Things To Do in St. Gallen

The Old City is a must-see here, with its restored, half-timbered houses and their turrets and oriels. Wander the lanes and alleys laid out during the Middle Ages; some of them are closed to traffic.

The Protestant Reformation was victorious in St. Gallen, but the Benedictine monastery at Klosterhof remained virtually unaffected. The monastery contains the Catholic bishop's residence, the abbey library, and the canton's government offices. This area is also the site of the Domkirche . The buildings that remain of the abbey date from the 17th and 18th centuries. Its walls were razed, and the best view is from the abbey yard, called the Klosterhof. To reach the abbey from Marktplatz in the center of town, take Marktgasse south, past St. Lawrence's Church, to the large Klosterhof.

St. Gallen offers many sports facilities, including tennis courts and three outdoor swimming pools. The region's best golf course lies 4km (2 1/2 miles) from St. Gallen at the Waldkirch Golf Park, Golfpark Waldkirch, St. Gallen (tel. 071/434-67-67; www.golfwaldkirch.ch). To get here, follow the road signs to Gosau. An 18-hole round of golf costs from 80F to 100F per person. Because much of the area is relatively flat, consider renting a bicycle (available at the federal rail station). The tourist office is helpful in outlining bike routes that aren't too strenuous.

Serious climbers tend to dismiss the region around St. Gallen as being too flat, and they will consequently direct you to loftier altitudes near Appenzell. But if you don't mind a softly undulating landscape that's forested with deciduous trees, and accessible even to those not in the best shape, consider an 8km (5-mile) trip that incorporates the best and most panoramic of the local low-lying hills. From the center of St. Gallen, take bus no. 5 to the satellite hamlet of Reithüsli. From there, you'll climb a low hill, Bernegg, whose views sweep out over the Bodensee. There's a cozy wood-sheathed restaurant near its summit (the Falkenburg Restaurant; tel. 071/222-55-81; www.falkenburgsg.ch), where air-dried beef, hearty stews, and steaks are the norm every day at lunch and dinner. Walk about a mile to Drei Weiher, a trio of small, clear lakes, where you can swim. Afterwards you can walk back to St. Gallen directly, or retrace your steps to the hamlet of Reithüsli. The complete excursion can last between 4 and 6 hours, depending on how much you dawdle en route. For more information on this and other treks near St. Gallen or Appenzell, contact the local tourist office.