St. Gallen Attractions and Activities
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St. Gallen's Abbey District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a magnificent cathedral and the library certainly is the city's main attraction. A stroll through the Old Town, the medieval center with the many half-timbered houses and oriel windows takes visitors back in time. St. Gallen is a major center in Eastern Switzerland featuring several entertainment options and events, and its close proximity to the Alps and Lake Constance allows for numerous interesting sightseeing and outdoor activities - we mention just a few....
Excursions: >> Mountain ExcursionsCity Excursionsother Excursions
Mountain Excursions:
Säntis: (2,502 m / 8,207 ft)
Half- or Full-day excursion (approx. 90 minutes by train and bus from St. Gallen to the top). Visitors get to the Säntis, Appenzell’s most famous mountain by a modern aerial cableway. At the top, a great 360-degree panorama is guaranteed offering fantastic views not only over St. Gallen and Lake Constance, but on clear days, even over six countries (Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Germany, Italy and France). At the Schwägalp (the base cableway station), a Nature Discovery Park introduces the many facets of the region, and during summer months, the Alpine dairy showcases cheese-making reflecting the Appenzell cheese culture. There are several hiking and nordic walking trails, and in winter, the Santis is a popular place for snowshoe trekking and tobogganing.
Chäserrugg: (2,262 m / 7,422 ft)
Half- or Full-day excursion (approx. 2 hours by train and bus from St. Gallen to the top). The Chäserugg is one of the seven Churfirsten peaks, a mountain group located in the Toggenburg. From Unterwasser, visitors take a funicular up to the Iltios Plateau and then a cable car to the Chäserugg. At the top, a unique view of Mt. Säntis, Lake Zurich, Lake Walensee and Lake Constance, as well as Switzerland's six neigboring countries is offered. The Chäserugg is well known for all kind of outdoor activities during summer months (hiking, biking, nordic walking, climbing and paragliding), as well as during the winter (skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, sledding, winter hiking and snowshoe trekking), and for children there is a playground with a trampoline, slides and a ropeway.
City Excursions:
Zurich - Switzerland's Financial Capital:
Half- or Full-day excursion (approx. 60 minutes by train from St. Gallen). Zurich is Switzerland's largest city, and with its famous "Bahnhofstrasse" (business and shopping street) is considered the country's most important financial, industrial and commercial center. It is also known to be the intellectual capital of the nation and particularly receptive to contemporary trends associated with younger generations. Zurich and the surrounding region is home to the biggest number of museums and exhibitions in Switzerland - the city offers a wealth of history, architecture, and culture, and is an absolutely charming, interesting and beautiful place to visit.
Rorschach:
Half- or Full-day excursion (approx. 20 minutes by train from St. Gallen). Rorschach is an important harbour city on Lake Constance and is known as a mecca for cyclists and inline skaters. During the Middle Ages, the town became the most significant trade center on the southern shoreline. The stately homes in the lively city center bear witness to this past, as does the Kornhaus, Rorschach’s landmark and the most beautiful granary in Switzerland. Today, the picturesque harbour city with a Mediterranean flair attracts guests from all over the world with large-scale events, such as the international Sand Sculpture Festival and the Celtic Days annual festival.
Appenzell:
Half- or Full-day excursion (approx. 50 minutes by train from St. Gallen). The little town of Appenzell and the Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Switzerland's canton with the lowest population density are situated in a singularly beautiful landscape of rolling hills. The region is known for rural customs and traditions such as the ceremonial descent of the cattle in autumn and cultural events such as folk music and rustic dances, as well as hiking tours in the Alpstein region. Famous for houses with richly decorated facades, Appenzell is ideal for leisurely walking tours or for browsing in the many shops offering local products. The Appenzell Museum, housed in the Townhall, is dedicated to Appenzell's history and culture, which strongly reflects rural and religious traditions.
Rapperswil – City of Roses:
Half- or Full-day excursion (approx. 60 minutes by train from St. Gallen). Rapperswil is a small town at the opposite end of Lake Zurich. It offers unique attractions for visitors – the Rose Gardens, the Castle, the deer park on the Lindenhof, the picturesque Old Town, Switzerland's largest wooden bridge and Knie's Children Zoo. You can take a train in the morning along Lake Zurich to get to Rapperswil; have lunch in one of the restaurants on the quai and in the afternoon take a lake steamer back to Zurich (steamers do not operate during winter from November to March).
