (on a Switzerland scale). Rooms have Liechtenstein themes. Our room faced the prince’s forest. All key attractions are within walking distance of this hotel, centered on two major streets.
Day 1
Treasure Chamber – Our Swiss Travel Pass covered admission at this small museum which features royal collections. The one floor museum displays objects closely associated with Liechtenstein. Security was tight and pictures were not allowed. The collection of valuable Russian Easter eggs is outstanding, including the world-famous "Apple Blossom Egg" by Fabergé, other Easter eggs by Fabergé, and other goldsmiths. For us, other highlights included a replica of a princely hat and moon rocks.
Postal Museum – This small museum is also included within the Swiss Travel Pass. This is another one-floor museum, sitting above the Treasure Chamber. Unless you are particularly interested in the stamps of Liechtenstein, you can skip this museum.
Sculpturers – As we strolled through central Vaduz, we noticed a multitude of works of art. Right across from the government buildings, there is a Henry Moore work entitled “Figure in a Shelter.” An unusual work is the Swiss Fountain by Roman Signer, where you can walk through an opening in steel walls and listen to the water. We learned that there are 28 works of art in the central area.
Café & Bakery Amann – We took a nice coffee/tea and vegan pastry bakery at this cute café in the central section. The variety of pastries and drinks was impressive, at reasonable prices. The staff was friendly and there was plenty of seating.
St. Florin Cathedral – The neo-gothic Catholic church, with its large clock tower, can be seen from any place in central Vaduz. Its bells can be heard there, as well. The building was built in 1874. It became a cathedral in 1997. The interior features several colorful stain-glass windows and modern sculptures. It was free for us to enter. Several of the country’s royals have been christened or buried in the church.
We really enjoyed our dinner at Made in Italy. We chatted with the owner, who came from Naples, Italy, in 2012. The trattoria style restaurant served a limited number of pasta selections during that evening. On other nights, pizza is also available. The bread (with olive oil) and pasta (in red sauce) were very tasty. Prices were reasonable.
Day 2
We started our day with a short visit to the Liechtenstein National Museum. The admission fee was included under our Swiss Travel Pass. An audio guide was included without charge. Our favorite part of the museum was the temporary exhibit entitled “Close to War” concerning Liechtenstein during World War 2, as the country remained neutral, while its citizens chose to align with either the Allies or the Axis. The permanent exhibits focus on the cultural and archaeological history of the country. The museum also contains a cozy coffee shop with self-serve options.
Next, we went on a private ninety-minute walking tour booked in advance through Get Your Guide. Our guide met us at the Cathedral. As we walked through central Vaduz, she explained the background of how Liechtenstein developed as a country in 1866. We stopped in front of the decorative government building, which is the seat of the government. The three-floor building was built around 1903. This building has an impressive portico with a single balcony above which are photos of two saints on each side of the last third floor, and Liechtenstein’s coat of arms on top.
As we then ascended to Vaduz Castle, our guide pointed out the Red House, the oldest house in Vaduz, built in 1338. The Red House is a stepped-gabled house with an adjoining residential tower and a barn. She also showed us the prince’s vineyards, the court winery that belongs to the royal family. The climb gave us sweeping vistas over the capital.
Our tour ended at Vaduz castle, which is not open to the public since it is the residence of the prince and his family. The three of us hiked up the steep path from central Vaduz to the castle. The castle may date back to the year 1200. Since 1712, the castle has been owned by the princes of the country. The castle towers above Vaduz. Over the centuries, it has undergone numerous renovations, blending medieval architecture with modern updates.
In the afternoon, Fern and I were able to privately tour the Parliament Building in the city center. Thanks to the generosity of Hannes Matt who works for the country’s Parliament, we were able to tour the building while it was out of session. The Liechtenstein Parliament consists of 25 members. Mr. Matt took us through several rooms of the building, including the impressive assembly hall where the members deliberate and vote. The building opened in 2008 after an architectural studio from Hanover won the design competition. The new building, the forecourt, and the retaining structure were built using around a million bricks custom-made in a Swiss brickwork.
