St. Gallen: Abbey District, museums and mountain landscapes

In the canton of St. Gallen, the culture of the cantonal capital meets landscapes that stretch from lakes to high alpine areas. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether to focus on the Abbey District and museums, hiking, or seasonal winter and water sports. The canton is in eastern Switzerland, not far from Lake Constance. Its landscapes also include areas along Lake Zurich, the rolling foothills of the Alps and high mountain ranges on the border with Graubünden and Glarus.

The Abbey District and history in St. Gallen

The UNESCO World Heritage Abbey District is in the city of St. Gallen, in the canton of St. Gallen. The abbey complex includes the present-day cathedral and the Abbey Library; the cathedral is Baroque in style. The abbey’s historic collection extends beyond the architectural ensemble: it includes Irish manuscripts from the 7th and 8th centuries, illuminated manuscripts from the St. Gallen school and the floor plan of the Carolingian monastery complex. Alongside the architecture, the long history of writing and monastic life is also a focus.

The city’s textile history can also be explored. The Textile Museum St. Gallen shows how eastern Switzerland influenced the fashion world of the 19th century. It also features a demonstration of embroidery on an 1890 hand-embroidery machine. The open art museum has a different collection profile: it specialises in Swiss outsider art, Art Brut and naïve art, and holds around 30,000 works.

Art and striking buildings

The Kunstmuseum St. Gallen presents temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Its permanent collection includes paintings and sculptures from the late Middle Ages to the present day. The museum also has a second location, LOK, which serves as a cultural laboratory for contemporary art. Together with the 1902 bathhouse and the 1906 water tower, a work by Robert Maillart, the Lokremise St. Gallen forms an industrial monument of national importance. Another historic destination is the Alte Bad Pfäfers, considered Switzerland’s oldest Baroque spa.

Lakes, foothills and high mountains

The canton’s landscapes range from areas around Lake Constance and Lake Zurich, across the rolling foothills of the Alps, to high mountain ranges on the border with Graubünden and Glarus. Hiking options range from walks by lakes and through the foothills to high alpine areas; several long-distance hiking trails cross the region. An extensive, well-marked network of hiking and cycling routes runs throughout the canton. When choosing a route, you can therefore take your preferred landscape and elevation into account. Local trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out.

Activities throughout the year

Pizol is one of the best-known ski areas in the south of the canton; operating details vary by season. In the same area, the Pizol 5-Lakes Hike passes five mountain lakes and offers views of the Sardona UNESCO World Heritage Site. Trail conditions and lift connections vary by season, so it’s worth checking the specific details before setting out. The Sardona Tectonic Arena spans parts of the cantons of Glarus, St. Gallen and Graubünden. Visitors can experience and understand its geological features firsthand. The canton also offers opportunities for various water sports on Lake Constance.

Choose the right base

Compare specific accommodation locations based on your own itinerary. For broader orientation, the canton lies on European north–south and east–west rail and road routes.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Wil, Rorschach, Rhine Valley, See-Gaster, Sarganserland, St. Gallen, Toggenburg, Werdenberg

See the broader travel guide: Switzerland.