Location: St. Gallen
Top Things to do in St. Gallen
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What to do and see in St. Gallen, Switzerland: The Best Places and Tips
St. Gallen or traditionally St Gall, in German sometimes Sankt Gallen ( Sankt Gallen (help·info); English: St Gall; French: Saint-Gall; Italian: San Gallo; Romansh: Son Gagl) is a Swiss town and the capital of the canton of St. Gallen. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration (with around 160,000 inhabitants) and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. Its economy consists mainly of the service sector. Internationally, the town is known as the home of the University of St. Gallen.
Restaurants in St. Gallen
1. Abbey Library
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 786 reviews
The Abbey Library St. Gallen, famous for its beautiful baroque hall, is one of the oldest Libraries in the world. And it holds one of the most important manuscript collections in Europe, especially for the Carolingian and Ottonian period from the 8th to the 11th century. The collection is presented to the visitors in changing and thematised expositions. The library forms the central part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Convent of St. Gallen.
Reviewed By DougieQT - Queenstown, New Zealand
Beautiful, we came to St Gallen specifically for the Library and Cathedral and they exceeded expectations. The Audio Guide is a must as you learn so much about EVERYTHING around St Gallen... not just the Library. Guide was easy to use with a great wee map. I loved visiting.
2. Convent of St. Gall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 327 reviews
The Cathedral represents one of the last monumental Baroque monastic constructions in Europe. It was built from 1755 to 1767 under the direction of Vorarlberg native and master builder Johann Michael Beer. The choir stalls with 84 lovely carved seats and the historic organ are works of art in and of themselves. Every Tuesday, there is a Evening Prayer (Domvesper)at 5.30 P.M. The inside of the church is painted in vibrant colours and adorned with stucco, and the interior is decorated with numerous carvings. A serene atmosphere prevails in the church thanks to the soft lighting and malachite green stucco. After the secularisation of the Convent in 1805, the church became a parish church and 1847 at the same time Cathedral of the new founded diocese. In 2013, the altar area was renewed. Especially impressive is the baptism Fountain with the respecting of the frescos of the cupola. Beside the different liturgy Services and Concerts there are also guided tours, for example from may to September every Saturday at 10.30 A.M. (Free admission, collect).
Reviewed By Stefan G - Lucerne, Switzerland
... late baroque with rich yet tasteful decoration. Surprising low ceiling. Few visitors on a sunday winter morning. A bit of a shame that larger parts are locked and not available for visti. Maybe for guided tours but not to the public ?
3. Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 145 reviews
Reviewed By KodoDrummer - Yekaterinburg, Russia
This 8th century Roman Catholic, Carolingian-architecture Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was originally founded in 719 as a monastery. From 747 to 1805, it functioned as an abbey. Although construction of the majority of the current Cathedral commenced in 1755, some walls and other parts date back to the 9th and 10th centuries. The reliquary is home to the tombs of St. Gallus, St. Otmar, and a few bishops and abbots. St. Otmar is credited with being the cathedral’s founder. It was built on the grounds which formerly housed the hermitage of St. Gallus.
The 8th and 9th century north European Pre-Romanesque Carolingian-styled architecture, frescoes, and paintings are amazingly beautiful. The interior decorations, sculptors, and murals are amazingly beautiful.
Don’t forget to also visit the abbey’s library.
Very amazing to find such a beautiful Cathedral and library in a city with a population of about 76,000.
4. Wildpark Peter & Paul
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 116 reviews
Reviewed By pierremichelshanghai - Shanghai, China
Being used to everything in Switzerland costing a fortune I was pleasantly surprised to find such a nice attraction for free.
The natural animal park, founded around 100 years ago is located on a small hill above Sankt Gallen. A 45 minutes walk on a forest sentry will take you around several vast enclosures with local fauna as deers, springbock, boars, lux, wild cat etc.. The whole premises are perfectly maintained and comprehensive explanations provided about animals and nature. Furhtermore there is a small playground.
5. Familien- und Gemeinschaftsbad Dreilinden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 53 reviews
Reviewed By Remo G
If you want to escape from the city center and to spend your day off or your evening in the summer at a chill-out place? That's the place. Swimming, eating and drinking. For the evening, bring your own food&drink and enyoy the small lakes.
6. St. Laurenzen
Overall Ratings
4 based on 73 reviews
Reviewed By Glunggaepuur - St. Gallen, Switzerland
ust across the catholic place you find this prostestant church...amazing to see the difference of "spending" money in the old age :-)
7. Roter Platz
Overall Ratings
4 based on 138 reviews
Reviewed By The_Concierge_8 - Trinidad
Our first sight of this was of a car outline covered under the red surface. Truly unique concept and it is probably the only city in Europe to have this! It's a cool hangout for university students and was clearly designed with the young and hip in mind.
We saw students studying, hanging out and just lounging about. It is lovely in the center with the water features. Very relaxing and would be an excellent picnic / lunch spot if you lived in the area. Since very few, if any of us, would get to walk a red carpet, it's a neat way to have your 5 minutes in the spotlight and get a photo of you walking the red carpet!
8. Textile Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 122 reviews
Reviewed By NadiyaV - Switzerland
The museum is relatively small, but I liked it. You can see there some elegant fashionable pieces created in the last century, fabric samples, etc. In March 2017, there was also a really impressive exhibition on the "ugliness" of fashionable industry (sweatshops, sustainability in logistics, etc.). All in all, a great museum for an hour long visit while in St.Gallen.
9. University of St.Gallen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 37 reviews
10. AFG Arena
Overall Ratings
4 based on 54 reviews
Reviewed By WorcesterJack - Worcester, United Kingdom
We went to the ground for St Gallen v Swansea in the Europa League. The ground itself is modern but the atmosphere is like revisiting the worst of the 1980s in Britain. The away support is penned into a fenced off and netted area where the seats were disgustingly filthy obliging everybody to stand. The whole area is liberally covered in offensive graffiti perhaps as a consequence of the section being compeltely unstewarded other than the riot police searching you on the way in.
The game was attended by a cohort of Riot Police whose presence appears to be necessary for visting supporters to attend without being attacked by the local "Ultras"
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