Vaduz - Liechtenstein:
Half- or Full-day excursion (approx. 75 minutes by train and bus from St. Gallen). The Principality of Liechtenstein has an area of 160 square kilometers, which makes it one of the smallest states in Europe. Vaduz is the Capital with the princely residence presiding high above the town. The medieval castle (not open to the public) dates back to the 13th century and was upgraded in the 16th and 17th centuries. Vaduz is a vibrant town with an attractive strolling mile and a wide range of cultural offerings.
Chur:
Half- or Full-day excursion (approx. 90 minutes by train from St. Gallen). With a settlement history dating back 5,000 years, Chur harbours many a secret just waiting to be uncovered such as the 800-year old cathedral or the picturesque winding streets in the Old Town. The spirit of bygone days lives on in Chur and merges with the present to create the town’s incomparable charm. Particularly worth a visit is the Rhaetian Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum. Chur offers a broad culinary range of Graubunden delicacies - with its own wine, alpine source water from every tap, Bündner specialities and international dishes served at its 130 restaurants. Over 500 shops and stores offer produce and wares from all over Graubunden. In summer, open-air events such as concerts, theatre and cinema, give the city a Mediterranean feel. Chur is also home to an animal and leisure park, and a large sports center with outdoor- and indoor swimming pools, beach volleyball, inline skating, skateboarding, BMX-biking, tennis, horse riding, and much more besides.
Lucerne - City of Lights:
Full-day excursion (approx. 2 hours by train from St. Gallen). One of Switzerland's most popular excursions, Lucerne is ideally situated in the historic and scenic heart of what many believe to be the "true" Switzerland - picture mountains, lakes, cowbells, alpine villages and meadows full of Edelweiss. Lucerne is renowned for its attractive townscape, historic Chapel Bridge and shopping facilities.
Basel - Cultural Capital of Switzerland:
Full-day excursion (approx. 2 1/4 hours by train from St. Gallen). In Basel you can live and breathe art and culture. The city promises "Culture Unlimited" and sparkles with an incomparable programme of culture and leisure activities. The city also is known as an important trade center, and an interesting place of archtiecture offering both - old historic buidlings as well as modern structures designed by world famous architects.
Bern - Switzerland's captivating Capital:
Full-day excursion (approx. 2 1/4 hours by train from St. Gallen). Founded in 1191, this is a city of medieval magic, listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. Attractions of Bern include several historic sites such as the famous Clock Tower, the bearpits (home to the city's heraldic animals), the House of Parliament, the Paul Klee Center, the Swiss Alpine Museum, and excellent shopping arcades.
Other Excursions / Sights:
St. Gallen Cathedral:
The cathedral represents one of the last monumental Baroque monastic constructions in Europe. It was built from 1755 to 1767 under the direction of master builder Johann Michael Beer von Bildstein (with the involvement of the renowned architects Peter Thumb and Johann Caspar Bagnato). The inside of the church is painted in vibrant colours and adorned with stucco, and the interior is decorated with numerous carvings. The images are the expression of a well-considered theological line of thought, and no picture, stucco, or carving is coincidental. The choir stalls with 84 lovely carved seats and the historic organ are works of art in and of themselves.
Abbey Library and Lapidarium:
The Abbey Library in St. Gallen is among the oldest and most beautiful libraries in the world. As early as the 8th century, the St.Gallen Monastery possessed a significant collection of books, which continued to expand very quickly. What is the library area today was built between 1758 and 1767 under the direction of master builder Peter Thumb. The Abbey Library’s Baroque hall will surprise you with its elaborate rococo style. The inventory of the library, which is still operating today, numbers around 160,000 books. The impressive collection of early medieval original documents has made this institution famous worldwide. Over 400 volumes are more than 1,000 years old. The Lapidarium in the Baroque cellar of the west wing houses an important collection of medieval architectural sculpture: 9th and 10th century Carolingian and Ottonian workpieces, as well as objects dating from the 15th to the 17th century. The early medieval capitals and imposts are among the largest and most impressive examples of Carolingian architectural sculpture.
