The Principality of Liechtenstein, situated between Austria and Switzerland, has become a sought-after destination for travelers seeking respite from mass tourism. The country has no hotels belonging to global chains and not a single Starbucks café, the British newspaper Daily Mail reports.
Instead, Liechtenstein offers Alpine scenery and medieval castles. Its capital, Vaduz, is a town of around six thousand residents. Above it rises a twelfth-century castle, where the reigning prince, Hans-Adam II, lives.
More than 400 kilometers of hiking trails have been laid across the country, the densest network of routes in Europe. Some tourists cross the entire principality on foot, setting out in Switzerland and finishing in Austria a few hours later.
At Malbun, the highest-altitude resort, visitors ski in winter and go on hikes in summer. The only sound that breaks the silence there is the tinkling of cowbells.
Europe expert Anatoly Kovtun explains Liechtenstein's success by the growing popularity of "slow tourism," in which people prefer a leisurely and thoughtful kind of rest. According to him, demand for such journeys in Europe has grown by 6.6%. Liechtenstein has no excess of tourists, and prices in local cafés are lower than in neighboring Switzerland. For example, one can try Kneppfle, cheese dumplings with caramelized onions.
Liechtenstein is also known as one of the world's leading producers of dentures.
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