Spisergasse is a hive of activity. The stores present their wide range of products and people stroll leisurely from one store to the next. "This is my favorite store," says a young woman to her friend, pointing to the boutique with the colorful postcards and greeting cards in front of the door. "I found an original birthday present there the other day." The two women live in Herisau, but regularly come to St.Gallen to store. They particularly like the small specialist stores in Spisergasse. "We always find something special here," they say and disappear into the boutique.

The two women also take a short break. They have found what they were looking for in the gift shop, but don't want to reveal what they have bought. Just this much: "Something unusual again," they say and laugh. However, a stroll through the cobbled alley is not only worthwhile for the special shopping experience or the culinary delights. Spisergasse, whose name commemorates one of the most important merchant families in St. Gallen in the 13th to 15th centuries, also has a lot to offer historically. This includes the intact half-timbered houses and historic buildings with picturesque names such as "Zum gelben Hahn", "Zum blauen Himmel" or "Zur Nachtigall", as well as the colorful, well-preserved paintings on the house facades and the striking bay windows, some of which are several stories high. The charm that the houses exude is particularly appreciated by the people who live here.