Things to Do in Appenzell

The open-air political square where citizens vote each April by raising their swords. Surrounded by guild houses and the striped Appenzell Banner. A great spot to sit on a bench and watch life go by.

🕐 Always open

💡 If you visit on the last Sunday in April, you'll witness the Landsgemeinde vote — it's free and unique, but get there by 11am to see the procession.

A perfectly preserved medieval village with painted house facades, carved wooden signs, and a cobbled main square (Landsgemeindeplatz). The entire town centre is walkable in under an hour.

🕐 Always open

💡 Arrive before 9am on a weekday to see the weekly farmers' market set up — it's locals-only and quiet, with better photo light.

A level 2km path along the River Sitter from the edge of the village to the Eggerstanden hamlet. You pass wooden footbridges, grazing cows, and small farms selling cheese directly from their doors.

🕐 Always open

💡 Pack a Swiss army knife and buy a half-wheel of Appenzeller cheese (CHF 8–12) from the farm at the far end — they offer a taste before you buy.

A compact folk museum in a classic Appenzell house showing traditional costumes, cow bells, and butter churns. Good for understanding why the Appenzell breed of brown cow lives on steep slopes.

🕐 Tue-Sun 10:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00 (closed Mon)

💡 Skip the audio guide; the English captions on exhibits are sufficient. Best ten-minute stop is the upstairs room with hand-painted furniture.

A working brewery that makes Appenzeller Bier. The self-guided tour costs CHF 5 and takes 30 minutes, showing copper kettles and a bottling line. A tasting of one beer is included.

🕐 Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat 09:00-16:00 (closed Sun)

💡 Skip the expensive beer spa. Instead, buy a CHF 3 'Bierverschnitt' (beer-and-lemonade mix) in the shop — locals drink it after hiking.