Toggenburg Magazine
Stories & tips from Toggenburg
The loveliest excursions, food finds and quiet corners of our region – gathered by your hosts Sandro & Isa.
October 28, 2026
Toggenburg day trips: the best excursions by season
The best day trips in the Toggenburg by season, for families, hikers and rainy days, plus how to get here and where to stay in Alt St. Johann.
Read more →
October 28, 2026
Schwendisee in Toggenburg: Getting There, the Lakeside Loop and Tips for Every Season
Schwendisee (Lake Schwendi) in Toggenburg all year round: where the two lakes lie, how to get there by car, PostBus or mountain railway, which walk suits summer and winter, plus the Klanghaus, photo spots and places to eat.
Read more →
October 28, 2026
Cross-country skiing in Toggenburg: trails, passes and lessons from Alt St. Johann
Cross-country skiing in Toggenburg: according to Toggenburg Tourismus, the region's longest trail starts in Alt St. Johann. The best trails for classic and skating, the floodlit night trail, trail passes, equipment hire, lessons and where to check the trail report.
Read more →September 16, 2026
Christmas in Toggenburg: the holidays in the mountains
Christmas in the mountains instead of a crowded living room: your own kitchen for the festive meal, room for everyone, snow at the door.
Read more →September 16, 2026
Summer holidays in Toggenburg with children
Mountain lakes, easy walks and a plan for rainy days: a summer week with children, with your own kitchen instead of a hotel room.
Read more →
September 16, 2026
Family ski holidays in Toggenburg: ski-in/out from the front door
Short walks, lunch at home, a ski room in the house: what actually makes skiing with small children easy in Alt St. Johann.
Read more →
September 16, 2026
New Year in Toggenburg: a quiet start to the year
A new year without the crowds: fondue in your own apartment, a hot tub under the stars, and the first of January out in the snow.
Read more →September 16, 2026
Easter in Toggenburg: spring between snow and meadow
Snow still up high, green meadow down below: Easter in Alt St. Johann, with room for the whole family in two apartments under one roof.
Read more →
September 16, 2026
To Toggenburg without a car: arriving by train
Train and bus to Alt St. Johann: bus stop and village shop are a two-minute walk from the house, about an hour from Zurich.
Read more →September 16, 2026
Group accommodation in Eastern Switzerland for up to 12 people
The whole house in Toggenburg for up to 12 guests: two apartments, two kitchens, two bathrooms, two hot tubs and room for three generations.
Read more →
September 16, 2026
Multi-generation holidays in Toggenburg: one house, three generations
Two apartments in one house: eat together, sleep apart. How a holiday with grandparents, parents and children actually works.
Read more →
September 16, 2026
A holiday with two families: two apartments, one house
Two families travelling together, two apartments in one house: the children play together and each family still has its own door at night.
Read more →September 16, 2026
Ascension and Whitsun: long weekends in Toggenburg
Three or four free days, around an hour from Zurich: how a long spring weekend in Toggenburg works without the rush.
Read more →
August 3, 2026
Alpine Cattle Descent and Cattle Shows in Toggenburg 2026: A Local Guide
All the 2026 Toggenburg cattle show dates, how a show day unfolds, and why here it is the herdsmen who are decorated, not the cows.
Read more →
August 2, 2026
Above the Sea of Fog: Escaping the Grey Autumn on the Churfirsten
When the lowlands sit under fog, the sun often shines above the Churfirsten, and you can hike above the clouds in the middle of late autumn.
Read more →
August 2, 2026
Autumn Half-Term with Kids in Toggenburg: A Rain-or-Shine Week
One base in Alt St. Johann and a thought-through week: outings for sunny days and plans for rainy ones.
Read more →
August 1, 2026
Where to Stay in the Swiss Alps Near Zurich Without the Crowds
About an hour from Zurich lies a quiet mountain village in the Toggenburg where you can experience the Swiss Alps without the crowds.
Read more →
August 1, 2026
German Autumn Half-Term: Just Over Two Hours to Toggenburg
Why the Toggenburg valley is an easy autumn half-term destination for families driving from southern Germany.
Read more →
July 7, 2026
Toggenburg instead of Appenzell: the quieter hidden gem, an hour from Zürich
Looking for a hidden gem in Switzerland and tempted by Appenzell? Toggenburg is the quieter Appenzell alternative: the same mountains, fewer crowds, an hour from Zürich.
