By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 8 February 2026 | Updated: 8th February 2026
Thinking about taking a trip to the wonderful Appenzell but not sure what there is to do or where exactly to go? Appenzell is one of the most beautiful places you can visit in Switzerland, with wild looking mountains, stunning lakes and of course some rather nice cheese and beer, perfect for those wanting a bit of adventure and to taste some local delicacies. But with so much to see in the area how is best to spend your time? That is where our Appenzell itinerary comes in.
Located in the east of the country, Appenzell is often a little under the radar as it isn’t the easiest place to get too via train, (you always seem to go through St Gallen first, which is another wonderful city to visit!), but believe us when we say it is definitely worth the trip. On our most recent visit to Appenzell we were lucky enough to catch an air show from one of the highest peaks in the area, but even without a surprise air show the region is an incredible place to visit. So here is our guide to the perfect Appenzell itinerary:
📍Appenzell Itinerary Day 1: Appenzell & Appenzeller Schaukäserei
📍Appenzell Itinerary Day 2: Seealpsee & Äscher
📍Appenzell Itinerary Day 3: Hoher Kasten & Saxer Lücke
📍Appenzell Itinerary Day 4: Säntis
📍Appenzell Itinerary Day 5: St Gallen
Appenzell Itinerary Map
The Perfect Appenzell Itinerary 1 to 5 Days
We have put together multiple itineraries from 1 day up to 5 days, (including a couple of day trips in the local area) to make sure that you can really make the most of your time in Appenzell. Plus it will help you figure out just how many days to spend around the area too.
It is worth noting however that your experiences may differ quite a lot depending on when you are visiting, especially if you visit during the winter months or whilst there is snow hanging around on the mountain passes, as a lot of the hiking routes will either be closed or only partially opened. Switzerland can always be a bit hit and miss in terms of weather around the mountains so be sure to keep an eye on the forecast before and during your visit.
Also, before setting out on any hikes in the region make sure to check the hiking trail status as well, you don’t want to be heading out along a route only to find that it is blocked off or closed for various reasons, including rockfall, snowfall or just for some renovation. You can check the hiking status for routes in Appenzell here.
When you spend 3 nights or more in Appenzell or the surrounding area you will receive a free Appenzeller Holiday Card, which gives you reduced or free admission to numerous attractions including cable cars and cheese exhibitions. For all the deals be sure to check out the Appenzell website for more information.
If you just plan on visiting Appenzell then alongside the Appenzeller Holiday Card, we recommend you pay full fare on public transport as you go. If however, you are visiting Appenzell as part of a wider Swiss trip, then we highly recommend getting the Half Fare Card, for 50% discount on all public transport, including trains, ferries, buses and mountain transport. (This doesn’t work out for the below itinerary as some of the mountain excursions aren’t covered by the Half Fare Card so paying full price or with a Half Fare Card costs about the same).
You can of course look into getting the Swiss Travel Pass, (we have a guide to the Swiss Travel Pass here), but this isn’t right for everyone, especially if you plan on doing some specific mountain trips.
If you are travelling with children, the those aged under 6 travel for free and those aged 6 to 16 pay half price.
Appenzell Itinerary Day 1: Appenzell & Appenzeller Schaukäserei
What better way is there to start the Appenzell itinerary than spending the day wandering around the town the area is named after and tasting some of the local dishes, including cheese, chocolate and beer.
Start the day with a visit to the Appenzeller Schaukäserei in Stein, it is around a 12 minute drive from the centre of Appenzell or a 50 minute train / bus, (S23 train from Appenzell to Lustmühle then bus 180 to Stein AR Dorf). Here you can learn all about the traditions of the area and see how the famous Swiss Appenzeller Cheese has been made since 1978, all with a few tastings along the way! It takes around 1 hour to tour the demonstration dairy, which includes seeing the cheese being made, the interactive exhibits and seeing the 12,000 wheels of cheese in the cellar, (yes, 12,000, so be prepared to smell cheese for a few hours!).
