Visiting St. Gallen in German-speaking Switzerland
I’m a regular visitor to German-speaking Switzerland, especially to St. Gallen. Yet I’ve never devoted an article to it, even though the city deserves one, given its remarkable architecture and history. So let’s visit St. Gallen and discover its must-sees.
And of course, at the end of the article you’ll find Kiki’s opinion of Saint Gall, her second home.
Introduction to the city of St. Gallen
The city of St. Gallen, population 80,000, is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in north-eastern Switzerland.
How do I get to St. Gallen?
By car, it’s about a 3.5-hour drive from Geneva. Please note: if you come by car, don’t forget to buy a vignette to be able to drive on the freeway.
St. Gallen is easily accessible by train. It takes around 4 hours from Geneva and 1 hour from Zurich.
If you’re coming by train and wondering what time it is, I invite you to get out of the station and take a look at this very strange clock. In the photo, it’s 2:42 p.m. I confess I didn’t understand the system… It’s called art!
St. Gallen’s main railway station is less than 10 minutes’ walk from the Old Town.
Visit St. Gallen and its Old Town
The old town of St. Gallen is magnificent. I recommend getting lost in its streets. It’s the best way to discover the city. You can start at the famous Vadian Square.
Take your time to admire all the details on the facades of the bourgeois houses and admire the various statues.
The Old Town district is characterized by narrow, winding cobbled streets lined with colorful houses and historic buildings.
St. Gallen’s old town is quite small, but very pleasant indeed. There are several cafés where you can take a break. There are also plenty of stores if you want to do a little shopping.
You can also see the old prison from which prisoners could try to escape to regain their freedom. Indeed, if they touched the plate symbolizing freedom before being caught, they were free.
Visit St. Gallen and its abbey
When you’re in the old town of St. Gallen, you won’t want to miss the majestic Abbey of St. Gallen. Since 1983, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 8th century, it was one of Europe’s most important Benedictine monasteries for several centuries.
Don’t miss a visit to the interior of St. Gallen Cathedral. It’s truly splendid! Here, too, it’s all about the details. Take the time to admire the altar, the dome and the nave.
Last but not least, St. Gall Abbey’s baroque library houses an impressive collection of books (around 170,000). Unfortunately, photos are not allowed inside the library. However, I can assure you that this library is incredibly beautiful. I really recommend a visit.
The history of St. Gallen is very rich. I therefore invite you to take the audio guide available from the St. Gallen Tourist Office to learn a great deal about the history of St. Gallen, including the Old Town, the Cathedral, the Abbey and the Library. There’s also a section on the embroidery district.
Visit St. Gallen and the Bleicheli district
The Bleicheli district of St. Gallen is surprising. In fact, a public lounge has been created by architect Carlos Martinez and multimedia artist Pipilotti Rist. You’ll find sofas, chairs, tables, deckchairs and even a Porsche covered in a bright red carpet.
Visiting St. Gallen: Drei Weieren
You can climb up to Drei Weieren, a hill overlooking the city of St. Gallen. Here, you can take a stroll of around 1 hour for a magnificent view of the city of St. Gallen.
And you can even do as the locals do and cool off in the ponds in summer. By the way, these ponds were originally water reservoirs for the city of St. Gallen.
On the way, there’s a farm, a restaurant and public toilets.
To get there, you can either take the Mühleggbahn funicular, which runs behind the old town, or climb up on foot. If you take the funicular, don’t forget to press the green button to start, and you can even switch on the light inside the gallery. It’s a very quick ride, but a lot of fun.
Visit St. Gallen and its Textile Museum
The St. Gallen Textile Museum traces the history of the textile industry, which had a major impact on the city of St. Gallen. St. Gallen linen and embroidery were world-famous.
Today, St. Gallen lace is still renowned. In this museum, you’ll find a wide range of exhibits.
Watch a soccer match in St. Gallen
If you’re in St. Gallen on a match night, you can go and watch the FCSG team play at the Kybunpark. The atmosphere there is really incredible, with all the passionate supporters. As a Saint Etienne fan, I find the atmosphere very similar to Geoffroy Guichard.
At half-time, it’s traditional to eat a Bratwurst, i.e. a sausage with bread. But be careful not to put the sausage in the bread, or you’ll be banned from the stadium! And worse than that, don’t put any mustard on it!
What to do around St. Gallen
If you’re staying in Switzerland for several days, I’d like to suggest some very pleasant places near St. Gallen.
Visit the Maestrani Chocolarium in Flawil
Flawil is about 10 minutes from St. Gallen. For young and old alike, you can visit a chocolate factory: the Maestrani Chocolarium. It’s great fun and interesting…and you’ll leave with some really good chocolate you’ve made yourself.
If you’re in St. Gallen, take the opportunity to visit Lake Constance.
Relaxing in Rorschach
The pleasant town of Rorschach on Lake Constance is about 20 minutes’ drive from St. Gallen.
Whatever the season, I love going to Lake Constance. One of my favorite places in the canton of St. Gallen!
Take a ferry to Friedrichshafen in Germany
If you want to take a trip to Germany, you can take the ferry to Romanshorn (25 minutes by car from St. Gallen) and cross Lake Constance to Friedrichshafen, a very relaxing crossing.
You can take a stroll through the town, which is really very pleasant.
You can also visit the Zeppelin Museum, with its extensive collection of objects relating to this means of transport.
Visiting Appenzell
Appenzell is about a 20-minute drive from St. Gallen. I’ve prepared an article on what to do in the Appenzell region. I’ve also prepared an article on the Kronberg, a magical place in Appenzell.
Other suggestions for holidays in German-speaking Switzerland
Here are some other suggestions for holidays in German-speaking Switzerland near St. Gallen:
- Visit Schaffhausen
- Rhine Falls
- Solothurn
- Visit Lucerne
- Discover Saint Moritz
- Stays in the Emmental region
- Going to the Schilthorn
- Discover the Jungfraujoch, the roof of Europe
- A day at Rapperswil Jona
Kiki’s opinion
When Kiki thinks of St. Gallen, his heart immediately beats faster. Of course, the picturesque city center with its many historic buildings appeals to him greatly. But as a die-hard AS Saint-Étienne fan, he was surprised to see that the St. Gallen soccer club has the same colors and warm-blooded supporters. What an incomparable atmosphere reigns in the stadium. Here too, the fans expect the players to proudly defend their club’s colors and fight to the bitter end!
The Drei Weieren are also a real highlight for Kiki. The three man-made ponds – the men’s pond, the boys’ pond and the women’s pond – are inviting for a swim. But which one can Kiki swim in? On the other hand, the view of the city is magnificent, and this is his second strong point in St. Gallen. He feels right at home.
