Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast - Plan Your Swiss Vacation

In this episode we hear from Andy Nef of Swiss Travel System who is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Switzerland's public transport network. Andy has lots of info to share about Switzerland’s most popular boat trips as well as a couple of others that are not as well known. And the great thing about all these fantastic boat trips is that almost all of them are fully covered with the Swis...

Switzerland has a long chocolate-making history and is renowned for producing some of the best - if not THE best - chocolate in the world. So it’s not surprising then, that eating Swiss chocolate is right up there at the top of most people’s must-do lists when they visit Switzerland. Of course you can buy Swiss chocolate at the supermarket and at souvenir stores when you’re in Switzerland but for...

Is it photos of the incredible scenic beauty that have enticed you to visit Switzerland? I’m not surprised.  Everywhere you turn in Switzerland you are rewarded with breathtaking views of mountains, lakes, rivers, glaciers, gorges and lush fields - it really is the most beautiful place on Earth. But the magnificent scenery certainly isn’t the only thing that Switzerland has going for it.  The coun...

Today’s guests, Brenda Powell and Chelsea Powell, have recently returned from Switzerland where they enjoyed a wonderful vacation with four generations of their family. With 8 adults and 3 children in their traveling party, it was a mighty effort to plan an itinerary that suited every family member from age 3 to 80! In this episode, Brenda and Chelsea tell us all about their special Swiss vacation...

Today I’m welcoming back Andie Pilot from HelveticKitchen.com. Andie is a pastry chef and cookbook author and she was the special guest on episode 31 where she chatted all things Swiss food. In this episode, Andie gives us the low down on: Her background and her career as a pastry chef and author of books on Swiss food and drinks Swiss wine Swiss spirits Swiss beer Other popular Swiss drinks Drink...

In this episode of the podcast, Natascha Martin from Basel Tourism shares the many wonderful - and sometimes unique - things to do in Basel, the Swiss city located on the borders with both France and Germany. Topics covered in this episode include: Natascha’s background and her career in the tourism industry Important things to do about Basel Why visitors to Switzerland should include Basel in the...

In this episode we're joined by a regular guest of the show, Andy Nef, from Swiss Travel System.  Andy tells us all about the Swiss Travel System and why travelling by train, bus and boat in Switzerland is the perfect way to travel, and he updates us about changes - and price reductions - for the Swiss Travel Pass in 2022. Andy also tells us about Switzerland’s dedication to offering a sustai...

My guests in this episode are Gary and Cathy Martin from Seattle who recently spent a month’s vacation in Switzerland. After a couple of very brief visits in the past, they were longing to return to Switzerland and planned this trip to celebrate Gary’s retirement. Gary and Cathy created a trip that combined some of Switzerland’s most popular destinations with a number of incredible authentic exper...

If you’re a cheese lover, you’re going to love this episode! I’m joined by Nadia Nadif, the US brand manager for Cheeses from Switzerland, who is going to tell us all about Swiss cheese and what makes it so special. You’ll learn about some of the most famous types of Swiss cheese including Gruyere, Sbrinz, Emmentaler, Vacherin and Appenzeller cheese. If you’ve always wanted to do a cheese factory...

After many, many trips to Switzerland, I have a few tried and tested ways to make my vacation dollars stretch further whilst still enjoying all the experiences that make a trip special.  In this episode I share 15 ways to make your Switzerland vacation budget go further. Get my tips for saving on airfare, travel insurance, accommodation, transport, food, sightseeing and more.  Plus, you can get a...

From late November until Christmas Eve, market stalls appear in many cities and towns across Switzerland. These Christmas Markets are a much loved tradition and offer not only a place to purchase gifts and specialty items for Christmas, but also a chance to socialise and catch up with friends. In this episode of the podcast, I chat with three Swiss locals - Natascha Martin from Basel Tourism, Dicc...

In this episode, I chat with Beth who recently returned from a week-long trip to Switzerland.  Despite only having seven days in Switzerland, thanks to her careful planning, Beth and her husband were able to maximise their available time and see plenty of highlights.   In this episode you'll learn: Beth and Jay's story, where they are from, and why they chose Switzerland for their celebr...