After your visit we recommend stopping in the Höckli Restaurant to get one of the delicious cheese-based dishes on offer, including fondue, and Stääner Chääshörnli, (basically a cheese and cream pasta with crunchy onions and potatoes, which is so good!).
The Appenzeller Schaukäserei is open every day from 9am apart from Christmas Day.
📍Tickets cost from CHF 13 per adult and CHF 8 per child. You can however, get a 2-for-1 discount on entry and a portion of Stääner Chääshörnli each with the Swiss Coupon Pass voucher, but you cannot buy your tickets in advance if you do this. If you would rather buy your tickets in advance then you can purchase them here.
After getting your fill of cheese we recommend spending the rest of the day exploring the town of Appenzell, visiting the colourful car-free streets of the old town with its numerous historic buildings and with a few more food and drink tasting alongside. There is no set order in which to do these things as the town itself is quite small, but these are the places you should visit and where the best traditional dishes are to try:
📍Pfarrkirche St Mauritius, Hauptgasse – the local Catholic church which might not look like much from the outside, but has some incredible frescos and stained glass windows on the inside.
📍Museum Appenzell, Hauptgasse – a museum highlighting local tradtiions, nature and culture, well worth a visit especially if you have the Appenzeller Holiday Card as it is free!
📍Rathaus, Hauptgasse – the town hall built in the 1500’s with the Battle of Stoss of Appenzell painted on the front.
📍Bärenbrunnen, Poststrasse – a beautiful little square with a variety of shops and the historical bear fountain.
🧀Appenzeller Käseladen, Poststrasse – if you skipped on the Appenzeller Schaukäserei, or just fancy grabbing yourself some more cheese for later, then this is the place to get the good stuff!
📍Landsgemeindeplatz – historically the location of the Appenzell Open Air Parliament, (which still happens once a year), but also a stunning square with some of the most beautiful ornately painted buildings.
📍Kreuzkappelle, Hauptgasse – a tiny chapel originally built in 1561, with unique stained glass windows.
🍴Bäckerei und Wirtschaft Drei Könige, Hauptgasse / Marktgasse – this is the place to go to taste the local Käseswiebelfladen, an incredible locally made cheese and onion tart. If the weather is nice, this place on the little square between the traditional buildings is a great place to spend a bit of time enjoying the local food. The bakery on the back of the restaurant also sells the local Appenzeller Biber, (a Swiss soft gingerbread filled with almond paste, it is so good and perfect for taking on a hike!).
🍫Chocolat Manfacture Appenzell, Hauptgasse – delicious chocolate and local totenbeninli, (hazelnut biscuits).
🍴Landbäckerei & Kaffee Gass 17, Postrasse – Great little bakery filled with all the local baked goods as well as sandwiches, ice cream and coffee, the perfect place to stock up on some supplies to take with you on a hike!
🍺Brauerei Locher, Brauereiplatz – The place to go to taste the local beer, Quöllfrisch and Säntis Malt Alpine Whisky. With a museum, hop cellar and shop, as well as the option to tour the brewhouse it is a great place to learn about how this local brewery works, and how sustainable they are, (the make crips and pizza dough from the ‘waste’ product of the beer). There are also numerous varieties of both the beer and whisky that you can taste and buy in the shop.
🍺Appenzeller Alpenbitter, Weissbadstrasse – Another local drink, the Appenzeller Alpenbitter is brewed here, where you can again do tastings and tour the factory. Be sure to try both the traditional spirit and the cream liquor, (rahmlikor). You also get a free chocolate box if you visit and show your Appenzeller Guest Card!
Appenzell Itinerary Day 2: Seealpsee & Äscher
🚃 By public transport – 15 minutes via train S23 from Appenzell to Wasserauen.
🚐 By car – 10 minute drive, 6.5km.
