St. Gallen to Appenzell & Aescher Gasthaus – Switzerland’s Hidden Alpine Gem

Your private driver will meet you in St. Gallen, one of Switzerland’s most historic cities and home to the UNESCO-listed Abbey Library, often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Leaving the city behind, you’ll enter the rolling hills of Appenzellerland, a landscape straight out of a storybook — patchwork meadows, grazing cows with jingling bells, and scattered wooden farmhouses, each decorated with carved eaves and flower boxes.

After about an hour, you’ll arrive in Appenzell, a village that feels like time stood still. It’s small but bursting with character: narrow lanes, pastel houses covered in hand-painted murals, and a square where democracy is still practiced by hand vote (Landsgemeinde). Here, everything is local — from the music to the crafts to the famous Appenzeller cheese, which has been produced in the region since the 13th century.

Take your time wandering through Hauptgasse, where traditional shops sell handmade wooden toys, textiles, and bottles of Appenzeller Schnaps, an herbal spirit made from over 40 alpine herbs. Visit the Appenzell Museum, housed in a 16th-century building, for an introduction to the region’s customs and costumes. If desired, your driver can also arrange a short visit to a nearby cheese dairy, where you can watch the cheese-making process and, of course, sample it fresh.

After exploring Appenzell, the road leads deeper into the Alpstein Mountains to the small village of Wasserauen. Here begins the journey to Aescher Gasthaus, one of the most photographed spots in Switzerland.

You’ll ascend by the Ebenalp cable car, which rises 700 meters in just six minutes. From the upper station, a scenic alpine path leads you through the Wildkirchli caves, where hermits once lived in the 17th century and archaeologists later uncovered traces of Neanderthal habitation. Emerging from the caves, the path opens suddenly to a breathtaking sight — the Aescher Cliff Restaurant, perched dramatically beneath a 100-meter vertical limestone wall.

Dating back to 1860, the Aescher Gasthaus was originally built as a mountain shelter for shepherds and pilgrims. Today, it serves simple but hearty Swiss food — rösti, alpine cheese, and homemade pies — best enjoyed on the panoramic terrace overlooking the Seealp valley. Few places in the world offer such a surreal mix of architecture, landscape, and serenity.

For travelers seeking more adventure, an optional 40-minute downhill hike leads to the crystal-clear Seealpsee, one of the most beautiful lakes in eastern Switzerland. Surrounded by steep peaks and mirrored reflections, it’s a photographer’s dream.

After lunch and time to absorb the views, you’ll descend again by cable car to Wasserauen, where your driver will be waiting for a smooth and scenic return to St. Gallen. The drive back offers sweeping panoramas of rolling green hills — a gentle farewell from a region that embodies the very essence of Switzerland’s natural harmony.