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
- The inn’s official notice says it is open only through November 1, 2026. As of November 2 it is closed for the season, and the Wasserauen–Ebenalp cable car is in scheduled revision closure November 2–December 24. The cable-car timetable lists service from December 25, but that is not confirmation that the inn will be open then. Check both operator notices before travel. When operating, the cable car is followed by a roughly 15-minute walk through the Wildkirchli caves; the longer route via Seealpsee is about 2 hours 30 minutes one way and requires suitable mountain conditions.
- Admission
- The inn lists no separate admission charge. The 2026 Wasserauen–Ebenalp cable car is separately paid: CHF 24 one way or CHF 36 return for an adult; reduced fares apply. The cable car is currently in revision closure November 2–December 24. Check the operator’s live timetable and fare page before travelling.
- Time needed
- No standard on-site visit duration is published. When the cable car is operating, its summit station is followed by about a 15-minute walk through the caves to the inn; the Seealpsee approach takes about 2 hours 30 minutes one way. Those are approach times, not time at the inn. The inn is closed for the 2026 season.
- Best season
- The inn’s published operating season is May–October; it is now closed for 2026. The cable car’s scheduled winter service resumes December 25, but the inn’s 2027 opening date is not yet published. Plan only after checking the inn and cable-car notices, weather and trail conditions.
- Opening hours
- Closed for the 2026 season after November 1. The Ebenalpbahn is closed for revision November 2–December 24; its published timetable lists service from December 25. The inn’s site says 2027 enquiries/reservations resume March 1, 2027; no 2027 public opening date is confirmed on the pages checked. In season, the inn lists May–October, daily from 07:30, with hot meals 11:00–20:00. Recheck both operators before travelling.
- Location checked
- 2026-10-13
- Facts checked
- 2026-11-02
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