One of the best things to do whilst in Appenzell is to hike to Seealpsee and visit the Wildkirchli and Aescher Gasthaus built into the side of the mountain above, (both of which you can find on Appenzeller beer bottles!).
To get to the start of the hike to Seealpsee you want to head to Wasserauen, (from CHF 10 per adult or CHF 5 for adult with Half Fare Card on the train), where there is a large car park, (and overflow car park on particularly busy days) as well as a local train station, making it ideal to reach for everyone. From here there are a couple of route options you can take to reach Seealpsee, (we have mapped them above), but both basically head through woodland and upwards from the valley. We recommend following the service road in / out as it is the easiest route to follow and you get a bit of shade in the woodland as well.
The hike from the car park in the valley up to Seealpsee, is not for the faint hearted, it may all be on paved roads, but it is steep, 330m of elevation gain in 1km steep! We ended up walking up it in quite warm weather and we were rather sweaty when we reached the top after many water breaks, but boy are the views worth it.
After taking in the views at Seealpsee, grabbing a bite to eat from one of the lake side eateries, (Berghaus Forelle have delicious fish caught from the lake), and maybe even going for a paddle on the lake with one of the boats, we recommend making your way back down to the valley before taking the cable car up to Ebenalp which will be the start of the short walk to Äscher.
For full transparency, there is a hike that goes from Seealpsee directly up to Äscher, however, it is extremely steep, narrow and with no protection off to the side, so should you slip, you are in serious trouble. There are a lot of people who lose their lives trying to hike this route every year and who are unprepared, so unless you are extremely confident in your hiking ability and the weather has been perfect for numerous days previously, (so no slippy, wet or sliding floor), do not attempt this route.
Instead, head back down the valley to the car park and train station at Wasserauen and head up the cable car to Ebenalp. The cable car runs from around 8am through to 6pm, but be sure to check out the operating times and what is open on the Ebenalp website here.
📍A return cable car here costs from CHF 36 per adult, CHF 18 for an adult with a half fare card and CHF 15 for children ages 6 to 15.
From the top cable car station at Ebenalp it is a short 15 minute walk down to Wildkirchli and Aescher Gasthaus, (there are lots of sign posts to Wildkirchli you can follow, but it is basically downhill from the cable car), walking through an impressive cave then out along the cliff side on boardwalks and gravel tracks. Be warned the gravel is very slidey!
After spending as little or as long as you want here, (you can have a dinner in Aescher Gasthaus which has some of the most beautiful views in Appenzell), simply head back the way you have come to get back to the Ebenalp cable car before descending down into the valley at Wasserauen. It is all very well sign posted and only one way to go so you really can’t get lost. From here take the train or drive back to your accommodation in Appenzell.
If you are looking for somewhere to eat in Appenzell then we highly recommend Sonne Appenzell, a traditional Swiss restaurant at Landsgemeindeplatz. Cordon bleu or anything with cheese is worth it!
Appenzell Itinerary Day 3: Hoher Kasten & Saxer Lücke
🚃 By public transport – 15 minutes via train S23 from Appenzell to Weissbad, then switch to the bus 192.
🚐 By car – 10 minute drive, 6km.
When you think of Appenzell jagged mountains and snowy peaks may come to mine, and a visit to Hoher Kasten and the nearby Saxer Lücke will make you realise why. Some of Appenzell’s most famous mountains were created from some incredible geological formations making the rock seem to bend or sit in folds, which is unlike most other mountains in Switzerland, so definitely worth a visit when in Appenzell.
To get to Hoher Kasten head to Brülisau, where you will find a car park at the bottom of the cable car station, (Parkplatz Kastenbahn), or if you are arriving via train then go to Weissbad via train before switching to the local 192 bus to get to the cable car valley station. (Taking public transport again costs from CHF 10 per adult or CHF 5 for adult with Half Fare Card). Here simply take the cable car up to the top of the mountain.
