Aescher: Historic Swiss Hermitage Turned Alpine Inn Adventure
In the 1600s, a Swiss priest converted an alpine cave into a chapel and hermitage. For centuries, pilgrims traveled to attend church in one of Europe‘s most rustic chapels. After the last hermit died in the mid-1800s, the hermitage was converted into an inn known as Berggasthaus Aescher Wildkirchli that offered food and lodging to farmers and hikers.
These days, Berggasthaus Aescher Wildkirchli is known simply as Aescher. The rustic 19th century exterior of Aescher remains unchanged, but the interior features newly renovated guest rooms that offer hikers simple yet cozy accommodations. There is even a small, austere Hermit Lodge that is adjacent to Aescher that is furnished with nothing but a folding table, chair, and double bed.
Aescher is also home to a restaurant that features a patio with a sweeping view of the Swiss Alps. You may feel as though your chair is perched on the side of a vertical cliff while you’re sipping on a glass of elderberry wine, munching on Appenzeller cheese, and listening to a cellist play Bach, but the alpine view is magnificent beyond compare.
Visitors can reach Aescher via an arduous hike or a short cable car ride. In addition to dining and spending the night at Aescher, you can also explore a nearby trio of caves known as Wildkirchli—or, Wild Chapel—which features remnants of the former chapel and hermitage. There is also a display devoted to fossils which have been recovered from the Wildkirchli, such as the bones of ancient cave bears.
If you’re exceptionally brave, you can spend the night on The Portaledge, which is a piece of equipment that allows Aescher guests to sleep suspended from the mountainside. For most travelers, daring to sip a cup of coffee in the open air nearly 5,000 feet above sea level on Aescher’s patio is enough adventure for one trip.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Berggasthaus Äscher–Wildkirchli, Ebenalp, Schwende-Rüte, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Switzerland
- Coordinates
- 47.2834, 9.41445
- Access
- From Wasserauen, take the Ebenalp cable car to the summit station and walk about 15 minutes through the Wildkirchli caves to the inn. A longer hiking approach via Seealpsee takes about 2½ hours. Check the cable car and mountain route conditions before setting out.
- Admission
- The operator does not list a separate admission ticket for visiting the inn’s restaurant. The optional Wasserauen–Ebenalp cable car is a separate paid trip: the 2026 operator fare is CHF 24 one way or CHF 36 return per adult; discounts and age-based fares apply. Check the live fare page before travel.
- Time needed
- No standard on-site visit duration is published. The operator estimates a 15-minute walk from the Ebenalp cable-car summit station through the Wildkirchli caves; its longer route from Wasserauen via Seealpsee is about 2 hours 30 minutes one way. Treat these as approach times, not total time at Aescher.
- Best season
- The inn’s 2026 operating season runs through November 1; the operator generally lists May–October. This is an opening season, not a claim that these are the best weather months. It is a mountain walk, so check current weather, trail conditions and cable-car operation.
- Opening hours
- The operator lists daily opening from 07:30 during its May–October season; for 2026 it says open through November 1 inclusive. Warm kitchen hours are 11:00–20:00. In May, June and September it closes Sundays from 18:00 (holidays excepted); on October 18, 2026 it closes at 18:00 for a team event. For September 21–November 1 the cable car lists its last uphill trip at 17:15 and last descent at 17:30. Check both live operator pages before setting out.
- Location checked
- 2026-10-13
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-13
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