Day 4 The whole of Lichtenstein

Published on 6 June 2024 at 16:25

Chur to Buchs 35 miles

After saying goodbye to our kind host Maddy, Greta and I sauntered into the town of Chur knowing we could relax a little today. A pastry packed breakfast and fresh squeezed orange juice made for a yummy start. We toured the lovely town of Chur for a bit before aligning with the route. Cycle paths right next to the Rhine made the going easy until we climbed up to the Heidiland Villages where the famed story Heidi originates. Narrow cobbled streets and homes with flowers bursting out of every window made for pleasant ride. Stopping for a rest, I noticed a sign with an arrow behind us that looked like a tram. My curiosity led me to walk back and sure enough, in the middle of nowhere was a summer tram that went up the hillside. So of course we jumped on. The views were massive. (sorry my camera can't begin to show the grandeur). After a snack of more pastries (this will be a theme of the trip I'm sure) it was back down the mountain and back along our way. We entered the tiny country of Lichtenstein on one end of it and literally rode the length of the country in an hour, it's that small. The popular thing to do there is stop by the information center and get your passport stamped and mail postcards, so people will actually believe that you came there, so we did. When I asked about a tour of the big castle on the hill, the woman told me the monarchy still lives there to this day so there are no tours. When I joked that they were expecting us, she didn't hesitate in bantering back that I should then present my invitation with the guards. After a lazy lunch in Lichtenstein, we headed back across the Rhine, back into Switzerland to the charming village of Buchs where, after a nap, we strolled around the lake eating gelato to reward ourselves for another fine day!