Liechtenstein For Great Wining and Dining

Liechtenstein has been in the news far more often these days than this little principality is accustomed. A place where discretion and quality are best friends, Liechtenstein offers a surprising array of activities for those who have seen it all before. Fine diners and winers will be especially well catered for, literally, in the exceptional restaurants serving the freshest of fare to guests accustomed to the best in the only country in Europe named after its owners, The Princely House of Liechtenstein.
Virtually unknown outside the country, Liechtenstein wines are very fine, indeed. The scale of production is low due to the small size of the vineyards—no industrial grape growing here—which means the quality vintages are snapped up by the locals before they ever have the chance to make it to the export market.
Torkel is the principality’s finest dining experience. The official name of Torkel is The Princely Restaurant Torkel. It is owned by the prince, as are the vineyards. The restaurant is set up in a 700-year-old wine press, last used in 1958. The surrounding vineyards are of the same age and still yield some of Liechtenstein’s finest wines, appropriately accompanying some of the country’s finest dishes inside Torkel. With a charming service staff and the intimate ambience despite the hulk of the press centre stage, eating here is like eating at your friend’s grandmother’s house. The small number of tables ensures careful attention and any one of the other guests may be of the type read about in newspapers for one reason or the other. All enjoy the food; how Mr. Burger elicits such nuanced, delicate flavour from Central European stalwarts like trout, potatoes, and dill is a divine mystery. That’s why people come here.
Liechtenstein’s capital, Vaduz, is tiny, but it offers some excellent diversions in the form of the first-class Liechtenstein Museum Of Art and the National Museum Of Liechtenstein, which offers an interesting and surprisingly diverse array of exhibits.

For those looking for something different, there is Falknerei Galina, located in the village of Malbun; owner Norman Vogeli is a dedicated falconer who shares his love for raptors with visitors to his hotel/restaurant. Unlike other places, the birds are not on exhibit, thus minimising their contact with humans. Galina is the only falconry in Europe to offer offsite experiences; it is possible to arrange a private outing into the countryside high in the beautiful landscapes of Liechtenstein’s Alps and yourself be the person in charge of the birds. The golden eagle is the most sought after for this very special experience, though the cakes served in Galina’s restaurant are enticing enough without the additional attraction of birds.