What does Liechtenstein actually look like?

What does Liechtenstein actually look like? It’s a country not many people visit and it can be hard to find what makes it unique…

Written by Michael Turtle

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle. A journalist for more than 20 years, he's been travelling the world since 2011.

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle and has been travelling full time for a decade.

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Photos of Liechtenstein

With no major landmarks or significant natural wonders, you need to look for the little things in Liechtenstein.

A grand metal tower on the banks of a river or ancient ruins from a civilisation past – you won’t find them in this tiny country.

Photos of Liechtenstein

It’s sometimes hard enough for Liechtenstein to define its identity itself, an almost insignificant piece of land caught between the cultural powerhouses of Austria and Switzerland. It’s even harder for a visitor to find anything that stands out as uniquely local.

Photos of Liechtenstein

And so it’s the small things that take on a disproportional importance.

It’s the water fountains by the side of the road…

The wooden statues in front of buildings…

The public art displayed on walls of churches…

The roads that seem to lead nowhere but to impenetrable mountains…

And the public squares that appear empty except for the after-school rush of cake-eating children.

Photos of Liechtenstein

To appreciate Liechtenstein, you need to move slowly and look for the details.  Hidden in these subtle attempts at individuality are the clues to unlocking this country. The nation is hemmed in on either side by the tall white-capped Alps and what is born here in the valle of Liechtenstein is hard to take away.

Photos of Liechtenstein

I wrote earlier this week about walking across Liechtenstein and my first impressions of the country. Now it’s time to go a bit deeper.

Here is a collection of photos from the country which, together, starts to build a bigger image of a small landscape.

Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein
Photos of Liechtenstein

10 thoughts on “What does Liechtenstein actually look like?”

  1. You have chosen a wonderfully eclectic selection of images and it’s brilliant to know that they were collected as you sauntered slowly across in only two short days! I love that you captured this extraordinary covered bridge in the prices!

    Reply
    • It is very pretty. I guess it’s got the perfect location between a river and mountains – plus there’s no major development. They’re the things that make this part of the world so scenic.

      Reply
  2. Turtle, this reminds me of an episode of “The Amazing Race” a while back. One leg was spent in Lichtenstein (on a day trip from Switzerland, I think), and the main task involved riding a moped the entire length of the country and reporting the distance. Of course, some of the contestants had to do it more than once, but you can, there!

    Reply
    • Ha – what a cool challenge. I don’t think it would take that long to ride across it, even in a moped. And there’s pretty much just one straight road that goes the whole way. The incredible thing is that some people got it wrong. How could they possibly stuff that up?!

      Reply
  3. These pictures bring back memories. About ten years ago, I visited Liechtenstein but didn’t take any photos (I wasn’t into taking photos at that time). I did paid 3 euros to get my passport stamped and I think it was the prettiest stamp I had in my old passport (the stamp is a crown).

    Reply

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