The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a small, alpine German-speaking country doubly landlocked by Switzerland and Austria.
It is the last remnant of the Holy Roman Empire and an independent
nation with very close ties to Switzerland. It enjoys a very high
standard of living and is home to some incredibly beautiful mountain
scenery. The principality's capital, Vaduz, is mainly a modern city and a major centre of commerce and international banking.
Understand
History
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy
Roman Empire in 1719 and became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the end
of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein
to conclude a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World
War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low
taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth.
Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in
concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money
laundering and tax evasion. However, the days of bringing suitcases of
money into banks for deposit without questions asked is over.
Liechtensteiners are also very proud of the fact that their nation has
never been physically involved in a battle or military confrontation
with an "enemy state" and see their flag as a banner of peace.
Economy
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein
has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise
economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a
par with the urban areas of its large European neighbors. The
Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small
businesses. Low business taxes--the maximum tax rate is 20%--and easy
incorporation rules have induced a large number of holding or so-called
letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein,
providing 30% of state revenues.
The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and
uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90%
of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been, since May 1995, a
member of the European Economic Area, an organization serving as a
bridge between the EFTA and the EU. The government is working to
harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
Liechtenstein has one of the highest personal income rates (GDP Per
Capita) in the world, with the base rate of income tax currently
standing at just 1.2%.
Liechtenstein was the home of the Curta calculator.
Geography
Liechtenstein is very mountainous and one of the world's two
doubly-landlocked countries (Meaning that the countries that border it
are themselves landlocked too) along with Uzbekistan.
Most of Liechtenstein's population lives in the long and wide Rhine
Valley in the western third. Roads are mainly laid out in a north-south
pattern following the valley as well. To the north the main roads lead
to the border with Austria, to the south they enter Switzerland, and to
the west across the river the bridges also cross into Switzerland. Most
of the eastern border with Austria is not passable and is only
accessible by foot as it is very mountainous, though the north of the
country is well connected by road to Feldkirch in Austria. The country's highest point is the Grauspitz, which stretches to 2,599m. Liechtenstein is 2.5 time bigger than San Marino and it is 81 times bigger than Monaco.
Climate
Liechtenstein has a continental climate featuring cold, cloudy
winters with frequent snow or rain, making the country a moderately
popular ski destination. Summers are cool to moderately warm, also
often cloudy and humid.
Cities
Map of Liechtenstein
- Vaduz — capital city of Liechtenstein and the seat of government
- Balzers — this town is home to a very beautiful church and castle
- Malbun — an area for skiing and snowboarding
- Schaan — the largest populated area in the country
- Triesen — a small town south of Vaduz
- Triesenberg — an alpine town high in Liechtenstein's mountains
- Ruggell — a town in northern Liechtenstein where there is a nature reserve of rare plants and animals
- Bendern — where Liechtenstein was born in 1699
- Nendeln — Where there are a ceramics works and Roman ruins
- Schellenberg — a town with a museum of rural homes
Get in
Entry requirements
Liechtenstein is a member of the Schengen Agreement.
There are no border controls between countries that have signed
and implemented this treaty - the European Union (except Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Likewise, a visa granted for any
Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and
implemented the treaty. But be careful: not all EU members have signed
the Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the
European Union. This means that there may be spot customs checks but no
immigration checks (travelling within Schengen but to/from a non-EU
country) or you may have to clear immigration but not customs
(travelling within the EU but to/from a non-Schengen country).
Please see the article Travel in the Schengen Zone for more information about how the scheme works and what entry requirements are.
Despite the country being a member of the Schengen Agreement and the EEA, Liechtenstein is not a member of the EU.
Therefore, travellers entering Liechtenstein from Austria (and vice
versa) are subject to non-systematic customs controls, despite the fact
that there are no immigration controls.
Liechtenstein, however, maintains a complete customs union with Switzerland
and is represented by Switzerland in embassies around the globe. Since
1923 there have been no border formalities needed for crossing between
the two countries. In essence there is nothing more than a sign
announcing your arrival in Switzerland or Liechtenstein (when you cross
the Rhine or the land border), similar to the situation at smaller
border crossings in many EU nations (Austria/Germany/France/Italy etc.).
Stamp hunters can, however, get an authentic Liechtenstein entry stamp in their passport at Vaduz's
tourist office for 3.00 Swiss franc (CHF) or €2.50. The stamp is not
available at the Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum; the tourist office is
the only place that you can purchase the stamp. Be aware that such
memorial stamps may render your passport 'falsified' in the eyes of
Finland's consular and border control officials.
By plane
Liechtenstein has no airports due to the size of the country. You can take a flight to Zürich
Airport (115km). Although the airport was the only major airport near
Liechtenstein, there were some limited services from Vienna to St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport (53km) by Austrian Arrows. There was also a private airport in Bad Ragaz, very near the country. Another popular point of entry is through Friedrichshafen in Germany, which is served by low-cost airlines and Turkish Airlines.
