4 days in amazing Appenzell

When I was a kid, my parents had a map of Switzerland (the ones printed on paper when google maps and satellite navigation were not a thing yet) were I used to mark all the main streets we drove on during our trips in this alpine country. I don’t remember if I still have it somewhere, but I do remember that it was put away because it was “completed”…in a way it was my first travel project (check this post for more details). Even if on paper I’ve seen it all, I like to go back to its mountains and valleys since I love those places and when I was a kid there were several activities that were not suitable for my age like the full day hikes I enjoy now. One of these hikes is what made me choose Appenzell for a short break at the beginning of Summer: the Geological Hiking Trail from Hoher Kasten via Staubern past Saxer Lücke to Bollenwees before going back down to Brulisau in Appenzellerland (more details inside the post).

Since what I did could be a nice travel idea for a short break or even a starting point to build a longer itinerary maybe along the grand tour of Switzerland, I’ll try to use a different post format this time, let’s see how it goes.

Appenzell

Appenzell is a village and the capital of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden in the north-east of Switzerland, the gateway to the Alpstein group in the Swiss Alps. It is easily reachable by train or car from almost anywhere in Europe and the international airport of Zurich can be reached in just 1 hour. Fortunately though, at least for my taste, even if the region has a lot to offer, it is not one of the most crowded or known Summer destinations in Switzerland.

It is probably most known for its world renown cheese, the Appenzeller, which for fine food lovers could be already a good reason for a visit, but it is also a heaven for mountain fanatics. From the Santis, the highest peak in the Alpstein, to the iconic Mountain Inn Aescher on Ebenalp, from its alpine lakes to the villages in the valleys, thanks to a nice network of cable-ways and countless hiking trails there’s plenty to do no matter how you enjoy the mountains. And in case the weather is not suitable for a nice day in the alps, the city of St. Gallen and its Unesco world heritage Abbey of Saint Gall are just a fine train ride away.

Where to stay

There’s plenty of choice when it comes to accommodation in or around the village. The offer goes from nice hotels, usually in a typical Swiss fashion, to guest-houses and family run B&Bs. It is honestly hard to go wrong no matter which one you pick, it all comes down to what your preferences are. If the plan includes a multi-day hiking, there are also more than 20 mountain huts available located in convenient and scenic places on the way.

Since I like family run businesses and to stay away from the main places, I selected the B&B Haus Lydia. It is on the hill behind the village (a slightly uphill 15 minutes walk from the main train station) with a great view on the surrounding mountains. Rooms are great and recently renovated and Lydia is a superb host that will take care of all your needs…highly recommended unless you prefer to stay inside the village.

Appenzell card

Valid for the whole year, anyone sleeping for at least 3 nights in the same accommodation inside the Appenzell Innerrhoden canton can get for free the Appenzell holiday card. This is a fantastic offer since it provides free access to public transport in the whole region, museums and some cable cars plus other benefits. More details are available to this link: Appenzell holiday card.

Your hotel/host will provide it on your arrival so there’s no reason not to take advantage of this bonus that could become one strong reason to choose this destination.

I used it every day since it covered all my needs to move around, the train connecting Appenzell with all the main places and the city of St. Gallen is really convenient for example, and in the end I saved about 200€ (Switzerland is not a cheap place after all).

Gourmet corner

As for accommodation, as long as you choose a place mostly serving local/Swiss dishes you can’t really go wrong, just avoid being on a diet since you will hardly stay on the light side. Appenzeller cheese will be star of most dishes but also the local beer and the Alpenbitter (an herb liqueur) will often be used among the ingredients. Several bakeries will also provide a sweet treat with the Appenzeller biber, a soft gingerbread cookie filled with almond paste, as the local specialty.

Hikers who appreciate good food and drinks by the wayside are also covered. All the mountain huts offer high quality local Appenzeller specialties and usually all long distance trails include at least one possible stop.

Travel plan

The suggested travel plan is a good mix to explore the area with limited time available. Having more time, the cable-ways getting to the top of the Santis or the more family oriented Kronberg area should be considered. Also pleasant strolls in the valley and bike rides (rentals are included in the holiday card too!) are a more relaxing way to enjoy this beautiful place with proper time at your disposal.
Of course the order can be mixed at will also taking into account weather conditions, since the longer you stay the more a couple of rainy days should be considered.

