St. Margrethen combines a protected natural area with fortress history, swimming opportunities and a long tradition of mineral baths. The town and political municipality are located in the Rheintal electoral district of the canton of St. Gallen in eastern Switzerland. You can choose different focal points for your stay: walks in the Eselschwanz area, a pre-booked group visit to the Heldsberg Fortress Museum, the ruins of Grimmenstein Castle, or swimming and sauna facilities.
Eselschwanz natural area and walks
Eselschwanz is a nationally important amphibian spawning area. The two ponds also tell the story of the landscape: the round Eselschwanz Pond and the rectangular Kibag Pond were created by gravel extraction in the last century. Their different shapes provide a tangible point of reference if you would like to learn about how this area came into being.
The flat paths in the Eselschwanz area are suitable for leisurely walks. This makes it easy to include the natural area in your stay without having to plan a challenging hike. If trail conditions are important to your plans, check the latest situation before setting out.
Fortress history and castle ruins
The Heldsberg Fortress Museum offers guided group visits by prior arrangement throughout the year. Plan your museum visit as a pre-booked group appointment and arrange your visit in advance. The Heldsberg artillery casemate fortification was planned in 1938; local construction companies completed the Heldsberg Fortress within two years. Both the planning year and construction period therefore provide historical points of reference.
The ruins of Grimmenstein Castle offer a special setting as well as a glimpse into history: Konrad von Falkenstein built the castle around 1250. The ruins lie in the forest on a distinctive rocky ridge between two stream ravines and offer views of the Rhine Valley and Lake Constance. They are freely accessible year-round, but can only be reached on foot. Take this walk-in access into account when planning your visit.
Mineral spa and pools at Bruggerhorn
St. Margrethen has had a mineral spa for over 300 years. The water there is 36 °C. The sauna areas include steam baths, bio saunas, Finnish saunas, experience showers, foot baths, plunge pools and an ice room. If you want to make warm water and saunas the focus of your visit, this offers a different experience from the pools at Bruggerhorn. Check the latest information on the operation of individual areas before visiting.
Bruggerhorn has a teaching pool about 18 metres long with three swimming lanes. The paddling pool is about 30 centimetres deep and has a small bubbling fountain. The leisure pool has a slide and is separated by a climbing net. Information about the length, lanes and pool features can help you compare the facilities described with your interests.
Getting here and choosing accommodation
Trains stop in St. Margrethen four times an hour. As timetables can change, check the connection for your travel day. For travel by car, there is a direct connection to the A1/A13 motorways.
This lets you choose how to balance nature, history and swimming opportunities according to your interests, without having to follow a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Berneck, Rüthi, Altstätten, Au, Widnau, Oberriet, Diepoldsau, Marbach
See the main travel overview: Rheintal.