In this episode I chat to Diccon Bewes, best selling author of seven books about Switzerland and a confirmed Swiss chocolate lover! Diccon lives in Bern and has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Switzerland - ask him about Swiss history, chocolate, watches, famous Swiss residents or practically any topic related to Switzerland, and there’s a fair chance Diccon will know the answer. You'l...

One of the highlights of a visit to a different country is trying the local cuisine and Switzerland is no different. Naturally you’ll want to enjoy some Swiss cheese and chocolate but there are many other dishes - both seasonal and those available year round - that feature on menus across the country. As well as talking about some of the tasty dishes you might like to try in Switzerland, I thought...

Switzerland is known for its snow capped mountain peaks and for every mountain - regardless of how high it is - there’s usually a mountain railway or a cable car to take you to the top. In fact, Switzerland is home to Europe’s oldest mountain railway, the Rigibahn, and in 2021 the railway is celebrating its 150th anniversary.  It’s incredible to think how many tourists must have taken the journey...

In this episode we chat with Margo and Eric, members of the Switzerland Travel Planning Facebook group from Cleveland, Ohio.  They recently returned from their honeymoon in Switzerland after it was delayed for twelve months due to the pandemic. Margo and Eric generously shared their tips and the highlights of their trip with the Facebook group members both during their travels and on their return...

Today’s guest is Kristin Reinhard, an Australian who spent her gap year in Switzerland and is still there today, some 20 years later! In this episode, Kristin tells us how her journey to Switzerland began and why she stayed (hint: ❤️), she gives us an insight into life in Switzerland with a family and shares her favourite family-friendly places to visit.  Kristin also tells us about the website Sw...

Although it is one of the smaller cantons of Switzerland, the canton of Schaffhausen is quite well known thanks to the Rhine Falls. Many visitors come to the area on a day trip from Zurich and I too am guilty of doing just that. With so much more to see and do in the canton than just the Rhine Falls, I invited Patricia Seif from Schaffhauserland Tourism to tell me more about this northern part of...

When Australian Jacky and Swiss Bernhard first met in Australia many years ago, they had no idea that they would eventually marry and move to Switzerland to operate a hotel and restaurant. But fate stepped in and they find themselves owning and operating Hotel Gloria in Beatenberg, a small village just 10 kilometres from Interlaken. With the hotel perched on a sunny terrace overlooking Lake Thun a...

Join me in this episode of the podcast as I chat to Birgit Weingartner of Switzerland Tourism to get all the latest news from Switzerland. Birgit discusses the re-opening of Switzerland's borders to tourists; the appointment of Roger Federer as an official ambassador for Switzerland Tourism; Swisstainable, Switzerland's approach to sustainable travel; and some of the exciting new develop...

Tanya Deans started hiking in Switzerland on weekends as a way to spend quality outdoor time with her husband and infant son.  As an English-speaking American in Switzerland, she found gathering information in English about many of the hikes difficult. With more and more hikes under her belt, and with her passion for hiking growing,  she created a blog to provide other English-speakers with the es...

St. Moritz is more than just a glitzy ski resort. It's a year-round destination no matter what your interests.  In this episode of the Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast, special guest Dennis Bordkovych shares his top tips for what to see and do in St. Moritz.  You'll learn how St Moritz came to be known as the birthplace of winter tourism, the must-visit attractions, how to get to S...

Chocolate and cheese are synonymous with Switzerland and the medieval village of Gruyères is widely regarded as one of the best places in the country to experience the best of these culinary treats. However, the entire canton in which Gruyères is situated, known as Fribourg, is home to a wealth of both gastronomic and scenic delights. In this episode, Lisa Nyffeller of Fribourg Region Tourism take...

Do you plan to enjoy one of the famous Swiss mountain excursions when you visit Switzerland?  In this episode, Andy Nef joins me to chat about ten of Switzerland's most popular mountain excursions including Mt. Rigi, Mt. Titlis, Jungfraujoch and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. You'll learn how to choose the mountain excursion that's right for you, how much time to allow for your visit,...

Graubünden may be the largest canton in Switzerland but it is less well known to many international visitors than some other cantons. Boasting over 600 lakes and 900 mountains, the canton is home to some of Switzerland's most pristine landscapes. In this episode, Thalia Wünsche from Graubünden Tourism joins me to share her top things to do in the canton and to offer her reasons on why a visit...