Before getting to the details, one final note when considering a long hike on the mountains: due to the land morphology, most trails will be full of steep parts and not easy to handle especially for knees on the way down (sometimes it could be better to climb up to the summit and then get a cable-car down then the other way around). Also places to refill fresh water are scarce and often the mountain huts on the way are the only option. Be prepared and don’t underestimate the effort.

Day 1

Arrival in the area will depend on how you reach it and how far is your starting point. For me it was a 4 hours drive with stops along the way in a couple of places I’ve been passing by several times with the intention to stop sooner or later. Coming from Italy a couple of ideas could be a stop in Mesocco in the morning to visit the castle and nearby church and a lunch break by the lake near San Bernardino before going through the tunnel.

Once in Appenzell probably in the afternoon, to close the day the best advice is to visit the village starting from the Catholic Church and then getting lost in its alleys surrounded by beautifully painted buildings to reach the historic village square choosing a place to stop for dinner on the way.

Day 2

The second day will be dedicated to the Ebenalp area. The cable-car taking you on top can be easily reached by train from Appenzell since the line ends right in front of the ticket office and that would be my advice, but if you prefer to reach it by car, that is fine too since there’s plenty of parking space and it will only cost 5 CHF for the whole day.

Once on top the must do is the short hike taking you through the Wildkirchli caves to reach the iconic Mountain Inn Aescher (on a sunny day the earlier the better for the best light). From there I’d consider a couple of options for a full day depending on how early you started the day and how much more distance you are up to:

The long route would be to continue from Aescher and get back up to reach Berggasthaus Schäfler for lunch. After lunch descend to Seealpsee lake where, if the the weather is hot, a refreshing dip could be a good way to relax a little before heading back to Wasserauen and the train or car.
The short route is to simply get down to Seealpsee directly from Aescher and stop for a longer time there including lunch in one of the inns of your choice.

Panoramic view over Appenzellerland from Ebenalp

Day 3

This day will be dedicated to the the Geological Hiking Trail from the top of Hoher Kasten (the name is due to the informative panels you’ll find along the way explaining the genesis of the peculiar formations in the Alpstein). The cable-car reaching the top starts from Brülisau, which unfortunately cannot be reached directly by train; it is still possible to take a bus from the nearest station, but in this case I suggest going there with your car if possible since it is much more convenient especially at the end of the day when you’ll be back in Brülisau a little bit tired even if amazed by the full day on the mountains.

The hike is long and to reach the Saxer Lücke there are several steep parts going up and down on the mostly exposed ridge which provides incredible views at every step but also exposes to the hot sun…and as usual the earlier you reach the Saxer Lücke, the better will be the light to take good pictures, so my advice is to start early, maybe even considering the first ride of the day. Unfortunately I got a cloudy day, so it did not matter much for me.

From the top of Hoher Kasten that provides a 360 view over the whole Appenzellerland and the surrounding St. Gallen canton and beyond, the first step is to reach the Staubern and the mountain inn just under its peak. This is probably the hardest part of the trail, so if needed a small break there can be considered.

Leaving the Staubern starts the most scenic part instead with the final highlight provided by the Saxer Lücke. If you are there at the end of June / beginning of July wild flowers along the trail will be in full blossom providing an additional treat.

Wildflowers in full blosson along the trail

From the Saxer Lücke a steep descent will take you to Bollenwees mountain inn where I suggest to stop for lunch (take any version of their home made rösti). The inn is located near the shores of Fählensee lake which is perfect to relax, refresh and maybe even go for a short swim if the weather is hot. Once you are ready to leave, it is time to continue on trail that will take you back to Brülisau ending in the parking lot in front of the cable-car.

Day 4

After two hiking days on the mountains, it is time to relax and also enjoy a cultural moment. Together with the museums in Appenzell that provide a good insight into local customs and traditions (and are free with the holiday card), half day should be dedicated to the visit of the Abbey of Saint Gall in St. Gallen, a Unesco world heritage site well worth your time.

The best way to get to St. Gallen is again to take the train that in about 45 minutes will take you across Appenzellerland (enjoy the scenery!) to the city center. Once there the train will become a sort of tram with several stops in the city, near the Abbey included, so it also very convenient to move around from place to place if you would like to spend a full day and check out other places.