Old Town and Oriol Windows:
Architecture from different eras characterises St.Gallen’s cityscape. The attractive Old Town features quaint narrow streets and lively squares. Exactly 111 oriel windows, a typical feature of St. Gallen’s architecture, adorn the façades of houses in the pedestrian zone and they bear witness to the successful textile buyers who used to live here. The Market Square on the northern side of the Old Town is surrounded by houses of the 17th and 18th centuries with oriel windows. At the eastern side of the marketplace is the Waaghaus (weighthouse), a white façade structure built in 1583. Also worth a glimpse is the Karlstor (Karl’s Gate), built in 1569/70 and named after the Archbishop Milan Carlo Borromeo. It’s the only remaining outer gate of the city’s original 11 gates. It is situated in the east of the Abbey District.
Guided City Tour:
The St. Gallen Tourist Office offers different tours that are either open to the public or conducted for private groups. The knowledgeable multilingual tour guides present a comprehensive picture of St.Gallen’s splendid history and current achievements. The public walking tours are offered on Saturdays during off-season (no tours in December), and daily during July and August. There also are a number of themded tours within city limits as well as in the surrounding region. Finally, in order to allow exploring St.Gallen at any time, there's a 90-minutes audio-visual city tour with the newest generation of pocket PCs. Get details at the St. Gallen Tourist Office.
Chocolate Factory:
Located in Flawil, just 20 minutes by train and bus from St. Gallen, the Maestrani Chocolate Factory is a true paradise for all chocolate lovers ! You can watch how chocolate is being made (guided tours on Wednesdays afternoon from March through November), and you will find a vast range of products including popular delicacies at very modest prices: ideal gifts for every occasion.
Cheese Factory:
Located in Stein (Appenzell), just 20 minutes by bus from St. Gallen. At the Appenzell cheese dairy, you can watch the cheese makers up close and see age-old customs and the latest technology come together in a fascinating mixture of the traditional and the modern. The restaurant with its large terrace serves regional specialities and hearty cheese dishes. The souvenir shop sells a range of original, high-quality products from Appenzell besides the famous cheese.
Conny Land:
Located in Lipperswil, approx. 90 minutes by train and bus from St. Gallen. Conny Land, the park with games, fun and attractions for young and old alike, features a sea-lion arena, parrot circus, petting zoo, bouncy castle, auto scooters, Dino Park, pony rides, live shows with artists from around the world and much more...
Sports: >> Summer SportsWinter Sports
Summer Sports:
Swimming:
In summer, the “Drei-Linden-Weiher” invites to take a bath in a nature pond in the middle of St. Gallen. There also are several public indoor and outdoor pools in the city, and just a short trip from St. Gallen, the Bathhouse Rorschach, opened in 1924 an today the only remaining structure of its kind offers a refreshing swim in Lake Constance. Of course, the lake also allows for many other activities in and on the water.
Walking / Hiking:
There are several attractive walking / hiking trails within city limits such as the St. Gallen Panorama Tour and in the surroundings (e.g. the Planetstrail). Get detailed information at the Tourist Office. More trails of all levels can be found in the nearby Appenzell Alps.
Cycling / Biking:
There are some easy routes along the shores of Lake Constance and the Rhine River, while more difficult trails are located in St. Gallen's surrounding hills and the mountains of the Appenzell Alps. Get maps and details at the St. Gallen Tourist Office.
Säntispark - Indoor Sports and Leisure Park:
So many possibilities in one place! Water fun, wellness, fitness, sport and games – the Säntispark in Abtwil is just 15 minutes by direct public bus (#7) from St. Gallen. This leisure park offers all kinds of sports facilities: an 18-hole indoor Mini-Golf course, Badminton, Squash and Tennis courts, 14 Bowling alleys, Table-Tennis, Darts, Billard, Air-Hockey and more. Swimming outside is possible in summer and winter when it’s snowing: there's a 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) outdoor pool, and during summer months the water area includes a 90 m (295 ft) water slide, a 110 m (ft) canyon, pools, waterfalls and more. Further, the center includes a wellness area, fitness, shopping, restaurants and a hotel.
Other Summer Sports include outdoor leisure activities such as Fishing, Horseback Riding, Beach Volleyball, Minigolf, Inline-Skating, and Golf (at the Golfpark Waldkirch with 36 holes); or adventure sports such as Climbing (in the nearby mountains or at the St. Gallen Climbing Hall), Sky Diving and Paragliding.
Winter Sports:
Even though St. Gallen gets quite some snow during the winter months, winter sports within city limits mainly consists of Ice-Skating (on artificial ice at the Ice Arena Lerchenfeld with an outdoor and an indoor rink; or on natural ice at the frozen "Drei Weieren" ponds), Curling (at the St. Gallen Curling Center with 3 rinks), or winter Walking / Hiking.
"Real" winter sports such as Skiing, Snowboarding, Cross-country Skiing, Tobogganing or Snow-shoe Trekking is found in nearby ski-areas of the Appenzell Alps, the Toggenburg, and several popular resorts of the Graubunden (e.g. Flims or Davos-Klosters) are not far away either (2 - 2.5 hours by train), as are some ski-areas in Liechtenstein and Austria. Following a list of ski-areas that are located within 2 hours by train (and/or bus) from St. Gallen:
Jakobsbad - Kronberg: approx. 30 minutes by train; 1 cable car and 3 skilifts
Schwaegalp - Saentis: approx. 50 minutes by train and bus; 1 cable car (snowshoe trekking and tobogganing)
Wasserauen - Ebenalp: approx. 1 hour by train; 2 cable cars and 4 skilifts
Hemberg - Baechli: approx. 1 hour by train and bus; 3 skilifts
Schutt - Atzmaennig: approx. 90 minutes by train and bus; 1 chairlift and 4 skilifts
Wangs - Pizol: approx. 90 minutes by train and bus; 3 cable cars, 3 chairlifts and 5 skilifts
Toggenburg (Unterwasser / Wildhaus): approx. 90 minutes by train and bus; 2 cable cars, 3 chairifts and 13 skilifts
Flumserberg: approx. 110 minutes by train and bus; 4 cable cars, 8 chairlifts and 4 skilifts
Gruesch - Danusa (Graubunden): approx. 110 minutes by train; 2 cable cars, 1 chairlift and 5 skilifts
Malbun (Liechtenstein): approx. 2 hours by bus and train; 3 chairlifts and 1 skilift
Bregenz - Pfaenderbahn (Austria): approx. 1 hour by train and bus; 1 cable car and 2 skilifts
Other Winter Sports include indoor sports - mainly at the Saentispark, but there are other indoor swimming pools as well as various fitness centers in the city.
Go Out: (Dining / Entertainment / Nightlife)
The Lake Constance region offers plenty of options for going out; there are some 80 restaurants, many of them in the Old Town of St. Gallen, providing for excellent food - international as well as Swiss and regional cuisine for any taste and budget. You definitely should not miss trying one of the best-known local specialities – the St. Gallen Bratwurst (sausage). After dinner, there are some bars and nightclubs, as well as several movie theatres.
Casino St. Gallen:
Swiss Casinos St. Gallen will amaze you with its modernity and expansiveness, and it enriches the Lake Constance region by offering a gambling experience in an unusual and impressive ambience. Try your luck at the numerous playing tables and 190 slot machines in a unique setting; atmospheric relaxation is offered at the bar. The casino is located in the Radisson SAS Hotel.
Theater St. Gallen:
The Theater St. Gallen is the oldest continuously-run professional theatre in Switzerland and the only “three-genre theatre” (ballet, opera, and theatre performances) in the Lake Constance region. The program includes acting, musical theatre and dance - the curtain goes up at this theatre more than 250 times a year. Also, a diverse program for children and youth is offered.
Shopping:
Ideal for pedestrians, the main shopping zone is concentrated in the Old Town and the city center. Whether you are looking for enchanting antiques, exclusive art and handicrafts, the latest fashions or simply a gift for a loved one, the shops in St. Gallen offer everything. Just 12 minutes by bus from the railway station, there's the Shopping Arena St. Gallen, the largest shopping center in eastern Switzerland with more than 50 specialty shops and department stores. Further, the Saentispark as well as the new AFG Soccer Stadium offer larger shopping areas.
