In August of every year, over 15,000 film fans from around the world gather in the small Swiss town of Locarno to enjoy the art of cinema at one of the oldest film festivals in the world, third to Venice and Cannes. The 67th Locarno Film Festival will take place this year from 6-16 August. […]
Dawn concerts – Aubes Musicales (until 31 August 2014)
Have you heard of these concerts? Aube means dawn in French, and they are held daily during summer – come rain or come shine – at the Bains des Pâquis, in the middle of the lake in Geneva, from 6.00 to 7.00 every morning. Free, with even coffee thrown in – gratuit till 6.15! You […]
Rosé wines – 50 shades of pink
Rosé wines are becoming increasingly popular all year round and that was even before Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt put their money in Château Miraval, their summer home in Provence where rosé dominates the wine scene. Fruity cool refreshment, a desire to conjur up long sunny days and growing wine consumption amongst women may be […]
Cruising around Switzerland
SPRING-SUMMER-AUTUMN As summer moves into gear, why not take to the water to unwind and enjoy a calmer pace. No one living in the region can be unmoved by the beauty of Lake Léman, Western Europe’s largest lake. Taking one of the six Belle Epoque boats is a wonderful way to get a new perspective […]
Olympic Museum of Lausanne
ALL YEAR ROUND Following two years of renovation, the Olympic Museum of Lausanne is open again with an additional 1,000 m2 of exhibition space. The permanent exhibits have been redeveloped entirely for a new and improved visitor experience as well as innovative educational areas for younger visitors. The regular exhibits, which include ‘The Olympic World’, […]
A train trip to remember
LOCARNO Taking the train to Locarno on Lake Maggiore is one of those trips where getting there is more than half the fun. From the Arc Lemanique, one changes in Brig (VS) for Domodossola, boarding the narrow gauge Centovalli rail line to cross the One Hundred Valleys in Italy and back into Switzerland before arriving […]
Buskers bask in Bernese limelight
Busking is generally popular in Switzerland and talented buskers can often make a good living from it. And in the case of Bern, they are actively encouraged to entertain the city. Running from 7-9 August, The Buskers Bern Streetmusic-Festival has brought together more than 150 professional musicians and performance artists from 20 nations around the […]
Reykjavik – Cultural pulse of Iceland
Encircled by mountains and the sea, Reykjavik is the world’s northernmost capital and the cultural pulse of Iceland. As of 27 October, Easy Jet will be adding two flights a week to Reykjavik. During the summer, Icelandair’s Tuesday and Saturday flights, mean it is easily reached for a long weekend for much of the year. […]
Crans-Montana’s M4 Culture Festival
Crans-Montana, normally known as a beautiful and chic ski resort, has launched a summer festival with a programme to entertain people of all ages. The festival is aptly named the M4 Culture Festival – mountains, music, museums and more – it will take place between 12 and 26 July, however the main events take place […]
A bit of Fribourg in Vaud – The Domaine des Faverges
In an ironic twist of fate, the largest of the roughly 200 vineyards in Lavaux belongs to the neighbouring canton of Fribourg. The Domaine des Faverges, originally cultivated by Catholic monks, found itself isolated in Protestant Vaud when, during the 1847 Sonderbund War, Fribourg and several other Catholic cantons briefly resisted incorporation into the Swiss […]
