Northeastern Switzerland is the place to tiptoe off the map and back to nature for a few days. From the thunderous Rheinfall to the still waters of Lake Constance, nature here is on a grand scale. You can visit the castle-topped downs such as Stein am Rhein and Scaffhausen, their facades adorned with frescos and oriel windows. St Gallen is a university town with a focus on the economic sciences and its most famous landmark is its Baroque cathedral with the Abbey Library, which houses some 170,000 documents. St Gallen makes the best starting point for excursions into the Appenzellerland with the Santis, and to Lake Constance.