There is a heliport in Balzers owned and operated by Swiss
Helicopter. From there, one can take scenic flights around the country
or book shuttle flights, e.g. from or to Zurich airport. The latter
being private charter flights, not scheduled ones, cost around 4000 CHF
for up to five passengers.
By train or bus
The easiest way of getting to Liechtenstein by train is to travel to Sargans or Buchs in Switzerland, or Feldkirch in Austria, and then take a connecting bus to Liechtenstein.
ÖBB, the Austrian federal railway company, runs a very limited train service from Buchs SG station in Switzerland, via Schaan-Vaduz station (near Schaan) to Feldkirch in Austria. Trains only run during weekday peak hours, which makes buses far more convenient.
Fast trains from Zurich and many international train services serve Sargans during the day. Consult the SBB timetable [1]
to find out what'll be quickest when you're travelling. There are
lockers at Sargans station so you can leave your luggage there. The link
[2] provides a plan of the station showing the lockers and where to catch the bus from.
Liechtenstein buses are a distinctive light green colour. Tickets can be purchased from the driver.
Bus route 11 runs from Sargans railway station to Feldkirch railway station via central Vaduz and Schaan. It leaves from outside each station approximately every 30 minutes during the day. A fare to Vaduz
is 5.80 CHF from Sargans. Consider buying a whole network one-day pass
(12 CHF) or one-week pass (24 CHF) if you are making multiple journeys.
Bus route 12 runs every 15 minutes from the train station at Buchs (a town on the Swiss side of the border to Liechtenstein) to Schaan, from where connecting buses run to Vaduz. Tickets can be purchased on the bus for 3.40 CHF and it only takes about 10 minutes to Schaan and another 5 to Vaduz.
By car
The Swiss Autobahn A13/E34 runs along the Swiss side of the Rhine
River, the border between Switzerland and Liechtenstein. There are
several access points that cross the Rhine into Liechtenstein, the two
that are most commonly used are the bridge crossing into the southern
town of Balzers and the crossing into Vaduz. Parking in Vaduz is easy,
with a large parking garage located below the Kunstmuseum. Driving in
Liechtenstein is relatively safe, but extra care should be taken on
narrow and winding mountain roads. Speed traps are everywhere!
Hitch-Hiking
Very easy indeed from Feldkirch in Austria. Rush hour sees lots of
commuters head into the capital. A simple sign as you stand by the main
road in Feldkirch should get you a lift within minutes.
Get around
Public transport in Liechtenstein is amazingly efficient and commonly used. The country's sole bus operator is LBA [3].
LBA fares are reasonable, a 7-day unlimited use card costs CHF 24.
Another cheap way to travel, weather permitting, is by bike. The roads
in Liechtenstein are in excellent condition and many (in the
Balzers-Schaan corridor) even offer bike lanes. Biking through the whole
country (entering from Austria going all the way south through to
Switzerland) takes only a few hours, but is worth every minute of the
wonderful alpine scenery!
Talk
The national language is German, but the main language in everyday
use is Alemannic German dialect, which Liechtenstein shares with
German-speaking Eastern Switzerland, Baden-Württemberg (south of
Stuttgart, Germany), and Vorarlberg, Austria. Almost everyone can speak
standard German when necessary, and English is also prevalent. French
and Latin are also widely taught in the secondary public school system.
See
Liechtenstein boasts a number of attractions that are of interest to visitors.
Balzers Castle
Balzers - Home to a beautiful church and a spectacular Gothic castle.
Vaduz - The capital is the main shopping area in the
country, with many souvenir stores and assorted restaurants. The city is
also home to a modest cathedral and the decade-old Liechtenstein Kunstmuseum. A ski museum is north of the town centre.
Schloss Vaduz - This imposing and historic castle, home to
the royal family, overlooks the city of Vaduz and can be seen closer by
following the Castle Trail starting in Vaduz. The castle is not open to
the public, but it is possible to view it from quite close up.
It is entirely possible to encounter the royal family at the
Kunstmuseum, coming in and out of Schloss Vaduz or skiing during winter
time. This is one benefit of such a small country. They are
recognizable in their cars, which use their birth year for their licence
plate number.
Triesenberg - Go here if you want to have one of the best views to the swiss alps. Certainly a unique experience.
Do
Liechtenstein offers great hiking, road biking, and mountain biking
terrain. Skiing and snowboarding are also offered at a reasonable price
at the country's small resort, Malbun, in comparison to the expensive lift prices in neighboring Switzerland or Austria.
Get up early one morning and drive up the mountains on the east
side of the river. From here you have an incredible view over Vaduz
& Switzerland that you can stand and admire.
Buy
Liechtenstein uses the Swiss franc (CHF) as its currency. Many shops will also accept the Euro, but the exchange rate may not be very advantageous.
Costs
Costs in Liechtenstein are roughly equivalent to those in Switzerland and are therefore somewhat more expensive than other European countries.
