St. Gallen - Switzerland
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Some information on St. Gallen (SG), a town in the east of Switzerland. Actually it is not really in Switzerland, at least not according to the Swiss, which claim, that Switzerland ends east of Winterthur, which is about 40 miles west of SG. But since SG is not in Austria either (which is also east of Winterthur) we must assume, that it is in no-mans-land. Which is nice, since you don't have to show a passport upon leaving Winterthur, should you come by train from Zurich...
How you get to St. Gallen: When you travel from Austria towards Zurich and change the train accidently at the first stop after the border, you can get to SG or when coming from Munich in a train. From the west (like Geneva, Berne and Zurich, just take a train east. You will have trouble missing the place. If you are on the way by car, take the A1 - when you come from Geneva, it is a very long way, from Austria just over 30 mins. There are 4 exits, so it is hard to miss.
Why to stop in St. Gallen: There are two reasons:
1) It is a very neat town with beautiful houses, an antique city center, a cathedral, an antique library with a mummy. And there is the own brewery and about 350 restaurants for a population of 70000. So you can get drunk while savouring the high culture.
2) You might have to stay overnight or need a bathroom-stop.
Where to park your car: That's a tough one. You may try one of the roads up on the hills on both sides of the town (see topography) where there are countless little roads. You will never find your car again, but this gives you plenty of time to look at the town.
What to do: St. Gallen is basically very unexciting. This is no bad thing as such, since there is hardly a town in central-europe, where you can get drunk in a more leasurly pace. Good places to achieve this, are:
Extrablatt on Marktplatz: Caters a young studenty crowd. Has a music-bar in the 1st floor.
Christina's on Webergasse: Very laid back, small restaurant, Bar and a coffee place with sofas. If you get a seat, kick back and enjoy. Great Capuccino.
Camillo at the Grüninger-Platz: Coffee- and Snack Bar. Neat.
Faccincani on Gallusstrasse: Not to get drunk but primarily for eating some goood Italian food. Not cheap.
Letzte Laterne on the Schwertgasse: Also pretty nice. Original H. R. Giger paintings on the wall.
Vinoteca on Englegasse: Italian Wine and Snacks.
Engel on Engelgasse: Restaurant for the alternative crowd, organic food and filterless cigarettes.
Einstein: For the posh.
Gallusplatz: For the even posher.
Seeger-Bar: For those who still think being a Yuppy is a cool thing.
Splügen on the St. Georgenstrasse: A true museum. More charming as hell.
Barcelona: For spanish snacks and food (Bar and Restaurant)
Hörnli on Marktplatz: Open nonstop from Friday Morning till Sunday evening. Always warm food and a plethora of beers.
The best local beer is the Klosterbräu. The regular Beer you usually get (Schützengarten) is nothing special.
If you need to check your email, go to the media-lounge on Katharinengasse. They also carry all kinds of cool video-game stuff. Say hi to Till, should you get there. Tell him, Paddy sent you.
The hotels are on the expensive side, but there is also a youth hostel, about 15 minutes walk from the city-center. Ask for directions.
Apart from getting drunk which is not to be considered a full time occupation and looking at the cultural treasures, the nicest thing to do around here is take walks or ride a bike through the beautiful landscape around the town. There are different small railways running up to the hills and you can basically walk for hours and always have a pleasant view both of lake constance and of the mountains that are also nearby. You might want to get a hiking-map first, though (try the Rösslitor-Bookshop on Webergasse, they should have them).
In the summer, you can also go for a swim in the little artificial lake on one of the hills above town, the so-called Weiern. Admission is free and the swim most refreshing. And afterwards you can rest on the grass or enjoy the view over the town.
This brings us to the topography. The town is nestled on the north and south between two hillsides and also spreads up on the slopes thereof. Since it is additionally cut of on to the west by a 300 ft deep gorge and somehow tapers out down towards lake constance on the east, it never really sprawled out and stayed rather compact.
All in all it is a slightly boring but charming town with enough beer and hills around to last a lifetime. And this is about the time you will need to find your car again.
I will add more as soon as I see myself fit to do so.
How you get to St. Gallen: When you travel from Austria towards Zurich and change the train accidently at the first stop after the border, you can get to SG or when coming from Munich in a train. From the west (like Geneva, Berne and Zurich, just take a train east. You will have trouble missing the place. If you are on the way by car, take the A1 - when you come from Geneva, it is a very long way, from Austria just over 30 mins. There are 4 exits, so it is hard to miss.
Why to stop in St. Gallen: There are two reasons:
1) It is a very neat town with beautiful houses, an antique city center, a cathedral, an antique library with a mummy. And there is the own brewery and about 350 restaurants for a population of 70000. So you can get drunk while savouring the high culture.
2) You might have to stay overnight or need a bathroom-stop.
Where to park your car: That's a tough one. You may try one of the roads up on the hills on both sides of the town (see topography) where there are countless little roads. You will never find your car again, but this gives you plenty of time to look at the town.
What to do: St. Gallen is basically very unexciting. This is no bad thing as such, since there is hardly a town in central-europe, where you can get drunk in a more leasurly pace. Good places to achieve this, are:
Extrablatt on Marktplatz: Caters a young studenty crowd. Has a music-bar in the 1st floor.
Christina's on Webergasse: Very laid back, small restaurant, Bar and a coffee place with sofas. If you get a seat, kick back and enjoy. Great Capuccino.
Camillo at the Grüninger-Platz: Coffee- and Snack Bar. Neat.
Faccincani on Gallusstrasse: Not to get drunk but primarily for eating some goood Italian food. Not cheap.
Letzte Laterne on the Schwertgasse: Also pretty nice. Original H. R. Giger paintings on the wall.
Vinoteca on Englegasse: Italian Wine and Snacks.
Engel on Engelgasse: Restaurant for the alternative crowd, organic food and filterless cigarettes.
Einstein: For the posh.
Gallusplatz: For the even posher.
Seeger-Bar: For those who still think being a Yuppy is a cool thing.
Splügen on the St. Georgenstrasse: A true museum. More charming as hell.
Barcelona: For spanish snacks and food (Bar and Restaurant)
Hörnli on Marktplatz: Open nonstop from Friday Morning till Sunday evening. Always warm food and a plethora of beers.
The best local beer is the Klosterbräu. The regular Beer you usually get (Schützengarten) is nothing special.
If you need to check your email, go to the media-lounge on Katharinengasse. They also carry all kinds of cool video-game stuff. Say hi to Till, should you get there. Tell him, Paddy sent you.
The hotels are on the expensive side, but there is also a youth hostel, about 15 minutes walk from the city-center. Ask for directions.
Apart from getting drunk which is not to be considered a full time occupation and looking at the cultural treasures, the nicest thing to do around here is take walks or ride a bike through the beautiful landscape around the town. There are different small railways running up to the hills and you can basically walk for hours and always have a pleasant view both of lake constance and of the mountains that are also nearby. You might want to get a hiking-map first, though (try the Rösslitor-Bookshop on Webergasse, they should have them).
In the summer, you can also go for a swim in the little artificial lake on one of the hills above town, the so-called Weiern. Admission is free and the swim most refreshing. And afterwards you can rest on the grass or enjoy the view over the town.
This brings us to the topography. The town is nestled on the north and south between two hillsides and also spreads up on the slopes thereof. Since it is additionally cut of on to the west by a 300 ft deep gorge and somehow tapers out down towards lake constance on the east, it never really sprawled out and stayed rather compact.
All in all it is a slightly boring but charming town with enough beer and hills around to last a lifetime. And this is about the time you will need to find your car again.
I will add more as soon as I see myself fit to do so.
