Liechtenstein

The country flag, painted on a cow

Welcome to a new series of posts- country-level reviews.  We're starting small today, literally, by covering Liechtenstein.

Sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein is small in both area (62 square miles) and population (35,000).  It's bounded by the Rhine river to the west (overlooking Switzerland), and an Alpine mountain range to the east (overlooking Austria).  Located entirely in the Alps, it's not overly accessible, but it is beautiful.  Most people, like us, go to Liechtenstein to enjoy the mountains and "say we've been to Liechtenstein."  The entire country can be seen in a day or two . . . which is what we devoted to it back in 2007.  We stayed in the east, in a village near the peaks of the Alps, and did day trips (walking or car) from there.

Vaduz and the West

The capital, Vaduz, lies in the west, near the Rhine.  There is a royal family there, in a small but imposingly-situated castle on a cliff.  The below photos show some highlights from this region.

Mountains and the East

Accessing the eastern part of the country means navigating a short but steep section of switchbacks heading up into the mountains.  Once you're up there, though, it is truly stunning.

Conclusion
The Alps, in general, are gorgeous, and you can see them more easily in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, and Italy, so skipping Liechtenstein won't hurt you.  But, if you can make it, swing on by for a day or two.

Let's end on a fun fact: During one conflict in the mid-1800s (sources differ; it was perhaps the Austro-Prussian War of 1866), the Lichtenstein Army departed with 80 soldiers and returned with 81 (a befriended Austrian), thus making it the only armed force in history to return with more soldiers than they left with.