Liechtenstein

Overview

The Principality of Liechtenstein ( German : Fürstentum Liechtenstein ) is a tiny, alpine, German-speaking country with a population of 38,000, doubly landlocked by Switzerland and Austria .

The principality enjoys a very high standard of living and is home to some incredibly beautiful mountain scenery. The principality's capital, Vaduz , is a major centre of commerce and international banking.

What is now the Principality of Liechtenstein was for a long time the minor holdings of a powerful noble family from elsewhere. It was part of the Holy Roman Empire and later became part of the German Confederation.

The Liechtensteinian flag is, by pure accident of history, identical to that of Haiti except for the emblems placed on both. During the 1936 Olympics, which were apparently the first time the two flags were displayed close to each other, this was discovered as Haitian civil flags at the time omitted the coat of arms and Liechtenstein added the crown as a symbol of its monarchy and to distinguish it from the civil flag of Haiti, should the two ever be displayed alongside each other.

Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering and tax evasion. However, the days of bringing suitcases of money into banks for deposit with no questions asked are over.

Liechtensteiners are also very proud of the fact that their nation has never been involved in a battle or military confrontation with an enemy state. They see their flag as a banner of peace.

Sights and landscapes

It is possible to encounter the royal family at the Kunstmuseum, coming in and out of Schloss Vaduz or skiing during winter time. This is one benefit of such a small country. They are recognizable in their cars, which use their birth year for their licence plate number.

Liechtenstein is one of the world's two doubly landlocked countries – countries wholly surrounded by other landlocked countries (the other is Uzbekistan ). Liechtenstein is the sixth-smallest sovereign state in the world by area.

Despite its alpine location, the prevailing southerly winds temper Liechtenstein's climate. Its climate is continental, with cloudy and cold winters, with frequent rain and snowfall. Summers are cool to slightly warm, cloudy, and humid.

The principality of Liechtenstein is divided into 11 communes called Gemeinden (singular Gemeinde ). The Gemeinden mostly consist of only a single town or village. Five of them ( Eschen , Gamprin , Mauren , Ruggell , and Schellenberg ) fall within the electoral district Unterland (the lower county), and the remainder ( Balzers , Planken , Schaan , Triesen , Triesenberg , and Vaduz ) within Oberland (the upper county).

The country's climate is relatively mild despite its mountainous location. It is strongly influenced by the action of foehn (warm and dry autumn wind), so the vegetation period is prolonged in spring and autumn and temperatures around 15 °C (59 °F) due to the strong foehn are not uncommon even in winter. The mountain ranges of Switzerland and the Vorarlberg upstream protect from the cold polar and Atlantic air, creating a typical alpine inland protective layer. The principality has orchards with leafy meadows and a long tradition of viticulture . Liechtenstein's small land area hardly plays a role in climatic differences, but the vertical division into different altitudes is of great importance, so that significant climatic differences arise.

Experiences

Liechtenstein offers great hiking , road biking , and mountain biking terrain. Skiing and snowboarding are also offered at a reasonable price at the country's small resort, Malbun , in comparison to the expensive lift prices in neighbouring Switzerland or Austria.

Football: the men's national team play at Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz. The country is too small to have its own club league, so its professional clubs play in the Swiss leagues.

Get up early one morning and drive up the mountains on the east side of the river. From here you have an incredible view over Vaduz & Switzerland.

Culture and food

You will find a few restaurants in the larger cities of Liechtenstein. There is also a McDonald's restaurant (opened in 1996; serves wine), which is very popular and is widely publicised by road signs throughout the country.

There is a small amount of wine that is produced in Liechtenstein that is available in supermarkets and tourist shops throughout the country. Expect to pay around Fr. 25 for an average bottle. The Prince owns his own vineyard in Vaduz, off the main road. Beer is also available for purchase that is made with malt from Liechtenstein, although most of the beer is brewed in Switzerland. A variety of other European wines, beers, and soft drinks are also available. There is now a brewery in Liechtenstein that produces a variety of beers; lagers including Helles (blonde) and Hefe Weizen (unfiltered wheat) styles are brewed.

Planning your route

It is possible to travel between the country's three active railway stations, but the bus is far more frequent. There are eleven daily trains between Schaan-Vaduz, Forst-Hilti, and Nendeln railway stations. The train is purely a commuter service, with nearly all trains running in the morning and evenings on weekdays. The Forst-Hilti station serves the Hilti complex, the biggest company in Liechtenstein, with over 2,000 employees.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors) and Wikipedia article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.