Liechtenstein

Tiny slopes in a tiny country

The first time I visited Liechtenstein I wasn’t even aware that I had been there until having had already driven through it. The primary borders of this tiny nation consist of the Rhine River (west) and the Rätikon range of the Alps (east). Going from town to town in Liechtenstein feels seamless and it’s hard to tell when you even leave one and enter the other. In addition to the few towns within, the country boasts a single ski area by the name of Malbun.

Malbun, the microstate’s only slope area, is at the end of what feels like a never-ending drive uphill around about 800 switch-backs. It’s a tiny hamlet befitting of the tiny nation it sits in. The trail area is relatively small, as well; however, the quality of the higher altitude area can be pretty decent. The West side of Malbun has the wider slopes but the East side has a few pretty large areas for off-slope exploration leading straight into the town. The town even has an outdoor ice rink.

*Kate gazing out over Malbun* *with Switzerland in the distance*

Liechtenstein has a lot of legal agreements in partnership with Switzerland so I would say it shares more in common with its Swiss neighbor than it does the Austrian folks next door. The German they speak is a little more sing-songy than the German and Austrian dialects, and Liechtenstein also uses the Swiss Franc. On that note, as well, Liechtenstein’s restaurant prices resemble those of Switzerland’s…so prepare your mental state and wallet accordingly.

Click here for our recap of the Bergbahnen Malbun.