Step into St. Gallen, where a 7th-century hermitage founded by the Irish monk Gallus grew into one of Europe’s great centers of learning. At its heart lies the Abbey District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the stunning Baroque Cathedral and the world-famous Abbey Library, one of the oldest libraries on earth. Wander into the Old Town and look up—over 100 beautifully decorated oriel windows still line the streets, a striking legacy of St. Gallen’s booming embroidery and textile era that once made the city a global powerhouse of craftsmanship and style.

Experience a completely different side of Switzerland in Appenzell, a small alpine village where tradition still shapes everyday life. Its compact centre is instantly recognisable for the Hauptgasse, a street of vividly painted wooden houses that reflect centuries of local craftsmanship and strong regional identity. Appenzell is one of the few places where Switzerland’s historic Landsgemeinde tradition originated—an open-air assembly where citizens gathered to vote publicly, a striking symbol of grassroots democracy. Beyond the village, the landscape opens into rolling farmland and alpine pastures beneath the Alpstein mountains, where dairy farming remains central to life. This is the birthplace of the famous Appenzeller cheese, still produced using a secret herbal brine that defines its distinctive flavour. Small, colourful, and deeply rooted in tradition, Appenzell offers a living snapshot of rural Swiss heritage framed by some of the country’s most beautiful mountain scenery.

After a full day of adventure, your guide will return you safely to Zurich HB.