We took an afternoon coffee/tea break at American Bagel and Coffee, in the city center. The seating was very comfortable. The coffee and tea were of high quality.
We ended the day of touring by taking the Vaduz City Train. In advance, Fern and I had reserved tickets through Get Your Guide. Unfortunately, the English the audio recording was very hard to listen to through earphones because, at the same time, the German language recording was playing over speakers. The 35-minute train ride took us further from the city center than our walking tour. Neither of us were impressed with this activity.
Before we left Vaduz the next morning, we walked through the city center one final time. The town was being set up for a festival, with ballons strung throughout the town. We checked out the model of Vaduz castle, a stunning representation of the castle, and the tourist center, which offered many brochures for free. At the tourist center, helpful experts are available to answer questions. We also noticed the zero-mile marker, the location where all roads in the country are measured from. Before I left Vaduz, I was able to jog from the city center to the edge of the town.
Tips and Reflections:
The local currency is the Swiss Franc. Prices are comparable to Switzerland.
Two days was sufficient to see the attractions of Vaduz.
Planning information is available on the MySwitzerland web site. Foder’s Switzerland has a small section on Vaduz.
The Coop market in the central area gave us very good options for take-away meals and drinks.
The capital is more like a town or village than a city. Its residents were very friendly.
Next, we headed to Como, Italy.
President of the Parliament for the Day!
In our third stop of our May 2025 European trip, my wife Fern and I took the train from Interlaken, Switzerland to Vaduz, the capital of the tiny country of Liechtenstein. The train trip took about 3 and one-half hours, including a switch of trains in Zurich. The closest Swiss train stop to Vaduz is in Sargans, Switzerland. Vaduz has about 5000 residents.
Liechtenstein is one of the smallest countries in Europe. The country does not get many visitors, in part because it is not all that easy to get to from Switzerland or other locations. There is no train service within Liechtenstein and no airports.
To get to our hotel in Vaduz, we arranged for an English language driver pick-up at the Sargans train station. Although the arranged service was expensive (70 Swiss Francs), it would not have been possible for us to take the local bus service from Sargans to Vaduz with our luggage. Our driver told us many interesting stories about his life in Vaduz, including his transportation of the royal family. It took about twenty minutes to be driven to our hotel.
Lodging – The Residence Inn is a modern hotel in the heart of Vaduz. The rate included a very nice, extensive breakfast buffet. The gym was very small, but not busy. The hotel staff were helpful and friendly. Prices were moderate (on a Switzerland scale). Rooms have Liechtenstein themes. Our room faced the prince’s forest. All key attractions are within walking distance of this hotel, centered on two major streets.
Day 1
Treasure Chamber – Our Swiss Travel Pass covered admission at this small museum which features royal collections. The one floor museum displays objects closely associated with Liechtenstein. Security was tight and pictures were not allowed. The collection of valuable Russian Easter eggs is outstanding, including the world-famous "Apple Blossom Egg" by Fabergé, other Easter eggs by Fabergé, and other goldsmiths. For us, other highlights included a replica of a princely hat and moon rocks.
Postal Museum – This small museum is also included within the Swiss Travel Pass. This is another one-floor museum, sitting above the Treasure Chamber. Unless you are particularly interested in the stamps of Liechtenstein, you can skip this museum.
Sculpturers – As we strolled through central Vaduz, we noticed a multitude of works of art. Right across from the government buildings, there is a Henry Moore work entitled “Figure in a Shelter.” An unusual work is the Swiss Fountain by Roman Signer, where you can walk through an opening in steel walls and listen to the water. We learned that there are 28 works of art in the central area.
Café & Bakery Amann – We took a nice coffee/tea and vegan pastry bakery at this cute café in the central section. The variety of pastries and drinks was impressive, at reasonable prices. The staff was friendly and there was plenty of seating.
