| Appenzell
As the capital of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, this colourful little town is far more spectacular than its sister city Herisau, the capital of Ausserrhoden. Along with Glarus, it is the last city where the Landsgemeinde, the ancient form of democracy where people vote by show of hands, publicly, in the main square, is still practised on a cantonal scale. In Appenzell, this takes place on the last Sunday in April or, when Easter falls on that day, on the first Sunday in May. But it is obviously not on the day of the Landsgemeinde that you should visit this small town situated in the heart of a bucolic hilly landscape between Lake Constance and the Alpstein massif! It's best to visit on a sunny weekday to enjoy all the jewels of the sumptuous and colourful traditional architecture in peace and quiet. Deeply steeped in the region's peasant customs and religious traditions, the town of Appenzell feels a bit like a fairy-tale village, and is one of the highlights of any visit to eastern Switzerland. Be sure to wander through its alleyways with your nose in the air, there are many beautiful things to see, between evocative signs and facades painted with great taste. And if after visiting Appenzell and the inevitable tasting of its famous cheese you feel like taking a spectacular excursion, go for a walk in the Appenzell Pre-Alps, with its Alpstein massif and its highest point, the Säntis, from where the view extends over no less than 6 countries! |
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