📍Tickets costs CHF 40 per adult for a return ticket. There is no discount for the Half Fare Card but if you have the Swiss Coupon Pass, you can get a 2 for 1 discount on the return trip. You do have to show your voucher at the valley station ticket office though, so no booking in advance.
At the top of Hoher Kasten there are a few options on what to do depending on how far you fancy hiking / if the weather is playing ball for you or not, (or in our case if there is an air show on or not!). We have mapped this all on our map above, but for pretty much all of them you will want to make sure you have packed food and water to have on the route, as there is only a couple of mountain restaurants and they aren’t always open. Be sure to stop at the revolving restaurant at the mountain station for a drink or bite to eat before setting out for the day.
🌧 Rainy day option: do not try to hike to Saxer Lücke as this route can get very slippery and dangerous when it is wet, instead just stick to the 360 walkways and alpine garden at Hoher Kasten.
🥾 Short Hike: along the ridge from the top of Hoher Kasten to the Saxer Lücke viewpoint and back OR along the ridge in the other direction towards Kamor Trestenkopf.
🥾🥾Long Hike: route from Hoher Kasten all the way to Saxer Lücke then down to Fählensee, (where there is a lovely mountain restaurant called Berggasthaus Bollenwees AG you can stop at for lunch), and back along the valley to the Hoher Kasten cable car base valley station. Obviously if you do this route only get a single, Einfache Fahrt ticket, not a return.
After spending the day exploring Hoher Kasten and Saxer Lücke, head back to Appenzell for dinner at Gass 17, another local Swiss cuisine restaurant but with lots of seasonal dishes on offer.
Appenzell Itinerary Day 4: Säntis
🚃 By public transport – 40 minutes via train S23 from Appenzell to Urnäsch, then switch to the bus 791 to Säntis Schwebebahn.
🚐 By car – 30 minute drive, 22.5km.
Day 4 on the Appenzell itinerary and we are heading to the mountain that is famous throughout the area, (so famous they put it on the local beer bottles), and one with a rich history in weather, Säntis. This is a must visit mountain whilst in Appenzell, (especially when you have views across the entirety of the Swiss Alps as well as to Italy on a good day).
Often called ‘The Weather Mountain’, Säntis is home to quite a few weather related records as it was one of the first mountain weather stations set up in Switzerland, way back in 1882. From the highest wind speed reached by a hurricane hitting Switzerland, (230 km/h), to the deepest snow, (816cm!), to the incredible amount of sun and rain it gets each year, (284cm and 1,800 hours), and having more lightning strikes than any other mountain in Switzerland, (around 100 per year!). Säntis truly is a weather mountain, and you can find out all of the records in the Adventure World at the Säntis peak, as well as learn about the unique history of the geology in the area and all things Säntis glacier. Yes, there is still a glacier here!
From Appenzell taking public transport to the Schwägalp gondola valley station costs from CHF 20 per adult or CHF 10 for adult with Half Fare Card.
📍Return tickets from the valley station to the peak cost from CHF 58 per adult and CHF 29 per adult with Half Fare Card. Also, if you have the Switzerland Coupon Pass, you can get a 2 for 1 discount on the trip up Säntis, so be sure to grab your Swiss Coupon Pass for a visit here as well, this does again mean no booking in advance though!
We recommend getting up to the peak earlier in the day, (assuming the weather is good and not cloudy, you don’t want to get to the top and see nothing!), and spending the first half of the day exploring what the peak of Säntis has to offer. From the Adventure World with its weather, ice, and history to the short walk up to the weather station. In the summer months you can also walk out to the Alter Säntis Mountain Inn with its incredible views and cozy building.
After exploring grab lunch at 2,502m in the Säntisgipfel Panoramic Restaurant before heading back down to the Schwägalp valley station before setting out on one of the five themed trails, (more information on them here), in the NaturErlebnisparks Schwägalp/Säntis natural park. All the trails are looped so you will come back to where you started, so if you fancy doing more than one you can. In the winter you can also walk the Laternliweg or lantern trail that winds through the snow-covered nature park, perfect for doing pre fondue feast!