St. Florin Cathedral – The neo-gothic Catholic church, with its large clock tower, can be seen from any place in central Vaduz. Its bells can be heard there, as well. The building was built in 1874. It became a cathedral in 1997. The interior features several colorful stain-glass windows and modern sculptures. It was free for us to enter. Several of the country’s royals have been christened or buried in the church.
We really enjoyed our dinner at Made in Italy. We chatted with the owner, who came from Naples, Italy, in 2012. The trattoria style restaurant served a limited number of pasta selections during that evening. On other nights, pizza is also available. The bread (with olive oil) and pasta (in red sauce) were very tasty. Prices were reasonable.
Day 2
We started our day with a short visit to the Liechtenstein National Museum. The admission fee was included under our Swiss Travel Pass. An audio guide was included without charge. Our favorite part of the museum was the temporary exhibit entitled “Close to War” concerning Liechtenstein during World War 2, as the country remained neutral, while its citizens chose to align with either the Allies or the Axis. The permanent exhibits focus on the cultural and archaeological history of the country. The museum also contains a cozy coffee shop with self-serve options.
Next, we went on a private ninety-minute walking tour booked in advance through Get Your Guide. Our guide met us at the Cathedral. As we walked through central Vaduz, she explained the background of how Liechtenstein developed as a country in 1866. We stopped in front of the decorative government building, which is the seat of the government. The three-floor building was built around 1903. This building has an impressive portico with a single balcony above which are photos of two saints on each side of the last third floor, and Liechtenstein’s coat of arms on top.
As we then ascended to Vaduz Castle, our guide pointed out the Red House, the oldest house in Vaduz, built in 1338. The Red House is a stepped-gabled house with an adjoining residential tower and a barn. She also showed us the prince’s vineyards, the court winery that belongs to the royal family. The climb gave us sweeping vistas over the capital.
Our tour ended at Vaduz castle, which is not open to the public since it is the residence of the prince and his family. The three of us hiked up the steep path from central Vaduz to the castle. The castle may date back to the year 1200. Since 1712, the castle has been owned by the princes of the country. The castle towers above Vaduz. Over the centuries, it has undergone numerous renovations, blending medieval architecture with modern updates.
In the afternoon, Fern and I were able to privately tour the Parliament Building in the city center. Thanks to the generosity of Hannes Matt who works for the country’s Parliament, we were able to tour the building while it was out of session. The Liechtenstein Parliament consists of 25 members. Mr. Matt took us through several rooms of the building, including the impressive assembly hall where the members deliberate and vote. The building opened in 2008 after an architectural studio from Hanover won the design competition. The new building, the forecourt, and the retaining structure were built using around a million bricks custom-made in a Swiss brickwork.
We took an afternoon coffee/tea break at American Bagel and Coffee, in the city center. The seating was very comfortable. The coffee and tea were of high quality.
We ended the day of touring by taking the Vaduz City Train. In advance, Fern and I had reserved tickets through Get Your Guide. Unfortunately, the English the audio recording was very hard to listen to through earphones because, at the same time, the German language recording was playing over speakers. The 35-minute train ride took us further from the city center than our walking tour. Neither of us were impressed with this activity.
Before we left Vaduz the next morning, we walked through the city center one final time. The town was being set up for a festival, with ballons strung throughout the town. We checked out the model of Vaduz castle, a stunning representation of the castle, and the tourist center, which offered many brochures for free. At the tourist center, helpful experts are available to answer questions. We also noticed the zero-mile marker, the location where all roads in the country are measured from. Before I left Vaduz, I was able to jog from the city center to the edge of the town.
Tips and Reflections:
The local currency is the Swiss Franc. Prices are comparable to Switzerland.
Two days was sufficient to see the attractions of Vaduz.
Planning information is available on the MySwitzerland web site. Foder’s Switzerland has a small section on Vaduz.
The Coop market in the central area gave us very good options for take-away meals and drinks.
The capital is more like a town or village than a city. Its residents were very friendly.
Next, we headed to Como, Italy.
President of the Parliament for the Day!
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