This most lovely nation is least explored nation within Europe, positioned between the two well known…, it is one of the world’s smallest…
The country still is very appealing for those who want an escape from their busy lives in the heart of Europe. It is layered with stunning views with all the activities available around the year ensuring an experience that is closely unique to one’s exploration domain.
Europe has many places that are worth visiting such as popular tourist spots and even places that are not so famous. Each year, the continent garners half of the tourist population in the world with France and Spain being the two most visited countries. However, there is one country which is often in the shadows of these two giants and that is Liechtenstein. The beautiful country which is located between Switzerland and Austria is only 160.5 sq. KM in land area with a population of only 39,000 people. During winter for example one can ski, snowboard and do some cross country skiing all the way up to 2500 meters. The summer months are pleasant because of the high altitude while Spring and Autumn are quite ideal for a good hike. However despite these all of these beautiful destinations the country struggled to receive more than 101, 000 tourists in 2022. This made stated that it was the least visited country in Europe according to UNWTO that is.
In 2022, Monaco, with an area of less than 2 sq km, welcomed 327,000 tourists while San Marino, with an area of 61.2 sq km, received 111,000 guests. Such figures are a drop in the ocean compared to the Liechtenstein's tourist figures.
There are not enough travel centers for tourists
In terms of lodging facilities, a linguistic hotel with thirty-three rooms and twenty-two smaller hotels is the only accommodation available in the country, along with sixty-three self-catering holiday apartments and a youth hostel. On top of that, there were seven community camps in mountain cabins which together comprised of 1357 beds. There are no funded attraction centers in Liechtenstein due to the focus being on finance, construction and manufacturing.
There are further issues with accessibility.
Liechtenstein’s location further complicates its accessibility. The country has no airports and it takes roughly 181 minutes to reach Zurich or Friedrichshafen by car, which happens to be the closest airports to the region. A more feasible option is hiring helicopters that go to Balzers Heliport, but it’s not that common. Yes, one can use the train but it is indirect. A service provided by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) is the only train line passing through liechtenstein with three stops connecting Feldkirch, Austria and Buchs, Switzerland but otherwise, the train is very rare to get.
Despite these barriers, Liechtenstein is still an enviable place for Europeans looking for a tranquil hideaway. The breathtaking views, diverse activities available year-round, and great weather make it a gem waiting to be discovered.