Opening Hours:
Most shops open at 9 or 9:30 AM and during weekdays stay open through 6:30 or 7 PM, except untill 8 or 9 PM on Thursday, and 5 PM on Saturday; the shops are closed on Sunday (and on some public Holidays).
Events:
CSIO St. Gallen: (in June)
Ten thousand riding fans annually meet in St. Gallen to witness the official and world-famous CSIO Concours de Saut International Officiel) international jump tournament. The grand event that takes part in Switzerland is considered one of the four most important sportive, outdoor horse events throughout the world.
Open Air St. Gallen: (in June / July)
For three full days there are up to 40 performances on two stages in the idyllic Sittertobel Valley. Music styles include rock, pop, alternative, hip-hop, humor, and much more. Attracting artists from all over the world, the OpenAir St.Gallen is truly an unforgettable experience.
International Sand Sculpture Festival, Rorschach: (in August)
Artists from all over the world have one week to turn 200 tons of sand into sculptures, some of which end up two to three meters high. At the end of the week, the sculptures are judged by a special jury. Then they remain on show till mid-September. A 20-m-long sandbox is also installed on the premises - for children and hobby sculptors to show their creativity too.
St. Gallen Town Festival: (in August)
This yearly event turns the entire Old Town of St. Gallen into a joyful street fare. Young and old gather in the medieval alleyways to enjoy the different productions and events. Cozy eateries and market stands propose different culinary highlights. Numerous artists perform on various stages and street discos invite the public to dance along.
OLMA - Swiss Fair for Agricuture and Dairy Farming: (in October)
St. Gallen's OLMA is known as an excellent market place to sell agricultural products and equipment, to compare products, to test, try and buy. The setting even allows for some hands-on experiences and there are always many novelties to discover. This traditional St. Gallen Event is visited by thousands of locals and tourists every year. The live animal exhibitions are especially interesting for children. Make sure to eat a “St. Galler Bratwurst” (St. Gallen sausage).
Link to current St. Gallen Events
Museums:
Textile Museum:
St. Gallen was and still is a center of the textile industry. The St. Gallen Textile Museum is filled with an array of pieces illustrating the art of weaving, embroidery and the exquisite handmade lace. The museum displays interesting exhibitions of historical embroidery work and lace, as well as presentations of contemporary textile art. In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are temporary displays.
Nature Museum:
The collection of the St. Gallen Nature Museum contains more than 110'000 plants, 110'000 invertebrates, 13'000 vertebrates, 25'000 fossils, and 50'000 geological objects. The oldest exhibit of the Museum, still an attraction for visitors, is a crocodile from the Nile that was mounted in 1623. Permanent exhibitions of the Naturmuseum give further insight into the bird and mammal life of the region, the intact ecosystem around the river Ussuri in central east Asia (situated approx. at the same latitude as Switzerland), microscopic organisms, palaeontology and geology. There also are several temporary exhibitions accompanied by lectures, guided tours, and demonstrations.
Art Museum:
The Art Museum St.Gallen offers an attractive exhibition programme with international gems. Seen as a modern treasure chamber for eastern Switzerland, it houses an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures from the late Middle Ages to the present, which are displayed in rotating exhibitions.
Beer Bottle Museum:
St. Gallen's beer brewery, the Schützengarten Brewery is the home of Switzerland’s first beer bottle museum. Exhibits feature approx. 3,000 bottles from 260 different breweries. The oldest examples are made of clay and are approximately 140 years old. The exhibition is organised geographically and also provides a very impressive account of Swiss beer-brewing history.
Aviation Museum, Altenrhein:
The Aviation Museum at the Altenrhein Airport has displays about the development of the St.Gallen-Altenrhein Airport, the Dornier company, the Altenrhein Aircraft Works, aviation in eastern Switzerland, the history of the Swiss Air Force, and beautifully restored planes. Many of the old planes still work, and in fact, are regularly flown; visitors are allowed to touch the planes, sometimes even sit in the cockpit, and even book a flight.