Eat
You will find a few restaurants in the larger cities of
Liechtenstein. There is also a McDonald's restaurant (opened in 1996;
serves beer), which is very popular and is widely publicised by road
signs throughout the country.
The many small bakeries are a great place to get a warm, fresh roll or pastry.
One recommended restaurant is the Old Castle Inn, Aeulestrasse
22, +423 232 1065, in the centre of Vaduz. It is impossible to miss and
offers authentic food at a reasonable price and with a pleasant
atmosphere.
Contact
Internet access is available with one station at Telecom
Liechtenstein immediate south of Vaduz's centre on the main road, but
this is only open during business hours. Most hotels and some
bars/restaurants will have net access such as in Schaan.
The last real Internet cafe disappeared, because every one in the
country has net access in their homes, so the local market completely
disappeared and only visitors need access.
Drink
The legal drinking/purchasing age is 16 for wine, beer, and cider. While the legal drinking/purchasing age is 18
for spirits and spirit-based beverages.
There is a small amount of wine that is produced in Liechtenstein that
is available in supermarkets and tourist shops throughout the country.
Expect to pay around 25 Swiss Francs for an average bottle. The Prince
even owns his own vineyard in Vaduz, off the main road. Beer is also
available for purchase that is made with malt from Liechtenstein,
although most of the beer itself is brewed in Switzerland. A variety of
other European wines, beers, and soft drinks are also available. There
is now a brewery in Liechtenstein that produces a variety of beers;
lagers including Helles (blonde) and Hefe Weizen (unfiltered wheat)
styles are brewed.
There is also a one-man distillery in Triesen who makes liquors and schnapps from fruits. Tours on Saturdays.
Sleep
There are a few hotels in Liechtenstein, but they tend to run on the expensive side. There is one youth hostel located in Schaan, but it closes for the winter. You will probably be able to find cheaper accommodation in neighbouring Feldkirch, Austria.
Camping Mittagspitz is the only full-service campsite in the
Principality. It offers excellent facilities, a friendly reception and a
fabulous reasonably priced restaurant. There are three other camp
grounds in Liechtenstein. One in Bendern, one in Vaduz, and one in
Triesen. All are pretty much full year round.
- Gasthaus Krone, Dorf 36, 9488 Schellenberg (next to post office and bus-station), ☎ +423 373 1168, [4]. Very inexpensive rooms. Familly run hotel and restaurant. 15 km away from Vaduz, regular (hourly) bus service to all parts of Liechtenstein. 60 CHF (double). edit
Learn
Liechtenstein's university offers courses only in technical sciences.
Without either Liechtenstein/Swiss or EU citizenship, a large bank
balance and a fluency in German, it is unlikely to interest visitors.
Work
Finding work in Liechtenstein is difficult. A majority of
non-nationals working in the Principality are Swiss, with a smaller
number of Austrians and
Germans. Liechtenstein is not a member of the European Union, so the
government has no obligation to let nationals of EU member states work
and live in the country.
Stay safe
Liechtenstein is easily one of the safest countries in the world,
though it is not without its problems. The most common crime in
Liechtenstein is of a non-violent nature, though the Principality
maintains a well-equipped police force which maintains a presence on the
streets. In the late 1990s, the Liechtenstein Landespolizei
launched a crackdown on prostitution in Vaduz. Considering the largest
cities nearby are Innsbruck and Zürich, outside of Schaan and Vaduz, the
whole place can seem very rural. Drunk drivers and winter road
conditions may be your only "realistic" concern. Speed limits are
strictly enforced by speed cameras which will be very pricey. Don't
speed, enjoy the scenery instead!
The country's beautiful scenery is also very dangerous. Cases of
hikers finding themselves in difficulty are very common, and extreme
care should be taken when leaving the well-marked trails. Follow local
advice, read local weather forecasts (newspapers in the Principality
print individual forecasts for the different cities in Liechtenstein,
which is beneficial because the difference in altitude often cause
different weather conditions), and ensure that you have the correct
equipment before setting out.
Stay healthy
There are excellent medical facilities in Liechtenstein, but it is more likely that you would be transferred to a hospital in Switzerland
should you require medical attention. If you are an Austrian or EU
citizen you may want to seek medical attention in neighbouring
Feldkirch, Austria.
Respect
The Principality of Liechtenstein has existed for centuries as an
independent state and this should be remembered. Liechtenstein is not
part of Switzerland or Austria, and its citizens will not hesitate to
remind you.
Remember that this is a traditional Catholic country. On Sundays,
the streets are almost dead except for the tourists and the tourist
shops.
Liechtensteiners are very proud of their national identity and
would take offence at being wrongly labelled "German", "Austrian" or
"Swiss". Those who may feel inclined to denounce the monarchy as a
system of government should be advised: the prince is well loved and
very popular, and he is certainly held in high esteem when discussing
national politics.
Get out
Feldkirch, Austria and Lake Constance make for wonderful destinations.
Sauce from:http://wikitravel.org/en/Liechtenstein
Post a Comment