Einsiedeln is a Schwyz town dominated by its Benedictine abbey and Black Madonna pilgrimage site.
Einsiedeln is a small town in the canton of Schwyz, sitting at about 880 meters in a broad valley below the Pre-Alps. It is about an hour from Zurich by train, but feels a world away — quiet, green, and dominated by one of the most impressive baroque churches in Switzerland.
The reason most people come here is the Benedictine abbey, Kloster Einsiedeln. Founded in the 10th century, it is one of Switzerland's most important pilgrimage sites, drawing visitors to the Black Madonna, a wooden statue housed in a dark marble chapel inside the church. The abbey church itself is worth the trip even if you are not a pilgrim — Caspar Moosbrugger designed it in the early 18th century, and the interior is a riot of frescoes, stucco, and gold.
Beyond the abbey, Einsiedeln is a good base for the outdoors. In summer, hiking trails fan out into the surrounding hills. In winter, the area is known for cross-country skiing, and nearby Hoch-Ybrig offers proper alpine runs if you want something steeper.
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Getting There
Einsiedeln is easy to reach from Zurich without a car. The Südostbahn (SOB) runs direct trains from Zurich Hauptbahnhof roughly every hour; the journey takes about 55 minutes, changing at Biberbrugg. There is no direct route from Zurich without that change, but the connection is seamless and the total trip is simple.
From Zurich Airport, allow about 80 minutes including the connection at the main station. If you are coming from Lucerne or Zug, the route goes via Arth-Goldau and Biberbrugg.
There is no motorway to Einsiedeln — the road in winds through forested hills — which is part of why the town feels removed from the Swiss commuter belt despite being under an hour from the city.
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When to Go
Einsiedeln works in any season, but each has a distinct character. Summer (June to September) is for the Sihlsee, hiking, and the abbey at its most relaxed. The pilgrimage season peaks around September 14, the Feast of the Miraculous Dedication, when the square in front of the abbey fills with pilgrims from across Europe and the atmosphere is unlike anything you will find in an ordinary Swiss town.
Winter brings cross-country skiing on groomed tracks around the valley, and Hoch-Ybrig opens for downhill. Late December through January is ski jumping season — worth timing a visit around if the World Cup comes to the Schanzen. The town is also heavily decorated for Advent, with the nativity Diorama drawing its biggest crowds in the weeks before Christmas.
Spring and early autumn are quieter and arguably the most pleasant: mild weather, fewer pilgrimage groups, and good conditions for walking around the Sihlsee or up towards the Chatzenstrick pass.