After all that exploring and being in fresh mountain air all day you’ll be hungry so we recommend having a classic Swiss dinner at the Gasthaus Passhöhe in the valley before heading back to you accommodation in Appenzell, ready for one last day in the Appenzell region.
Appenzell Itinerary Day 5: St Gallen
🚃 By public transport – 45 minutes via train S23 from Appenzell to St. Gallen.
🚐 By car – 25 minute drive, 20km.
For the final day of the Appenzell itinerary, we are spending the day in St Gallen, just a short train ride from the town. This historic city is home to an impressive Abbey and Altstadt as well as some of the most beautifully decorated bay windows you will find in Switzerland. The train costs from CHF 20 return ticket from Appenzell per adult or CHF 10 per adult with Half Fare Card.
Upon arriving into St Gallen make your way to roox Café St Gallen on Schützengasse for breakfast, (the coffee, house ice tea and breakfast bowls are all delicious!), before heading into the Abbey District and through the Old Town of St Gallen. This area is full to the brim with colourful timber framed buildings from the 16th to 19th centuries with the cities famous painted bay windows, (of which there are 111!), so be sure to wander through the streets exploring and stopping by the independent shops. Marktgasse, Spisergasse and Webergasse are particularly lovely streets as well as the whole area around Gallusplatz and Gallusstrasse, which is also the home of the UNESCO World Heritage Site abbey district in St Gallen.
As the name suggests the abbey district of St Gallen is where the stunning Baroque St Gallen Cathedral and the Rococo Abbey Library are situated, as well as a few other notable churches and buildings including Ortsbürgergemeinde St.Gallen, St. Laurenzen and Schutzengelkapelle St. Gallen.
St. Gallen Cathedral is one of the main draws though and it is clear to see why with its twin towers and the numerous frescos painted on the ceilings. The other place that you have to visit is the Abbey Library which has to be the most stunning library in the world let along Switzerland, where thousands of books, manuscripts and even an Egyptian mummy are on display. The oldest surviving book written in German is also housed here.
📍Tickets for the library, cellars and exhibition hall cost from CHF 18 per adult, children go free, but you can get a 2 for 1 entry with the Swiss Coupon Pass, saving you a little more money!
Be sure to check the opening hours and if exhibitions are closed on the Stiftsbezirk Gesamt website, as you really don’t want to miss out on visiting.
After all the wandering and visiting historical sights we recommend stopping at Drahtseilbähnli on St Georgen-Strasse for lunch where you can try local sausages before walking the 30 meters to the Mühleggbahn funicular ready to whisk you up above the city. It costs from CHF 2.50 each way, which although it helps get up the 100m seems a bit steep to us, so you can instead walk up to the top past the Mülenenschlucht, (an impressive waterfall in the middle of the city), on the Mülenen-Schluchtweg. At the top follow the Dreilindenweg to the Drei Weieren, or the Three Ponds, where you will find, you guessed it, three ponds!
It might not sound like much, but these ponds are a lovely green space within the city and are popular throughout the year thanks to their Art Noveau bathing huts. They basically become outdoor pools in the summer and ice-skating rinks in the winter. From the Dreilindenweg you also get some incredible views over the city too.
After spending as little or as long as you fancy above the city, head back down the way you came up and depending on the time you can either wander back through the Altstadt stopping at the Roter Platz, (a red square in the city where everything is red, you’ll understand when you see it!), before hopping on the train back to Appenzell, or to your onward destination. You could also stop by the Textilmuseum, which although might sound odd, is an interesting museum to learn about the textile history in St Gallen, (it is famous for being the centre of linen and embroidery in the 20th century), as well as Switzerland. If you fancy having dinner in St Gallen then Blumenmarkt Café on Marktplatz is a great option, with regional dishes and some nice cocktails too.
