This is the ultimate three day Liechtenstein itinerary ideal for a long weekend of hiking and seeing the main attractions. Nestled between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein features the majestic Alps and the winding Rhine River. By hiking in Liechtenstein, you’ll enjoy gorgeous views of the Swiss and Austrian Alps. Liechtenstein is certainly not overrun by mass tourism which further adds to its appeal. Whilst Austria and Switzerland encounter more tourists, you’ll share the hiking paths in Liechtenstein with very few people.
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Liechtenstein 3 Day Itinerary
This is the ultimate three day itinerary to visit the main attractions and experience the best hiking trails in the tiny country of Liechtenstein. By following this Liechtenstein travel guide, you’ll enjoy the best landmarks, castles and attractions of Liechtenstein.
Below, we’ll tell you about our experiences visiting the main attractions and doing the best hikes in Liechtenstein. Feel free to follow this Liechtenstein itinerary, if you want to discover the best things to do in the country over a long weekend. For sure, you can use this itinerary to help plan your own Liechtenstein holiday.
FYI – all hikes in this guide are rated by the Liechtenstein Tourism Board.
Liechtenstein Itinerary: Day 1
During our first day in Liechtenstein, Beck and I did the Historical Eschnerberg Trail. For sure, this is an excellent walk and should be high on your list of things to do in Liechtenstein.
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The Historical Eschnerberg Trail
- Type: Loop
- Distance: 15km
- Time: 4–5 hours
- Accumulated elevation gain: 245m
- Difficulty: Easy
- Trailhead: Bendern Post Office
This trail is a fairly leisurely 15k loop taking 4–5 hours to complete. The route will take you from a beautiful forest to along both sides of the Eschnerberg mountain ridge. There are excellent views of the Rhine Valley, Swiss Alps and the town of Schellenberg. We were actually able to start the hike from our accommodation in Schellenberg! Otherwise though, the hike officially starts in the town of Bendern. The trail is very easy without any technical challenges or even any steepness.
You will also encounter two castle ruins along the track. Firstly, Ruine Alt Schellenberg otherwise known as Untere Burg (Lower Castle). Secondly, Obere Burg (Upper Castle). When we visited, both sites were empty and very fun to explore.
There are certainly more epic hikes in Liechtenstein. However, this walk helped us explore the area where we were staying. For us, it was very convenient being located on our doorstep, given we had slept in after our late arrival!
Liechtenstein Itinerary: Day 2
On the second day of this Liechtenstein itinerary, you’ll be exploring castles and historical sites as well as completing an extraordinary hiking trail. Indeed, if you want to find out what to see in Liechtenstein, today’s itinerary is some of the most well-known attractions in the country.
Gutenberg Castle
Gutenberg Castle is one of the two main castles in Liechtenstein. It’s preserved from the 12th Century. There is no actual opening time. The castle is open to the public so there is no entry fee. We arrived fairly early and were the only two people there exploring the castle grounds. We found that taking photos from a nearby park created an epic viewpoint with mountains in the background.
Old Wooden Rhine Bridge
Visiting the Old Wooden Rhine Bridge only involves a quick stop, but it’s one of the best stops in this Liechtenstein itinerary! Basically, you’ll enter an old wooden bridge that connects Switzerland and Liechtenstein. You can stand over the border with one foot in each country! There is also a nice walk by the Rhine River waiting for you there.
Vaduz Castle
Vaduz Castle, the residence of the Liechtenstein Prince, was is the next stop on this itinerary. This castle is one of the most popular attractions in Liechtenstein. So, it proved to be a bit busier than Gutenberg Castle. Unfortunately, this castle was off limits to the public with the Prince living there. Still, keep this on the itinerary, as it’s worth a quick visit.
Fürstensteig (Princes Trail)-Drei Schwestern (Three Sisters Track)
- Type: Out & Back
- Distance: 12km
- Time: 4–5 hours
- Accumulated elevation gain: 845m
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead: Gaflei Car Park
We did this trail as an improvised 12km return hike which took 4–5 hours. It’s the most classical mountain hike in Liechtenstein and a right of passage for any Liechtensteiner. It’s traditionally a one-way 12km hike from Gaflei to Planken.
However, with having a car, we had to modify the route. We started at Gaflei completing the entire Fürstensteig component. Then once we reached Drei Schwestern; the peak of the Three Sisters Track at 2,052 metres above sea level, we turned back. This coincidentally ended up making this traditional 12km one way hike, a 12km return hike.
We promise that doing the hike this way does not mean you will miss any of the epic scenery! As long as you get to Drei Schwestern, you’ll have the most amazing view of the Swiss and Austrian Alps from Liechtenstein. This was our highlight of the trip!
