Category Archives: Switzerland
Index | Tracking the Lion Man
Seeing the Lion Man of Hohlenstein-Stadel at Museum Ulm was a thrill. The journey to Ulm made the experience all the more worthwhile. I reckon the Lion Man is a must-see for anybody keen to experience an overwhelming sense of … Continue reading
Basel | Tracking the Lion Man
Welcome back to Tracking the Lion Man, a series of posts about my trip to Switzerland and Germany en route to the city of Ulm to view the Löwenmensch (Lion Man) of Hohlenstein-Stadel – a prehistoric sculpture carved out of mammoth … Continue reading
Tracking the Lion Man
I’ve just returned home from a week away in Switzerland and Germany. The reason for the trip was to have an in-person look at the Löwenmensch (Lion Man) of Hohlenstein-Stadel – a prehistoric footlong sculpture carved out of mammoth tusk on … Continue reading
Continental Canine | Swiftly Through Paris and Zurich
Amber was happy to get off the taxi and go for a sniff as well as a much welcome toilet break. We had just over an hour to kill before our TGV and a good chunk of it was taken by queuing at the ticket office to buy Amber’s pass. On continental trains dogs over 10kg and/ or on a lead (as opposed to in a crate) have to pay a fee, usually 50% of a standard second class ticket fare). Continue reading
Bruce Nauman: Disappearing Acts at Schaulager, Basel
A comprehensive survey spanning five decades of the American artist’s odd oeuvre, Bruce Nauman: Disappearing Acts is a beast of an exhibition and one I believe is worth a visit to Basel in its own right. Continue reading
Best Beer of 2017
Last but not least, let’s have a beer. I conclude my Best of 2017 lists with a round up of the tastiest and most intriguing beers I got to drink this year. The world may be falling apart at the … Continue reading
Best Hotels of 2017
I stayed in a lot of hotels over the past 12 months. Most of them were perfectly adequate, and I wouldn’t be against checking in at them again. A select few far exceeded even my highest expectations and deserve some extra recognition. Continue reading
Yodel for Valais | Index
I hope you had fun too reading about my trip to Valais and that my tales may help you plan your own Alpine adventures. Continue reading
Yodel for Valais | Alpine Eats!
Before wrapping up my series about all the fun I had in the Valais, I thought I should take a moment to talk about how well I ate and drank while there. Here’s a taste of the best bites and sips from trip. Continue reading
Yodel for Valais | Jodlerfest 2017
So my reason for being in Valais was to experience Jodlerfest 2017 in the town of Brig. And what an experience it was! Continue reading
Yodel for Valais | Around Aletsch Arena
The Aletsch Arena is a mountain resort area on the German speaking side of Valias (or, Wallis as they say in German). It encompasses three villages: Riederalp, Bettmeralp and Fiescheralp. Due to its outstanding natural beauty, it was the first site in the Alps to receive UNESCO World Heritage status. The big draw here is the Great Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps. Continue reading
Yodel for Valais | Cultural Tour of Champéry
First stop on my way to Jodlerfest was the Val d’Illiez village of Champéry on the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil. Continue reading
Yodel for Valais
Jodlerfest is a triennial celebration of Swiss Alps culture and that most melodious of Alpine traditions, yodelling. Continue reading
Scenic Gruyères, Great Tasting Gruyère (Great British Chefs)
One of Europe’s most iconic cheeses, Le Gruyère AOP is produced in a small Swiss town of the same name. Food writer Chris Osburn recently visited the town of Gruyères to discover what makes this cheese so special. Ah Gruyères, … Continue reading
HR Giger Museum: Creep Fest in the Swiss Alps (OneTravel)
With Halloween looming and long winter nights setting in, now is perhaps an appropriately eerie time to contemplate a visit to the bucolic and lilting countryside around the idyllic medieval village of Gruyeres in southwestern Switzerland. Not for its crisp … Continue reading
My Mini Grand Tour: Hit the Road to Pure Swiss Bliss!
It was a pleasure getting to explore a few stops along Switzerland Tourism’s Grand Tour self-driving route to see some of the country’s many “must-see” sights and attractions. In all, the 1,000-mile route takes in five Alpine passes, 22 lakes, … Continue reading
My Mini Grand Tour: A Great Stay in Gruyeres
A most memorable part of my recent visit to Switzerland was the time spent in and around Gruyères. In a lot of ways, the area was an ideal stomping grounds for me. Offering access to amazing art, great regional food, … Continue reading
My Mini Grand Tour: Abbaye de Montheron
Set beside the Talent River within the wooded Jorat Valley (and only about a 15 minute drive outside central Lausanne), the Abbaye de Montheron is an ideal venue for special occasions, dynamic dinners paired with long forest walks, and quick rural retreats without having to put too much of a pause on all that urban luxury just up the road in Lausanne. Continue reading
My (Mini) Grand Tour of Switzerland
The Grand Tour of Switzerland – a new 1,000-mile self-driving route – was launched over the summer by Switzerland Tourism to share the best the Swiss have to offer and highlight “must-see” sights and attractions across the country’s four language regions and along its most scenic roads. The route takes in five Alpine passes, 22 lakes, and 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites while steering clear of motorways wherever possible in preference of country roads and rural byways. Continue reading
You’ll Love Looking Around Lausanne & Lake Geneva (OneTravel)
Bonjour, hallo, ciao, and hi! I’ve just returned from one of my favourite European destinations, Switzerland. A highlight of my trip was checking out the sights in and around the lovely lakeside city of Lausanne. Now back home (and craving … Continue reading
Switzerland Celebrates 150 Years of Winter Tourism (OneTravel)
Mention Switzerland and most people immediately dream of skiing in the snowed Alps. And that’s just as many folks from there would like you to think of their beautiful home. Indeed, there’s consensus among the Swiss that their country is … Continue reading
Basel on a Budget (OneTravel)
Coming from London, where the cost of living is high and the local currency is strong, I usually find when I travel that my money gets considerably more mileage than when at home. That wasn’t the case in Switzerland though, … Continue reading
6 Exceptional Museums in Basel (OneTravel)
For a city of only about 200,000 people, Basel boasts more museums than cities with more than ten times its population. From the Anatomical Museum of the University of Basel (which was founded by Professor Carl Jung – yes, the … Continue reading
App Helped ‘Make My Switzerland’ Time Super Fun (OneTravel)
As mentioned [on the OneTravel blog] about a month ago, in anticipation of an upcoming visit to Basel I downloaded for free the Make My Switzerland app. Having never been to Switzerland before, I was keen to access the local … Continue reading
Bis Später Basel
I really had a fantastic time during my city break in Basel. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the highlights of my visit. Continue reading
See Basel: A City Artfully Designed to Please
Keen to take a city break that’s chock full of eye candy treats by some of the world’s greatest modern architects, designers, and artists? Go to Basel. I was blown away by all the fascinating stuff I got to behold during my few days there. Continue reading
‘Make My Switzerland’ App Helps You Discover Top Tips from Locals (OneTravel)
“Choose a city, pick your mood, discover top tips from our locals.” That’s what a relatively new Make My Switzerland app offers visitors hoping to achieve maximum Swiss delight – whether aiming for alpine heights, lounging by the lake or … Continue reading