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Saint Gallen

Nestled in northeastern Switzerland, Saint Gallen is a charming university city steeped in rich cultural heritage. It is renowned globally for its Abbey of Saint Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage site that boasts a baroque cathedral and a world-renowned library holding a significant collection of antique books. The city is also home to the University of St. Gallen, one of the world’s leading business schools. Its beautiful old town area, with colourful oriel windows, showcases an effortless blend of age-old traditions with a lively, bustling vibe. Sat in the lap of the Swiss Alps and close to Lake Constance, Saint Gallen offers breathtaking landscapes, making it a delightful destination for those with a love for both historical treasures and natural beauty.

3.7 /5

Based on our research

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Safety:Very safe

Saint Gallen is generally a very safe place for solo female travelers. Violent crime is very rare and the city's infrastructure is well-regulated. Local people are respectful and open-minded, often willing to help tourists. Public transportation is reliable and safe, even at night. Nevertheless, it's always a good rule to maintain usual precautions like avoiding deserted areas late at night and carefully safeguarding your belongings.

Transport:Easy

Saint Gallen is relatively easy to navigate as a solo female traveler, due to the city's compact size and well-developed infrastructure. The directions and signages are typically labelled in English and local language, making it straightforward for foreigners. The locals are friendly and often willing to assist with directions. However, it is not common to find lots of hills and steps, which might present a challenge for some travelers.

Things to do:Interesting

Saint Gallen is a city that offers a delightful mix of traditional finesse and contemporary charm. Its highlight, the Abbey Precinct, features an awe-inspiring Abbey library which houses a rich collection of ancient manuscripts. The beautiful textiles at the Textile Museum and the engaging exhibits at the Art Museum, form a great part of the city's cultural heritage. Its delightful culinary scene, beautiful gardens, and stunning nearby hiking trails like the Three Ponds make it a lovely city to explore. While not bustling like some larger cities, it still has a good variety of things to do.

Food:Above average

Saint Gallen boasts a significant variety of cuisines, from traditional Swiss fare to international gastronomy. The city's culinary scene is very diverse, which allows you to explore and enjoy dishes from several parts of the world. Traditional Swiss savory tarts, cheeses, and sausages are local staples and not to be missed. Furthermore, Saint Gallen offers many options for even the most discerning vegetarian or vegan traveler. The city sparkles with a charm that extends to its food. If you're a food lover, you'd appreciate the delectable journey. However, do consider price points which can be on the higher end due to Switzerland's high standard of living.

Budget:Expensive

Traveling to Saint Gallen is a bit more costly compared to other destinations. It's a beautiful city with rich history, but transportation, dining, and accommodations tend to be on the more expensive side, especially if you plan on accessing the more sought after tourist attractions. However, nature-related attractions like hiking are more budget-friendly.

Ana (20)

France

Solo travel experience

Overall great experience, was my first solo travel spot, I felt safe all the time, stayed in a youth hostel a bit further away from the city center, the walk there was ok, its up hill and with asthma and a lot of heat it can get a bit challenging, however, once in the hostel I got a free travel card for the day and the next day as well, so that was very good, the ticket works all the way to Konstanz lake, that area was also quite nice and felt safe, I was lucky enough to have great weather the whole weekend I spent there and great roommates at the hostel, the 2 friendliest old ladies who made no noise after 10pm and enabled a perfect night of sleep after a full travel day. (I prefer calmness to partying but just a personal preference, the hostel would accommodate according to your preferences, I saw more lively groups there as well) Food can be quite expensive, as everything in Switzerland, snacks from Aldi and Lidl are the way to go, also tickets to most attractions can be quite much cheaper if you're a student, so always make sure to ask if there is a discount for students Overall recommend this small city for a visit, views are amazing, people are friendly, budget wise can be done cheap by avoiding to eat out or staying in the city center

Posted: February 14, 2024Experienced: August, 2022

Things to do: 3/5Food: 3/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5

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