Switzerland, ZurichAugust 5, 2024, by Anouk Ardesch

Switzerland in a nutshell: nice cities, traditional villages and the Swiss Alps of course

Switzerland, Zurich, August 5, 2024, by Anouk Ardesch

Switzerland in a nutshell: nice cities, traditional villages and the Swiss Alps of course

Switzerland is a country that offers a unique blend of urban culture, history and, above all, an abundance of natural beauty. You can spend a wonderful time there in the summer, because Switzerland has many hours of sunshine, and in the winter it is an excellent destination for skiing. Fun fact: the spicy throat sweets, Ricola, also come from there, specifically from the Swiss Alps. We were allowed to discover the area together with Ricola: Zurich, Basel and visited the villages Laufen, Attiswil and Farnern. Here are our tips for this beautiful country.

Zurich

The business city, that is what Zurich is mainly known for. And that is not without reason. The location is great: you fly from Schiphol to Zurich in less than an hour and a half. You can also travel to Switzerland by train; You can be in the middle of the city in about twelve hours. That train journey flies by thanks to the breathtaking views, highly recommended.

But besides business, there is plenty to do. Zurich is beautiful, clean and relaxed. There are many beautiful museums, special architecture and great shops. And of course you will find breathtaking mountains outside the city.

You can find more tips for Zurich here.

Sleeping wing

Sleeping wing

Sleep in the great Hotel B2, once a beer brewery and now transformed into a great place to sleep. And the icing on the cake: there is a beautiful, fancy swimming pool on the roof.

Or sleep in the Enge district, near Locke am Platz hotel, inside a beautiful colored place, inspired by the Swiss Rivera. Only a few minutes from the train station, so very central. Please note: the prices do not lie.

Do you want to save? Then choose a hotel in a nearby village, with an equally beautiful location on the lake, or pitch your tent on the lakeside campsite. Camping Frischers Fritz.

Photo credits | Left: @kensingtonleverne | right: beer brewery B2

Food and drinks: cheese fondue at Atelier

Food and drinks: cheese fondue at Atelier

Guaranteed enjoyment with a cheese fondue Atelier. They do pop-ups with wooden houses (cozy!), which are set up at various popular locations throughout the city. Although Atelier is highly recommended all year round. It is always busy, and more full than full. So reservations are necessary. Nowadays you can make cheese fondues as crazy as you want and there are all kinds of variants to choose from, but the classic version is still the favorite. You can always request additional bread and you can order any other extras.

Would you rather have cheese fondue high in the mountains? Then read on!

Absolutely do: purchase the Zurich Card. This allows you to make unlimited use of the train, tram, bus, boat and cable car for one or three days. Ideal for spotting as much of the city as possible. You also get free admission to several city museums, discounts at many restaurants, the Zurich Zoo and much more.

Basel

Beer in Basel? Wine in the Altstadt? In Basel there is of course plenty to have a drink, toast, drink and do fun things.

Drinks in Basel, the nicest cafes and pubs.

Basel is a surprisingly nice city for a city trip in Europe that can be reached by train, plane or car: Basel in Switzerland. It is a great city with historic streets, many museums and a vibrant city life around the River Rhine that runs through the city. Which hotels are good for a weekend away? In which restaurants will you have lunch or dinner? Here is a list of the tastiest catering establishments in Basel.

Hotels and restaurants in Basel.

Krafft Hotel & Restaurant

Krafft Hotel & Restaurant

Krafft Hotel & Restaurant has international allure. The beautiful historic building is located on a pleasant stretch of the Rhine quay. The restaurant has a terrace, and what a great location! If you stay there, try to book a room with an amazing view of the river. Only drop by for lunch or dinner krafft is also a great idea. With a bit of luck you can sit outside on the terrace by the river.

Get coffee: Barista Bar and Daniska

Get coffee: Barista Bar and Daniska

Although you can get an oat cappuccino or matcha on every corner in Amsterdam, things are different outside the Netherlands. Yet we have found a few nice places in Basel where it is not only a very nice place, but where they also serve a good cup of coffee. Definitely a big tip is: Barista Bar. A small business, where they know exactly what they are doing: good coffee! Bonus points for the cute dog in the shop.

Where you can definitely sit down for a coffee is: EngrainedA very hip place that will clearly appeal to many coffee lovers.

Food and drinks: Za Zaa Lebanese soul food

Food and drinks: Za Zaa Lebanese soul food

Going to Switzerland for the food? Oui, oui, a fondue au fromage, s'il vous plaît. But of course that's not necessary! Here too they have nice places where you can eat completely different cuisine. One that you shouldn't (and don't want!) to skip? Za Zaa where they serve Lebanese food. You want to go here for the attentive service alone, but especially for the great food. Please let the staff advise you or order mezze, for sharing. This gives you a table full of different snacks and you can taste everything. You won't regret this, I promise.

The villages of Laufen, Attiswil and Farnern

Of course, you can't go to Switzerland without tasting a traditional dish. You will find these traditional dishes in the surrounding villages of Laufen, Attiswil and Farnern, high in the mountains, where you might not normally visit. Or visit a herb center or herb farm, where you can smell all the fresh herbs and pick cherries from the fruit trees at the herb farm, which taste so much better when you pick them fresh.

Food and drink: Farnern Stierenberg

Food and drink: Farnern Stierenberg

You can enjoy traditional food high on the mountain in the village of Farnern, at the restaurant Farnern Stierenberg. Which dish are we talking about? Rösti of course! A flat cake of grated, boiled (in their skins) or raw potatoes fried in hot butter or fat in a pan. Doesn't do it justice in the photo, but it was a good bite. Or go for one to-die-for cheese fondue with pieces of bread or vegetables. The Swiss know how to spoil people.

Visits: the Ricola shop, Laufen

Visits: the Ricola shop, Laufen

Only familiar with Ricola as a candy? Wrong! So there is much more to it. It has now become an indispensable part of both Europe and America, where they have ten to thirteen flavors of Ricola. There is a real family business behind it, with many different farms that they support. Did you know that Ricola makes about 1500 candies per minute? And did you know that Ricola does not make its sweets based on water, but based on tea? We think it's cool. They recently opened a Ricola shop in the village of Laufen, where the rainbow wall of flavors awaits you.

Visits: herb farm

Visits: herb farm

Do you want to go to a herb farm? Doing! Close to the village of Laufen is the farm of Gardener John, who has worked for the company for more than twenty-five years. You can just visit without an appointment. (Münchagger 5, 4224 Nenzlingen, Switzerland). You can book a tour here.

To do: pick cherries, apples and pears

To do: pick cherries, apples and pears

You will find fruit trees everywhere in the area - great! Unfortunately, we cannot simply take those trees with us in the suitcase, but what is possible is to pick them and eat them on the spot (as you can also do with Gardener John). The cherries, apples and pears that you normally buy at the supermarket taste so much better when they come fresh from the tree. One last tip: go for a picnic. On the mountain, by the water, or under a cherry tree. Life is good.

 

 

The Swiss Alps

But that is of course not the only part of Switzerland. About a two and a half hour drive further and you are in the Saas Valley. We also have a lot of tips for you there. You read this Barts Best of: Saas-Fee/Saastal.