Quinten

Quinten sits on a narrow shelf on the northern shore of the Walensee with the wall of the Churfirsten rising two thousand metres behind it, and no road has ever been built - everything arrives by boat or on the shore path. That cliff is also why the place exists as it does: it faces south, absorbs heat through the day and radiates it back at night, giving a microclimate warm enough for figs, kiwis, grapes and even a little wine at a latitude and altitude where none of that should work. About thirty people live there year round. There is no shop; two restaurants serve the boat traffic and walkers, and the hamlet is quiet the moment the last boat leaves.

What to look for

• No road, ever - boat or footpath only, in both directions.
• A cliff microclimate - figs, kiwis and vines under the Churfirsten.
• About thirty residents - a working hamlet rather than a resort.
• Two restaurants and no shop - the whole of the infrastructure.

When to go

April to October. Half a day on the boat timetable.

What to expect

Boats are seasonal and the last one back is early - missing it means a long shore walk in the dark. There are almost no facilities. Day visitors outnumber residents many times over in summer. The path from Betlis takes about an hour.

Nearby

Betlis and the Seerenbach falls are along the shore; Amden is above.

Key facts