This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in St. Gallen.
St. Gallen is situated in the northeast of Switzerland, in the German-speaking canton of St. Gallen. The city started evolving in the seventh century around the hermitage founded by St. Gallus, an Irish disciple and one of the twelve companions of St. Columbanus, who was on a mission to spead Christianity from Ireland. Following the Benedictine rule, which involved the thorough study of books, the city soon become the centre of intellectual life, a characteristic that remains till today.
The charming town that is encompassed by Lake Constance and Appenzellerland has a lot to offer for the lovers of history and tradition. St. Gallen’s most famous landmark, which is the Baroque cathedral with the Abbey Library, is home to around one hundred seventy thousand documents, with some of them dating back to eleventh century. The Abbey complex is listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The delightful, traffic-free old town is also a place that is not to be missed if you are in St. Gallen, with colourfully painted oriel windows giving a special character to the area.
With the city located near the border with three other countries -- Germany, Liechstenstein, and Austria -- and right in the vicinity of some outstanding natural attractions, it can be a good base for daytrips and excursions as well. The cycling paradise of Lake Constance offers unparallelled sceneries and the combination of rail and bike allows captivating tours to be undertaken crossing national borders. For those preferring to wander around on foot, one of the highlights of the region is the so called "Bridge Walk" that leads over eighteen bridges in the Sittertobel. Moreover, a six-hour part of the St. James Way also passes through the area on its way to Santiago de Compostela.
All the wonders of this area can be easily accessed during a stay at your St. Gallen hostel. You are sure to find a St. Gallen hostel that will suit your budget, standards, and tastes -- and you will be right in the middle of everything!
Written by local enthusiast for St. Gallen hostels
JudyM
