Top 10 cultural tips in Eastern Switzerland

Golden cupolas, irregular windows, curved lines. And colours, nothing else than colours: The buildings of the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser are world-famous. The only building in Switzerland by the Viennese artist is in Altenrhein: the Hundertwasser market hall. It houses a B&B, a gallery, a restaurant and an exhibition on the artist's life and work.

Altstätten combines town and country, mountain and valley. The old town centre offers picturesque alleys and strikingly decorated facades. It invites you to stroll and linger. This small town in the Rhine Valley is also home to a museum in the stately Prestegg merchant's house.

Every year since 2012, the Schlossmediale has brought together internationally successful artists in the small castle town of Werdenberg to be inspired by the extraordinary atmosphere. They explore the history of the 800-year-old castle and its surroundings, creating bespoke music and art to present during the ten-day festival.

Rural traditions, pretty lanes, culinary specialities: The village of Appenzell at the foot of the Alpstein invites you to stroll, observe and savour. The capital of Switzerland's smallest canton is popular with tourists from all over the world. The Appenzell Art Museum displays international classic modern and contemporary art.

The charming Biedermeier village of Heiden is nestled high above Lake Constance in the rolling hills of the Appenzell region. Almost completely destroyed by a fire in 1838, it was rebuilt in the following years in the classical Biedermeier style. The village's most famous son is Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross. The museum of the same name is dedicated to his life and work.

The Kunstmuseum St.Gallen offers exciting temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. The museum's permanent exhibition features an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures from the late Middle Ages to the present day. The second exhibition venue is the Lokremise cultural centre in St.Gallen. It serves as a cultural laboratory for contemporary art and is located next to the Kinok cinema and the Brasserie LOK.

Founded in 1991, Kunsthalle Wil is a forum for contemporary art. The focus is on experimental, site-specific work. Artists who do not work in galleries are given the opportunity to present their work to a wider audience. The architecture of the Kunsthalle alone is worth a visit: a former cattle market hall has been completely rebuilt for the museum.

The Klangwelt Toggenburg offers you unique experiences all about sound, resonance, customs, the voice and much more. The sound trail leads in several stages from Alp Sellamatt via Iltios to Oberdorf and offers a varied excursion with 27 sound sculptures. In the Klangschmiede you can see how bells and other musical instruments are made. And you can learn even more about sound at sound courses, festivals and concerts.

The Abbey of St.Gallen was founded in 719 and was a spiritual centre of Europe for over 1000 years. The Abbey District has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. It is home to one of the most beautiful baroque libraries in the world and the oldest monastery map of its kind. Exhibitions and guided tours offer an insight into the rich history and fascinating treasures of the abbey.