Altstadt

Set against a backdrop of rolling hills that rise to rugged mountains, Appenzell's Altstadt is Grimm fairy-tale stuff. The carved gabled houses that grab the attention in the compact historic centre are liberally covered with frescoes and ornate shop signs. The centrepiece square is Landsgemeindeplatz, but you'll also find rows of photogenic houses and shopfronts on Hauptgasse, which is presided over by the village church.