Just 12 miles south of St. Gall is the quaint town of Appenzell, surrounded by the lush green foothills and populated by almost as many sheep and cows as people.

The town of Appenzell comes from the Latin abbatis cella, or abbey cell, which is precisely how the town was founded, as a small colony to the Abbey of St. Gall. The ancient colony began an embroidery tradition that still survives today. Visitors enjoy attending local festivals, such as the Alpfahrten, to see residents clad in intricately embroidered folk costume. Stroll through Appenzell's Old City to sell samples of the local art sold at shops in the Landsgemeindeplatz.