Travel St. Gallen Guide: Hotels, University, Shopping, Clubs,  Nightlife and more:

St Gallen is located in the northeast angle of the country and it borders with Germany , Liechtenstein and Austria . This is the most important city of this region and it is known for being a central trading center of Eastern Switzerland . The area is especially known for its textile manufacture.

St. Gallen was founded in 612 AD by an Irish monk named Gallus who constructed a shelter with the help of his men in Steinbach Valley . Later, this shelter developed into a monastery which was recognized as one of the most famous in Europe for its intellectual value during the 8th and 9th century. The settlement that grew around the monastery evolved into the town of St Gallen named in this way after the Irish monk. The town then became famous for the manufacture of linen and embroidered cotton fabric. Nowadays, the city maintains the status of being the principal textile center of Switzerland . If you are interested in buying embroidered goods, you can acquire them in the outlets of the local factories such as Saphir and Sturzenegger.

St Gallen is a calm and traditional city which houses museums, concert halls, and the famous St. Gallen University. There you can visit its active business district and its attractive Old Town . St Gallen’s main attraction is the Baroque abbey which houses a library valued for its priceless collection of books and manuscripts from the Middle Ages.  Throughout the year tourists can also enjoy the many cultural events and attractions offered to the public.

Another must-see place is St Gallen’s Old Town which is intersected by the city’s main pedestrian streets. Here you will see the cathedral and its impressive twin towers which can be seen from different parts of the town. You will also notice the distinguishing architectural style of the buildings and houses.

Getting there

You can get to St Gallen by train from Zurich in about an hour and you will arrive at the train station which is placed 200m from the Old Town . Another alternative is the car; once you reach Zurich you take the route to Winterthur and then take the E60 east.  If you are not running out of time you can get to Rapperswil by water and then take the train to St Gallen. In this way you will be able to get pleasure from the sight of the landscape.

So, if you have your mind set on traveling to Eastern Switzerland remember that this town has many attractions to offer. There are plenty of things to do such as hiking or biking around the outskirts of the city, you can also go and see St Gallen dairy farms, villages, and green hills and last but not least you can navigate Lake Constance .