In 60 seconds
Nestled amid rolling green pre-alpine hills beneath the dramatic limestone crags of the Alpstein massif, Appenzell is Switzerland's most fiercely traditional corner. Painted wooden gables line the village lanes, direct democracy lives on at the open-air Landsgemeinde, and hiking trails lead past prehistoric caves to Berggasthaus Äscher, an inn built directly into a sheer vertical cliff.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You are afraid of sheer drop-offs or narrow mountain ledges; some of the most celebrated hikes in the Alpstein traverse steep limestone ridges.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Appenzell & Alpstein fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
World-famous 17th-century wooden inn clinging to a vertical cliff face
Walk through prehistoric hermit caves from the Ebenalp cable car to reach the timber guesthouse pressed beneath a 100-metre overhang.
Crystal mountain lake cupped by towering limestone walls
Hike up from Wasserauen to swim in chilly mirror-still waters or rent a wooden rowing boat beneath the summit of Mount Säntis.
Painted timber townhouses and the open-air direct democracy square
Admire colourful folk murals on curved wooden gables and stand on the square where citizens still vote by open show of hands.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Traditional Appenzeller cheese specialties on Landsgemeindeplatz
Feast on piping hot Appenzeller Chäsmagronen macaroni, cheese fondue and rösti with aromatic herbal mountain cheese.
Rustic centuries-old tavern serving traditional butcher fare
Sample local Siedwurst boiled sausage served with sweet Appenzeller cider mustard and potato salad beneath heavy wooden beams.
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Cliff-hung lunch terrace famous for mountain rösti
Pair a steaming pan of crispy bacon rösti with locally brewed Quöllfrisch beer while looking down into the deep valley.
Artisan bakery home of genuine Appenzeller Biber gingerbread
Pick up freshly baked Biber, a soft spiced gingerbread cake filled with pure sweet almond paste and embossed with folk motifs.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Highest peak in the Alpstein at 2,502m · Six-country panorama
Take the cable car from Schwägalp to stand on summit viewing terraces overlooking Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy.
Folk art, alpine cheese making & cattle descent traditions
Watch artisan cheese makers stir rich milk in giant copper caldrons and see traditional Bauernmalerei peasant paintings.
Secluded fjord-like mountain lake framed by vertical rock needles
A rewarding four-hour mountain trek leads to a secluded sapphire lake with sheer rock pinnacles plunging straight into the water.
After dark
Visitor centre & tasting room of Switzerland's favourite craft brewery
Taste fresh drafts of Quöllfrisch beer and single malt Säntis Malt whisky aged in historic oak beer barrels.
Orientation
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Pedestrian village centre filled with craft shops and painted facades
A living open-air museum where cobblers, wood carvers and embroidery artisans maintain centuries-old guilds.
Mountain valley floor and trailhead into the high Alpstein peaks
Green dairy pastures surrounded by towering limestone summits, serving as the departure point for Ebenalp and Seealpsee.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Stay right in the painted town centre close to restaurants and shops
Traditional wooden family-run hotels where you wake up to church chimes and fresh bakery aromas.
Peaceful countryside inns and wellness resorts near the trailheads
Idyllic pastoral settings surrounded by cow pastures with immediate access to mountain railways.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Appenzell joins the Swiss Confederation as the thirteenth member canton.
Religious tensions cause the canton to divide peacefully into Appenzell Innerrhoden (Catholic) and Appenzell Ausserrhoden (Protestant).
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
UNESCO Baroque abbey with one of the world's most beautiful libraries
Step into the breathtaking Rococo abbey library containing 170,000 ancient hand-written codices and illuminated manuscripts.
Gentle panoramic mountain with barefoot walking trail and toboggan
Take off your shoes on Switzerland's longest barefoot trail or ride the scenic alpine coaster through mountain meadows.
