Heididorf Heidihaus with Hiking Trail and Mountains

Heidi Village

2 Activities

11 Highlights in the Heidi Village

  • The Heidi Village transports you to the time around 1880, when Heidi lived here with her grandfather, Alpöhi.
  • In the impressive atmosphere of the alpine hut, you will learn how to carve a wooden spoon like Alpöhi, which you can later take home.
  • Also in the alpine hut, a cheese maker will show you how to make delicious fresh cheese.
  • Spinning classes show you how to learn to wash, card, spin and twist wool like Heidi's grandmother.
  • During a guided walk you will collect medicinal herbs as Heidi did. Afterwards you will learn how easy it is to process them into cough syrup or toothpaste.
  • The town hall barn is still full of goats that Geissenpeter used to herd. You can also find a horse and the carriage from the Heidi movie here.
  • The village school invites you to try it out.
  • The Heidiweg runs between Maienfeld and Heidihof.
  • The Heidihof is a hotel with a restaurant and a large panoramic terrace
  • An old oak tree at Heidihof has a spiral staircase high up into the treetops
  • The museum "Johanna Spyri's Heidi World" tells about the life of the famous writer
Heididorf Heidi und PeterHeidi und Peter mit Ziege (Foto: GaudenzDanuser.com, Schweiz Tourismus)
HeididorfHeididorf (Foto: Heidiland Tourismus)

What awaits you in the Heididorf

In the Heidi Village you will be immediately transported back to the time of the 19th century. The village is a place of experience where you can learn how to live as it was then. You will be amazed what you can make with simple means for everyday use. You will learn some of the crafts of the time, such as spinning or cheese making, and acquire long forgotten knowledge.

In the village square, children and adults alike can pet Heidi's favorite animals. Feeding is allowed here. The Heidiweg is a circular trail between the historic town of Maienfeld and the Heidihof. Via the train station, the beautiful vineyards and the Heidi village you reach the Heidihof. Here you will find a walkable oak tree. A spiral staircase leads you up to the treetops.

On the way back through the vineyards to Maienfeld you pass the Heidibrunnen. The trail is signposted as Heidiweg red and covers about 6.5 km.

Offers Swiss Activities to the Heidi Village

Heididorf Heidis KräuterkundeHeidis Kräuterkunde (Foto: Heidiland Tourismus)
Heididorf Alphütte KäsenAlphütte Käsen (Foto: Schweiz Tourismus)

Arrival Heididorf

The Heidi village is located near the small town of Maienfeld. From the train station Maienfeld you can reach the Heididorf via the Heidiweg, which is suitable for baby carriages in this section. The walking time is about 35 min (2.4 km).

Public transport

SBB trains depart from St. Gallen about every half hour in the direction of Chur. On the way you will pass Rorschach, Sargans and Bad Ragaz. Here you have two alternatives:

  • From Bad Ragaz, the Thurbo regional train leaves from platform 4 and takes only 2 min to Maienfeld station.
  • In Bad Ragaz track E stops the Postbus No. 22. It has five stops to Maienfeld station and takes 12 min.

In total, you should allow about 1.5 to 2 hours to get to St. Gallen.

From Zurich you need (also in the direction of Chur) about 1-1.5 hours via Sargans. In Sargans you can change to the Thurbo train, which takes about 7 minutes to Maienfeld train station.

You can leave large pieces of luggage here until you leave again:

  • Tourist Information (and Heidi Shop) at Bahnhofstrasse 1.

From May to October you can take the post bus from Maienfeld train station to the Heidi village on weekends and holidays.

By car

By car, from Lake Constance, take the A13 freeway. From Zurich, take the A3 to Sargans and turn off onto the A13. The freeway exit 13 leads to Maienfeld.

Brown signs with the inscription "Heididorf" and a car or bus symbol will help you find your way to the parking lot. The parking lot is located directly at the Hotel Restaurant Heidihof.

For the navigation system it is best to enter the Bovelweg 16 in Maienfeld or the Coordinates: 47.017255, 9.543333.

You will find further parking spaces at the Heidihof and at the Heidibrunnen.

Who is the Heidi Village suitable for?

The Heididorf is wonderfully suitable for children, but under the age of 10 only when accompanied by an adult.

Dogs are allowed on a leash. However, in front of buildings and museums they wait tied up outside.

The direct route between Maienfeld train station and the Heidi village is well suited for wheelchairs and strollers. The section (No. 7) of the circular trail between Heidihof and Heidibrunnen is unfortunately not.

The original location of the filming of the Heidi myth is much more than just a museum. It takes you on a journey through time that will not let you go again so quickly.

HeididorfHeididorf (Foto: Heidiland Tourismus)
HeididorfHeididorf (Foto: Heidiland Tourismus)