Liechtenstein Trail stage 2, down to the capital past the castle

If I had to pick one stage of the Liechtenstein Trail, it would be this one. In barely ten kilometres it takes you from the Walser village to the capital, via a farmstead with the best view of the valley, a ruined castle clinging to the rock and the prince’s own castle. And it finishes on the museum street, which is exactly where you want to be by mid-afternoon.

Up first, then a long way down

The stage has an odd shape. It leaves Triesenberg, where stage 1 ended, and before it starts dropping it climbs to 1,109 m, the highest point on the entire route. That’s 256 m up and, more to the point, 699 m down, because it finishes on the valley floor at 456 m. The tourist board gives 3 hours 5 minutes of walking for 10.4 km, which makes it the shortest of the five.

To reach the start, route 21 climbs from Vaduz to Triesenberg. I’d take it mid-morning with no need for an early alarm, because this is a day designed to end gently in town.

Prufatscheng, a balcony over the Rhine

The first big moment is the old Prufatscheng farmstead, a spot steeped in history that the tourist board praises for its sweeping view of the Rhine valley. From up there the whole layout of the country clicks into place, with the river marking the Swiss border, the valley villages below and the mountains opposite. For me it’s the finest viewpoint on the trail and where I’d stop to eat if I’d packed a sandwich.

So what is the Schalun ruin?

Further down comes the Schalun ruin, also called the Wildschloss. It’s what’s left of a castle on an exposed rocky ridge between Schaan and Vaduz, and the tourist board describes it with a word that suits it, mystical. Wrapped in woodland, it’s nothing like the country’s restored castles, which is why I like it. No detour needed, as the stage goes right past.

Vaduz Castle and the viewing platform

Next up is Vaduz Castle, the capital’s emblem, visible from miles away. Be clear about this to avoid disappointment, as it’s the prince’s home and can’t be visited. The trail takes you close enough for a good look, which is already quite something.

About 25 minutes’ walk from the castle there’s also a viewing platform over the Rhine valley that the tourist board highlights on this stage. If you’ve got energy to spare, it’s the last detour I’d make before the final descent.

Arriving in the Städtle

The stage ends in the Städtle, the traffic-free street in central Vaduz and home to what the tourist board calls the museum mile. If you plan to go in, work around the opening times. The Kunstmuseum, which shares its entrance with the Hilti Art Foundation, stays open late on Thursdays, until 20:00, and charges 15 francs except on Wednesdays, when it’s free. The LandesMuseum also opens Tuesday to Sunday, until 20:00 on Wednesdays, and costs 10 francs, or 13 with the SchatzKammer. The PostMuseum is free and opens every day.

Watch out for Mondays, when both the Kunstmuseum and the LandesMuseum are shut. I’d try to have this stage fall on a Wednesday or Thursday to make the most of the late opening. I’ve set them all out in my guide to museums in Liechtenstein.

To refuel without leaving the street, head for the café inside the Kunstmuseum, which has a meat-free Japanese menu of sushi, maki and soups. It opens Wednesday to Friday 9:00 to 21:00 and the other days 9:00 to 18:00, so it works even if you arrive late. I’d pick it over the first terrace you pass in the Städtle, because after 700 m of descent something light goes down well and it’s the calmest spot on the street.

Fitting it into the full route

If you’re walking the whole trail, this stage drops you in the capital by mid-afternoon, and the next one, stage 3 to Nendeln, starts from the same spot in central Vaduz. Stay there and it’s the only day on the route when you don’t need a bus home.

And if you only have one day for walking, this is the one I’d choose, because it sums up the country in just over three hours. Walser hillsides, a ruin in the woods, the prince’s castle and the museums, with the Rhine in view the whole way.