Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast - Plan Your Swiss Vacation

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 their itinerary
• Where Natascha recommends visitors stay in Basel
• The top things to do in Basel
• Unique experiences to enjoy in Basel
• Popular events to attend in Basel
• Local specialties to try in Basel
• Natascha’s one day Basel itinerary for first-time visitors

For more information about the places mentioned, plus the full show notes for this episode, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode39.

Visit our shop for handy guides to help you plan your visit to Switzerland.

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This podcast is sponsored by Switzerland Tourism.
#ineedswitzerland

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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 sustainable public transport network.  It’s something the Swiss take very seriously and there are some really interesting renewable power sources that are being used.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Andy’s long career working with different Swiss rail companies
• An overview of the Swiss Travel System which includes nearly 30,000 kilometres of rail, road and waterways
• The Swiss Travel Pass – what it includes, plus changes and updates for 2022
• Travelling between Switzerland and neighbouring countries by train
• Night train services to and from Switzerland
• What Switzerland is doing to ensure travelling by public transport is sustainable

For more information about the Swiss Travel Pass and the public transport options mentioned, as well as the full show notes for this episode, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode38

Visit our shop to purchase your Swiss Travel Pass and other handy guides to assist with your Swiss vacation planning.

This podcast is sponsored by Switzerland Tourism.
#ineedswitzerland

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If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favourite podcast app. ❤️

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 experiences that they have a personal connection with.

With four weeks to explore the country, they were able to slow down, stay longer in each destination, meet the locals and really appreciate the beauty of Switzerland and the peace and quiet it offers.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Gary and Cathy's story and why they chose to visit Switzerland for their month-long trip
• Their itinerary and why they chose each destination
• How they travelled around Switzerland
• Where they stayed and what they did in each location
• Authentic experiences they enjoyed
• Their tips for making the most of your Swiss vacation

For more information about the places mentioned and the full show notes, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode37

Visit our shop for helpful Switzerland travel guides and resources.

This podcast is sponsored by Switzerland Tourism.  #ineedswitzerland

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If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favourite podcast app. ❤️

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 tour, Switzerland has plenty of options and Nadia gives us all the details on where to watch cheese being made.

And if you’ve ever wondered what makes holes in Swiss cheese, you’ll learn the answer in this episode. 

Of course you’ll learn about Swiss cheese Fondue and Raclette, too.

Tune in to learn everything you need to know about cheese in Switzerland.

For more information about the different Swiss cheeses and Show Dairies mentioned, and the full show notes, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode36.

Visit our shop for helpful Switzerland travel guides and resources.

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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 copy of our Switzerland Travel Budget calculator to make sure your trip budget stays on track.

For the full list of money-saving tips mentioned in this episode, see the show notes at https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode35

Visit our shop for great Switzerland travel resources.

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If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favourite podcast app. ❤️

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, Diccon Bewes from Bern, and Celine Guido from Montreux-Vevey Tourism - who share the highlights of their city's Christmas Market and tell us about other festive events that are worth a visit.

Even if a Swiss Christmas isn’t on the cards for you this year, after hearing what my guests have to say, I’m sure there will be plenty of reasons to make a Swiss Christmas a priority for you in the future.

For more information about the Christmas markets and events mentioned, and the full show notes, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode34.

Visit our shop for great Switzerland travel resources.

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If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favourite podcast app. ❤️

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 celebratory trip 
• An overview of their trip
• How they travelled around Switzerland
• Where they stayed and what they did in each location
• Special meals they enjoyed
• What surprised them about Switzerland
• What they wish they had done differently

For details of Beth's itinerary, more information about the places mentioned, and the full show notes, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode33.

Visit our shop for great Switzerland travel resources.

Support the show

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favourite podcast app. ❤️

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'll learn all about his books on Switzerland, and where to get them, as well as Diccon's  top tips for visiting his home city of Bern.

For more information about the places, events and food mentioned, and the full show notes, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode32/

Visit our shop for great Switzerland travel resources and trip planning tools.

Support the show

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favourite podcast app. ❤️

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 it would be interesting to delve a bit deeper and learn about the history of these dishes, too.

My guest in this episode is Andie Pilot, a Swiss-Canadian pastry chef who has lived in Switzerland for over 10 years and is the author of three Swiss cook books.

Andie is passionate about Swiss cuisine and she shares her wealth of knowledge with us in this episode.

For more information about the food and drink mentioned  and the full show notes for this episode, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode31/

Visit our shop for great Switzerland travel resources and trip planning tools.

Support the show

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favourite podcast app. ❤️

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 to the top of Mt. Rigi in a century and a half. 

A lot has changed in 150 years but one thing has remained the same - the breathtaking 360 degree views from the top of Mt. Rigi.

In today’s episode I’m joined by Frederich Fussenich, the CEO of Rigi Railways, who tells us about the history of the railway and shares all the reasons a visit to Mt. Rigi should be top of your list when you are in Central Switzerland.

For more information about the places mentioned and the full show notes for this episode, visit https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode30/

Visit our shop for great Switzerland travel resources and trip planning tools.

Support the show

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favourite podcast app. ❤️