Liechtenstein Itinerary: Day 3
This is the third and final day of this Liechtenstein itinerary, which involves one of the best hikes in the country!
Furstin-Gina-Weg (Princess Gina Trail)
- Type: Loop
- Distance: 12km
- Time: 4-5 hours
- Accumulated elevation gain: 760m
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead: Malbun Ski Resort
We ended our three day trip with another fantastic hike. This trail was another 12km affair, again taking 4–5 hours too. Be aware, if the chairlift is not open or operating, the start of the hike is brutal! You’ll climb several hundred metres in the first half hour. In total, you’ll actually ascend 924 metres to reach the peak of Augstenberg (2,359 metres above sea level).
From there, you will have incredible panoramic views of the Alps as well as exceptional views of Malbun. This is the quaint ski village where the hike starts and finishes. The trial is not a technical one but it’s hard work!
Liechtenstein 3 Day Itinerary Recap
We hope that this three day itinerary will help you plan and enjoy your trip to Liechtenstein. By following this guide, you’ll know exactly all the best things to see in Liechtenstein. Within this guide are the three best Liechtenstein hiking trails on offer. Additionally, you’ll be ready to check out all of the other awesome attractions in this tiny country.
For more details about Liechtenstein as well as information on how to get to and how to get around, accommodation and local food, please read below.
Fun Facts About Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is the world’s sixth smallest country by total land mass. It’s also one of only two countries in the world that is landlocked and surrounded by countries that are also landlocked (Switzerland and Austria). The other is Uzbekistan!
The crime rate is one of the lowest in the world with the last recorded murder taking place in 1997! It was once possible to rent the entire country for one night for €63,460. Would you believe that Snoop Dogg was interested? But his request was denied only due to his impatience at how long the process would take to organise. The last fact is a real doozy – it’s the world’s leading manufacturer of false teeth!
FYI – make sure to get the Liechtenstein souvenir passport stamp during your trip. You can get your passport stamped at most souvenir shops throughout the country.
The Liechtenstein Trail
Launched in 2019, The Liechtenstein Trail is a 75km multi-day trail that spans the entire length of the country. It’s possible to complete this hike in 3–4 days. Personally, Beck and I didn’t complete this hike as part of our itinerary, but it’s certainly a good option for hiking enthusiasts who want to explore Liechtenstein.
In addition, the Liechtenstein Panorama Trail (Liechtenstein Panoramaweg) AKA Route 66 is another long-distance multi-day hike, in the Rätikon Alps, which can be completed in 3–4 days. Again, we didn’t get to complete this hike but am confident it would be a great experience and a great addition to a longer Liechtenstein hiking itinerary.
How to Get to Liechtenstein
There is no airport in Liechtenstein. The closest international airport is Zurich, Switzerland. There is an approximate 85 minute drive separating them. Given that Switzerland is an expensive country in general, we decided to fly to Milan Malpensa Airport. The drive to Liechtenstein from Milan is much longer at around three hours. But, the return flight from London and car hire in Milan was much cheaper.
In addition, you’ll still get to see beautiful Switzerland as you drive from Milan to Liechtenstein. Also, you could always buy a delicious pizza in Milan, to then enjoy on your journey to Liechtenstein. Beck and I highly recommend this!
Flights: we purchased airfares only a few weeks in advance of our trip. The London to Milan return was €109/person. We departed Friday night and returned Monday night. This route is usually much cheaper though. Booking these flights a few months in advance the year after, we found return airfares between €50–70/person. Do watch out for deals and book flights in advance to save!
Getting Around Liechtenstein: Car Hire
Due to our busy hiking itinerary, we decided it would be easiest to hire a car for our trip to Liechtenstein. We didn’t want to rely on public transportation which may not have been able to efficiently get us to all the relevant attractions and trailheads. We hired a car from Milan Malpensa Airport, which was super cheap – hiring an automatic car for three days was around €29!
Car Hire
If you don’t have your own car, you should hire one using Discover Cars. Personally, we use Discover Cars and highly recommend them for finding your ideal car hire at an affordable price. Booking online is super easy and the free cancellation policy is great.
To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.
Driving Amongst the Swiss Alps
Driving through Switzerland is unavoidable if you’re travelling by car from Italy to Liechtenstein. Because we drove from Milan to Liechtenstein during the night, we didn’t get to appreciate our surroundings. But for the return drive during our final afternoon, we had the most beautiful scenery which made for quite the special road trip back to the airport. For this trip, it was my turn to drive. So Beck had passenger seat privileges to soak it all in.
Accommodation in Liechtenstein
There is plenty of lovely accommodation in Liechtenstein. Given the size of the country, it doesn’t really matter where you stay! Below, we’ve handpicked the best budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation options.
