Liechtenstein's royal family is having a party at their place, with free beer, and you're all invited

In the sixth smallest independent country in the world, Staatsfeiertag, or national holiday, is celebrated in style every year on 15 August, starting with an official reception at Vaduz Castle and closing with a party and fireworks in the town centre.

Far from a stuffy visit to Buckingham Palace, stifled by rules and protocol, this mountainous principality of just 37,000 people opens its doors to any of those willing to make the journey.

Landlocked between Austria and Switzerland, Liechtenstein is a quarter of the size of the Isle of Man and Europe's least visited country.

It's well worth the journey for a landscape of soaring mountains and beautiful fairy-tale castles

It doesn't have an international airport and is best accessed by a train from Zurich and a short connecting bus from Sargans. But it is well worth the journey for a landscape of soaring mountains and fairy-tale castles.

Visit during Staatsfeiertag and the state-funded celebrations, and arrive in time for the celebratory speeches from 11.30am in the regal setting of the lawn next to the hilltop castle, which gave the country's capital its name.

The Act of State (the equivalent of Queen Elizabeth II's Christmas address) includes a speech by Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, regent since 2004.

He'll be joined by President of the Parliament, Albert Frick, taking his moment in the spotlight at the helm of a 25-member parliament.

While Liechtenstein is visited by a mere 2,200 Britons each year, you’ll find a warm welcome and feel right at home when the strains of the national anthem, High above the young Rhine, is delivered by a uniformed (there is no military) band to the tune of God Save the Queen.

Following the more traditional celebration, everyone’s invited to an aperitif hosted by Prince Alois' father, Prince Hans-Adam II, and Princess Marie of Liechtenstein in the castle gardens.

Celebrate: the real party gets going after 2pm in the centre of Vaduz Credit: Shutterstock

Here is where the free beer comes in, but don't feel bad about taking advantage of the invite, Liechtenstein is, after all, the third richest country in the world per capita.

The national holiday is also the only day of the year that the gardens of the residence of Prince Alois and Duchess Sophie of Bavaria are open to the public, and all of Liechtenstein, as well as visitors from abroad, are welcome.

The Royal Family may stand out due to their eye-catching cars with their birth dates on the number plates, but here they enjoy having the opportunity to mingle with their guests.

The real party gets going after 2pm in the centre of Vaduz, with a fun fair and more than 6,000 litres of beer - including ones from their Liechtensteiner Brauhaus and Prinzenbräu microbreweries - as well as 400 litres of wine, including from the renowned Prince of Liechtenstein Winery.

Free buses run throughout the day to the mostly pedestrian Städtle (small town) packed with local cafes, art galleries and shops, plus free entry to any official museums, and there is plenty of traditional food to sample en route.

At 9.15pm, watch the traditional torch-light procession up the Princes' Way hiking trail, which reflects the country’s proud history, before the grand finale of a fireworks display.

The celebrations continue well into the small hours, so for a small country like Leichtenstein, it's a very big day, indeed.

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