Where to stay in Appenzell
It is no surprise but there are some fantastic options for camping throughout the area, we actually stayed at Camping Jakobsbad Gonten during our last trip right at the base of Mount Kronberg, and we would highly recommend it for campers with tents or campervans. However, there are also numerous great hotel options within the town of Appenzell as well, with these being a few that we have been recommended:
Budget – Alte Metzg Hostel
Mid range – Hotel Löwen
Luxury – Romantik Hotel Säntis
Appenzell Itinerary FAQs
How to get to Appenzell
Getting to Appenzell can be a little long depending on where in the country, or indeed if you are visiting from neighbouring Austria or Liechtenstein, but don’t let that put you off visiting! There are still wonderful train connections, (it is Switzerland after all!) and getting there by car is pretty straightforward too.
By car:
🚐 Basel to Appenzell via car – around 2 hours 15 minutes, 175km.
🚐 Bern to Appenzell via car – around 2 hours 45 minutes, 210km.
🚐 Lucerne to Appenzell via car – around 2 hours, 130km.
🚐 Zurich to Appenzell via car – around 1 hours 15 minutes, 90km.
By train:
🚃 Basel to Appenzell via train – roughly 3 hours with changes in Zurich and Gossau.
🚃 Bern to Appenzell via train – just over 3 hours, with one change in Gossau.
🚃 Lucerne to Appenzell via train – just under 3 hours, with one change in Gossau.
🚃 Zurich to Appenzell via train –just under 2 hours, with one change in Gossau.
How to get around Appenzell
Getting around Appenzell, especially to the main sights is fairly easy both with a car or by public transport. On our last visit we had our car and the only problem we came across was finding parking both at Wasserauen and Hoher Kasten, (there was plenty of overflow parking available, but as we were visiting over a Swiss bank holiday weekend there was a lot of people out and about even when we arrived for one of the earliest cable cars!).
🚐 By car – getting around the region is easy with normal roads connecting everywhere you will need to go, no gravel tracks or single lane roads in sight. Just be sure to have coins on you to pay for parking or the EasyPark app set up and ready to go. (Some areas have very limited phone signal so having coins is always a good idea!).
🚃 By train – There are local trains that connect most of the area from Appenzell, (the town), out to local mountains and well known hiking areas, including Wasserauen, Gonten and Jakobsbad / Kronberg. However there are some locations that you will need to take either the bus or drive yourself, such as Hoher Kasten or Saxer Lücke.
Best time to visit Appenzell
This is slightly dependant on what you want from your trip, as you can’t really go hiking in the mountains in the snow, but there isn’t really a bad time to visit Appenzell. We absolutely loved our recent trip there in the early summer as it was warm but not swelteringly hot, all the hiking trails were open and all the cable cars were running too. During the spring / autumn months a lot of the mountain transport shuts temporarily for refurbishment so if you plan on visiting around then, when it will be much quieter, then be sure to check the various cable cars and gondolas are open.
Is Appenzell worth visiting?
100% yes, Appenzell is one place in Switzerland that we wished we lived closer too as it is a wonderful place to visit, and often not as touristy and busy as a lot of other mountain locations in the country.
What is Appenzell famous for?
Appenzell is famous for a number of things, but mostly for its incredible mountain formations, its cheese and its beer, all of which are incredible!
Do they speak English in Appenzell?
Yes, as with most of Switzerland there a English speakers throughout the area. If you visit all of the places in the itinerary above then you will not have a problem, but should you venture slightly more off piste, some mountain huts for example, may have limited English speaking.
Conclusion: The Perfect Appenzell Itinerary
So there you have our guide to the perfect Appenzell itinerary, from 1 to 5 days. Appenzell is a fantastic place to visit, especially as it is often much quieter in terms of visits from tourists, but also due to the sheer number of things you can see and do in such a small area. Plus who doesn’t like trying some local cheese and beer!
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.