Overview
We entered Austria from Liechtenstein during our May 2026 Central Europe road trip and stayed overnight in Feldkirch, close to the borders with both Liechtenstein and Switzerland. This was my second visit to Austria, but my first time in the far west of the country.
Feldkirch's center is small and very attractive. Colorful historic buildings and a well-preserved old town made even a single overnight stay enjoyable. The official tourism material describes the center as a medieval old town below Schattenburg Castle, which matches the atmosphere we found.
There was also a visible Turkish community, something we noticed through the people and businesses around the center. I could not verify the population ratio I had heard, so I would not attach a precise number to that observation.
Driving and Parking
Feldkirch works well as a road-trip stop. We left the car in an underground garage and continued through the center on foot. Hotels can have allocated spaces inside the public parking system. The city's tourism office lists around 1,650 mostly paid spaces in public underground car parks around the old town.
We later left toward St. Gallen and crossed back into Switzerland. The physical border and customs infrastructure remained in place, although nobody stopped us.
Around the Center
The preserved streets were the strongest part of Feldkirch. The river, however, felt underused. It could have supported a more active waterfront. Many places in the center were closed on the weekday evening we visited, which reduced our options.
For Austrian wine, Grüner Veltliner and Riesling remain the two white grapes I would look for first. The country's official wine organization describes Grüner Veltliner as Austria's most important white variety.
Verdict
We did not explore Austria broadly on this visit, but Feldkirch was an excellent overnight stop between Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Its historic center justified the pause and made the route feel like more than a practical search for accommodation.