When driving from Switzerland to Austria or Liechtenstein, allow an extra night in St. Gallen. This charming town 50 mi/75 km east of Zurich has a strollable and traffic-free Old Town where you can visit St. Gallen's town square, the baroque cathedral and the world-renowned Stiftsbibliothek, the Abbey library, with its excellent collection of medieval manuscripts.
If time permits, use St. Gallen as a base to explore the surrounding area, including Lake Constance in the north, and the nearby Appenzell region in the south. Don't miss a hike to the Aescher guesthouse, a 170-year-old restaurant and guesthouse built directly into the mountain near Ebenalp, with breathtaking mountain views, accessible with the Wasserauen-Ebenalp cable car. You will pass the 400-year-old Wildkirchli church and the network of Wildkirchli caves on the way.
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