Balzers

Code:01
Type:commune
Population:4,688 (2022)
Area:20 km²
Elevation:472 m

Introduction

Balzers is Liechtenstein's southernmost municipality, made up of Balzers and Mäls at the Swiss border, where the Rhine Valley narrows below Gutenberg Castle.

Overview

Balzers is the first village you reach coming from the south, and Gutenberg Castle on its hill is the landmark that tells you you have arrived. The castle opens for guided tours and events, and the hill gives a view over the whole country. Around it, Balzers and Mäls keep a run of old chapels and a vicarage turned exhibition house, and the 75-kilometre Liechtenstein Trail sets off from here towards the north.

Discover Balzers

Gutenberg Castle and its hill

Gutenberg Castle stands on a hill about 70 metres above the village, and the climb up is short. From the top the view runs over Balzers, the Rhine and much of Liechtenstein. The castle itself opens for guided tours and for events, so check the tourist information before planning a visit inside; the hill and its paths are a good walk at any time.

Chapels and the Old Vicarage

Balzers has more old churches than its size suggests. The Mariahilf Chapel in Mäls has a richly decorated baroque interior, and St. Peter's Chapel is counted among the oldest church buildings in the country. The Old Vicarage is now a cultural house with changing exhibitions — worth a look when something is on.

Start of the Liechtenstein Trail

The 75-kilometre Liechtenstein Trail begins in Balzers and runs north through every municipality to Schaanwald on the Austrian border, in five day stages. The first, about 16 kilometres, climbs from the castle hill past Triesen to the Walser villages of Triesenberg, and buses run back to Balzers from every village on the way, so it works as a single day walk as well as the first day of five.

Ways to Experience This Destination

Gutenberg Castle

A castle on a hill above the village with a view over Liechtenstein; open for guided tours and events.

Old chapels

The baroque Mariahilf Chapel in Mäls and St. Peter's Chapel, one of the oldest church buildings in the country.

Trailhead

The southern start of the 75-kilometre Liechtenstein Trail, with buses back from every stage.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Gutenberg Castle?

Yes, on guided tours and at events — the castle is not open for walk-in visits. The hill around it is freely accessible and gives one of the best views over Liechtenstein.

How do I get to Balzers?

LIEmobil buses link Balzers with Vaduz and the rest of the country, and with Sargans on the Swiss side, the nearest main railway station. By car, it is the first Liechtenstein village coming from the south.

This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.