Best Places to Stay in Liechtenstein
- Budget: Schaan-Vaduz Youth Hostel
- Mid-range: Hotel kommod and Hotel Restaurant Kulm
- Luxury: Hotel Oberland and Hotel Vaduzerhof
Where to Eat in Liechtenstein
Like its landlocked neighbours, Liechtenstein isn’t a cheap country to travel to. However, cooking your own meals will save you a lot! We found Spar, Coop and Denner to be similarly priced supermarkets. Of course, it would be rude not to at least drive to Austria or Switzerland for dinner for at least one night. Just because, well, you can!
Given how small Liechtenstein is, we were able to drive to a Schnitzel House in Austria in only 12 minutes! We can highly recommend Schnitzel-Bär in Feldkirch. It’s not a restaurant, but more of an upper-market fast-food chain. The food was nice, portions large and a fair price. You’ll unlikely spend more than €15–20/person.
Hiking Essentials For This Liechtenstein Itinerary
Here are some hiking gear essentials for this three day itinerary in Liechtenstein.
Osprey Skarab 30
The Osprey Skarab 30 is our go-to hiking backpack for day hikes. This well-designed unisex backpack is comfortable and spacious, so you’ll have plenty of space to pack everything without feeling the strain on your upper back.
Osprey Ultralight Raincover
A waterproof backpack cover is an absolute must when you’re adventuring outdoors. The Osprey Ultralight Raincover Medium is a high-quality waterproof cover that’ll keep your backpack bone dry.
GRAYL Reusable Water Bottle
The GRAYL GeoPress is the best water filter bottle that allows you to purify 710mL (12 ounces) of water. This bottle will make water safe to drink wherever you’re hiking.
BUFF Original Ecostretch
The BUFF Original Ecostretch is a great option when it comes to multifunctional headwear. We use the Ecostretch as a neck gaiter to keep the sun off our necks and it helps us keep warm in cooler climates.
Sony Cybershot RX100 VII
Capture epic photos and videos with the Sony Cybershot RX100 VII. This is hands-down the best compact camera. We love using this simple point-and-shoot camera when we’re hiking as it’s lightweight and durable.
To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.
Liechtenstein FAQs
Below, you’ll find the most frequently about questions about visiting Liechtenstein.
Why Do Tourists Visit Liechtenstein?
Visitors decide to take a Liechtenstein vacation because of its natural beauty and interesting culture and history.
Is One Day Enough in Liechtenstein?
A Liechtenstein day trip is a popular option for those travelling throughout Europe who don’t have a lot of time. Indeed, some people choose to do a day trip to Liechtenstein from Zurich or even a Munich to Liechtenstein day trip. If you look at where Liechtenstein is on a map, you can see that’s it possible to visit the country in a day and see many of its attractions. Certainly, feel free to use this guide to figure out what to do in Liechtenstein in one day.
How Many Days Do I Need in Liechtenstein?
Personally, Beck and I recommend spending more than just one day in Liechtenstein. By spending, at the very least, a weekend or even 3–4 days, you get to experience more of this beautiful country. In particular, by having more than one day, you’ll have the chance to do more hiking, which means you’ll see more of the mesmerising Alps mountain range.
When Is the Best to Visit Liechtenstein?
The best time to visit Liechtenstein is during summer (June to August) to enjoy warmer weather and better conditions for outdoor activities. Of course, spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) also offer pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds.
How Long Does it Take to Walk Across Liechtenstein?
By following the Liechtenstein Trail, you can walk across the country in 3–4 days.
Is Liechtenstein Worth Visiting?
Yes, absolutely. Despite being a small country, it’s still worth visiting given its natural beauty and fascinating history. In the past, I’ve also been asked, ‘Is Vaduz worth visiting’? Yes, Vaduz is also worth visiting given the country’s most famous castle is located there.
Bonus Tips For This Liechtenstein Itinerary
- Milan Malpensa Airport: although we have encouraged you to fly there, as it’s the cheapest option, do be prepared for a very long wait to get through customs on a Friday night. Not on this trip, but on a subsequent trip to Italy, it took around two hours to get through customs late on a Friday night. On that same trip, it took around two hours again, to get through customs when leaving on Sunday afternoon. We almost missed our flight! We would recommend getting to Milan Malpensa Airport at least four hours before your flight home.
- Currency: Swiss Franc (Fr.) is the currency here. Albeit, we actually never needed cash during this trip. The flights, accommodation and car hire were booked in advance. Petrol, supermarkets and restaurants all accept debit/credit cards.
- Other European hiking guides: check out our Andorra, Cyprus, Sicily, Menorca, Mallorca, Malta and Landmannalaugar guides.
If you have any questions about this Liechtenstein itinerary, feel free to comment or email us.
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