By Bill Harby As if Switzerland isn’t already an embarrassment of winter wonderland sport riches, now we have another one. It’s called fatbiking or, for the politically correct, snowbiking. The tyres on these muscular mountain bikes are – surprise – fat, with deep treads to grip snowy ski runs and trails. This style of bike […]
Ice skating in canton Zürich
Whether you usually pirouette on figure skates, or shave ice on hockey skates — or use the “third skate” (your butt), Canton Zürich has great rinks to put glide in your stride. Check out the list below, and if you have another favorite ice skating spot in Zürich Canton to recommend, let us know! Holiday […]
20 ice skating rinks around Lake Geneva. Get your skates on!
Ice skating season is here so get your skates on! There are ice-skating rinks all over Geneva, Vaud and neighbouring Fribourg. Entrance prices vary and all rinks have skates that you can hire. The links below will take you to the relevant websites for prices, locations and opening and closing times. The ice skating season […]
10 Swiss Christmas markets to get you in a festive mood
While Christmas may be considered an over-commercialised affair, the Swiss hold true to their roots. Traditional Swiss Christmas typically lasts from the beginning of Advent (Sunday 1 December 2019) to the end of Epiphany (6 January 2020). While each Swiss home may give the tradition a slight twist, some customs have remained intact: the excitement, […]
Geneva’s Escalade festival promises to repulse Savoyard attacks from 6 Dec 2019
By Bill Harby Muskets blasting, swords flashing, drum and fife corps parading through the medieval streets, plus hot spiced wine and little cauldrons made of chocolate – welcome to this year’s “Escalade”. Geneva citizens know the story of how, on the night of Dec. 11th, 1602, a sharp-eyed cook now immortalised as Mère Royaume, spied […]
Places to go for early season skiing in Switzerland
Mention skiing in November and it is likely to draw blank expressions, or comments like: “It’s too early, there will be no snow”. While this is true for some resorts not all ski domains were created equal. A recent study shows that in 2015, snow came to the Swiss Alps 12 days later and melted […]
Halloween is coming to Switzerland, but don’t get too excited
Many expats, particularly north Americans, may be surprised to discover that Halloween is not widely celebrated in Switzerland. Long before Halloween existed, a Gaelic festival known as Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the descent into winter darkness. Some believed it was the time when the souls of the dead roamed the […]
Five gorgeous Swiss parks for contemplating autumn splendor
By Bill Harby Whether you prefer thickets of grand old trees, a formal English garden, or a pocket park, these five urban green spaces offer colourful ways to rustle through autumn leaves. Geneva: Park La Grange One minute you’re in bustling Geneva with buses and trams and people everywhere, then, a few steps later, you’re […]
5 stunning Swiss gorges to explore in autumn
A country with high mountains, glaciers and snowfields, naturally has lots of rushing rivers and streams cascading down through the millennia, chipping away at the bedrock, carving watery paths with steep walls. This is why Switzerland is blessed with so many gorgeous gorges. (Random fact: in French “gorge” means “throat.”) Autumn is a fine time […]
Flower-covered cows take to Swiss streets – Switzerland’s désalpe (alpabzug) explained
By Bill Harby What exactly is the alpine descent or désalpe / alpabzug? This article explores the event’s history and where to see it. In Switzerland, we know the clock will soon strike autumn when processions of cows crowned with flowers and hung with huge clanging bells, descend from summer alpine pastures to their winter […]