Read more →
July 7, 2026
Eating out in Toggenburg: our favourite tables
From a cosy tavern to a gourmet table: where we most love to eat in Toggenburg, the Gade in Unterwasser, the Pizzeria Schönau with its goat window, and the Bodega Noi in Lichtensteig.
Read more →July 7, 2026
Swimming in Toggenburg: three mountain lakes for hot summer days
Cool mountain water instead of crowds: the lido at the Schönenbodensee in Wildhaus, the warm Schwendisee and the quiet Gräppelensee, three lakes to swim in the Obertoggenburg.
Read more →
July 7, 2026
Along the young Thur: hiking, grilling and paddling in Toggenburg
The loveliest family day in Toggenburg leads to the water: the Laui fire pit in Unterwasser with its playground and shallow river, and the Thurweg from Stein to Nesslau.
Read more →July 6, 2026
Hiking in Toggenburg: the loveliest walks from Alt St. Johann
Hiking in Toggenburg: five of the loveliest walks from Alt St. Johann, from a flat family stroll to a proper mountain hike, honestly described.
Read more →
July 5, 2026
A holiday apartment with a hot tub in Toggenburg: wellness with a mountain view
A holiday apartment with a hot tub in Toggenburg: two apartments, each with its own private outdoor hot tub and a view of the Schafberg. Soak after a hike, book direct.
Read more →
July 4, 2026
Säntis: a trip to the king of eastern Switzerland
The Säntis is the landmark peak of the Alpstein, up by cable car from the Schwägalp, one big wow-day out from your quiet Toggenburg base.
Read more →
July 3, 2026
In Toggenburg with your dog: a dog-friendly holiday apartment and walks
A dog holiday in Toggenburg: a dog-friendly holiday apartment in the SutterSport house, gentle riverside paths along the Thur and open hiking on the Sellamatt.
Read more →July 2, 2026
Autumn in Toggenburg: golden forests, clear air and quiet hiking days
Autumn in Toggenburg means golden forests, crisp clear air and empty trails. Why the quiet season is the loveliest, with the Alpabzug, mountain lakes and fondue to finish.
Read more →July 1, 2026
Skiing in Toggenburg: the family ski area at the Chäserrugg, ski-in/out from the doorstep
Skiing in Toggenburg, wonderfully unhurried: from the Sellamatt lift 300 m from the door to the big descents at the Chäserrugg, ideal for families and beginners.
Read more →
June 24, 2026
Willi Schmid: The World-Champion Cheese from Toggenburg and How It Ends Up in Your Fondue
Just an hour from Zürich, cheese of the very highest order matures in Toggenburg. We tell the story of Willi Schmid, multiple cheese world champion from Lichtensteig, and how a fondue made with local cheese turns your stay with us into a moment of pure pleasure.
Read more →June 18, 2026
Schwendisee & Gräppelensee: Mountain-Lake Swimming in Toggenburg Without the Crowds
Two mountain lakes, a picture-postcard setting and no crowds: why Schwendisee and Gräppelensee are the loveliest way to slow a summer's day right down in Toggenburg.
Read more →
June 10, 2026
Hiking the Saxerlücke: the most beautiful Alpstein walk, with Fälensee and Bollenwees
Sheer rock faces, an almost black mountain lake and a Rösti with a view over the water: the Saxerlücke is one of the most spectacular spots in the Alpstein, and wonderfully easy to reach from Alt St. Johann.
Read more →
May 27, 2026
Chäserrugg: The Loveliest Summit in Toggenburg, Cable Car from Unterwasser, Views Without the Crowds
A summit restaurant by Herzog & de Meuron, the view along the whole Churfirsten ridge, and a mountain railway that carries you up in two unhurried stages: why the Chäserrugg is, for us, the quietest viewpoint in eastern Switzerland.
Read more →
May 13, 2026
Klangwelt Toggenburg: When the Mountains Begin to Sing
A valley where music is not only heard but walked, touched and felt. The Klangwelt Toggenburg turns a day out into an experience for all the senses, one that holds up even when the rain is falling outside.
Read more →
April 29, 2026
The Thurwasserfälle in Unterwasser: the easy Toggenburg family outing you won't forget
Rushing water, cool woodland shade and a short walk that even little legs can manage: the Thur waterfalls are the perfect outing for families who simply want to breathe out in Toggenburg.
Read more →