March 2008, Lichenstein : )

Liechtenstein. Have you ever heard this name? Not? Well, it is a microstate. Micro ...really! Just few people are interested in visiting it.

It is the sixth smallest country in the world, with only 160 km2. Only wins in km: Vatican (0.4 km2), Monaco (2 km2), Nauru (21 km2), Tuvalu (26 km2) and San Marino (61 km2). The capital is Vaduz. If you're not careful you may go through it and not even realize. Its" hide" inside the Alps between Austria and Switzerland

The maximum "size does not matter" fits perfectly in Lichtenstein. Tiny and powerful. It is one of the richest countries in the world. Produces excellent wines and cheeses. It is governed by a monarch who lives in the top of a hill, in a Gothic castle. Famous for being a "tax free". This country have wined some Olympic medals already in many editions of the Winter Games. It has only 36 thousand inhabitants.

Like I was visiting Zurich, was very very close by train to Lichtenstein and I decided to go there (even having heard from many people that it was not worth the trip). I took the train from 9am and at 11 was on station at Feldkirch, the last city in Austria and where to catch a bus to go to Vaduz - the capital of the country. The path that the train runs through the middle of the Alps is beautiful. Just that worth the trip. It was in all the way an amazing landscape. A big amount of areas covered in white. In the ground a thick layer of snow. All the trees decorated by the winter and all around... huge mountains. The train, over the rails, and the snow starting to melt as the sun began to emerge it was really amazing :D :D :D . Beautiful and impressive nature show.

From Zurich to Vaduz:
Hard cold. Temperature under 10 degrees Celsius. When I arrived at the station I had to wait half an hour for the next bus outside ...  if I wanter the one would that would go straight to Vaduz. Well... Instead, I took the bus that was already stopped and would start in 5 minutes doing a longer route and going into other municipalities. Perfect.... : O Making a circle during 30 minutes, I almost crossed the country from one side to another. The driver was pretending be a profissional guide ... but speaking in German WOW!!. Finally, Vaduz!

Vaduz:

I got out from the bus just in front of the tourist information center. Perfect... It was just what I needed to get a map from the city (even a small city it would be usefull for sure). On the map, the main highlight was the Vaduz Castle, a few streets (three or four) , a grape plantations and fields covered with snow. Really, a micro country. Super small but very cute. I walked in all the streets in downtown, I went to the Cathedral, the Government Palace, the City Hall, the New Parliament House, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of the Seal, the National Museum, the Red House, the Ski Museum. After I got lunch and in afternoon I just went around everyywhere once more.

Cathedral - Parish Church of St. Florian Vaduz - was built between 1868 and 1873 in neo-Gothic style. The church is very simple and was raised to the category of cathedral in 1997.

The government building.
Everything is so close that the government building is almost beside the cathedral. The roof and the paintings on the facade of the government building are the points that ask for more attention in the center of Vaduz.

New Parliament House:  The New Parliament House is just next to the National Museum and in front of the square-Peter Kaiser.

GETTING THERE

The trains are very comfortable, practical and super on time.

To reach the stations by Switzerland and Sargans Buschs, bordering Liechtenstein. www.sbb.ch

The nearest airports are to Altenrhein 50 km, 85 km from Friedrichshafen and Zurich-Kloten at 115 Km

WHEN TO GO

In winter, the country is an atraction to those who like to ski. From December to March the Alps are covered with snow. In the another months the weather is milder and invites those who enjoy hiking, walking or cycling. The hottest weather is from July to September.

LANGUAGE: German.

Currency: Swiss franc (CHF) - but the Euro is accepted everywhere.

SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: hereditary monarchy based on parliamentary democracy and

MAP OF LIECHTENSTEIN:

Closest CITIES:
Zurich, 110 km
Geneva, 390 km
Munich, 235 km
Frankfurt, 470 km
Vienna, 650 km
Milan, 250 km

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