فيلدكيرخ

May to September is best for walking and cafe terraces. Autumn is colourful, and the Christmas market is a draw in Advent. Winters are cold, and snow is more reliable in the nearby mountains than in the town.

• Schattenburg is the hilltop castle above the old town, now with a museum and a restaurant.
• Dom St. Nikolaus is the late Gothic cathedral on the edge of the old town.
• Katzenturm is a round tower in the old town wall.
• Wasserturm is a tower of the old town fortifications.
• Johanniterkirche is a church of a former Hospitaller commandery.
• Ruine Neu-Schellenberg is a ruined castle reached on a forest walk.
• Wildpark Feldkirch is a small wildlife park for families.

• Walk the old town arcades and city walls.
• Climb to the castle for views over the Rhine Valley.
• Hike the forest paths to a castle ruin.
• Cycle along the Ill river.
• Cross into Liechtenstein for a day.

• Bregenz lies on Lake Constance, about 30 minutes away by car or train.
• Schruns is the main village of the Montafon valley, about 40 minutes away by car.
• Lech is a high-alpine ski village, about 1 hour 15 minutes away by car.
• Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, is about 20 minutes away by car.

• Bregenz, Lech and Schruns are the nearest preferred destinations.

• By air: Friedrichshafen, Altenrhein and Zurich airports are all within about 1 to 2 hours.
• By train: Feldkirch is on the Arlberg line. Trains from Innsbruck take about 2 hours, and Bregenz about 30 minutes. Check times on ÖBB.
• By car: The A14 and A14/S16 roads pass the town.

The old town is small and best on foot. Local buses cover the surrounding villages, and the station is a short walk from the centre. Cycling is easy on flat river paths.

The old town is mostly pedestrian, so park at the edge. Motorways in Austria need a vignette. The border roads into Liechtenstein and Switzerland are easy, but Switzerland has its own motorway vignette.

Vorarlberg cooking is a mix of Austrian and Alemannic styles. Try Käsespätzle, cheese noodles, and Riebel, a maize dish. The region is known for mountain cheese. Local wines come from the Rhine Valley.

Feldkirch is very safe. Mountain trails need the usual care in weather changes. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112.

Feldkirch was founded in the 12th century by the Counts of Montfort and was walled in the Middle Ages. It became part of the Habsburg lands in 1390. The old town survived the centuries largely intact and is now a protected historic centre.

Quick practical facts for Austria at a glance: