The starting point of the cycle tour is Buchs, the principal town of the Werdenberg region. The focus is on five castles, built on hills within sight of each other. The small town and castle of Werdenberg, near Buchs, were built in the 13th century and have largely been preserved. To the south, the Rhine plain and Alpine range form the Rhine valley of St. Gallen. Only ruins remain of Wartau Castle in the forest.

The Rhine plain of St. Gallen opens out near Sargans and offers an extensive view. Sargans Castle dates from the 13th century and commands the fork of the Rhine and Seez valleys. The Rhine forms a natural frontier between Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. Another 13th-century castle, Gutenberg, is clearly visible on a rocky outcrop over 70 metres high, at Balzers. The Rhine plain accounts for most of the inhabited area of Liechtenstein - the rest is natural mountain terrain. Vaduz Castle, emblem of Liechtenstein, is about 700 years old. It perches proudly on a cliff ledge overlooking Vaduz. It has been the seat of the Principality's ruling family since 1938.