Brought to you by Swiss French School. On 1 January 2019, Switzerland’s federal government tightened and harmonised the rules on language requirements to qualify for some residence permits, B and C permits in particular, and … [Read more...]
News and Features
Swiss tourist jailed for insulting Bali’s sacred day of silence
A court in Bali has sentenced a Swiss tourist to a year in prison for insulting Nyepi, the Indonesian island’s sacred Hindu Day of Silence. The 26-year-old was convicted on Thursday, August 20, 2026 under Indonesia’s new criminal code after … [Read more...]
FILM: FJORD ***1/2 – was this film worthy of its Palme d’Or at Cannes this year?
21 August 2026 FJORD ***1/2 (vo Norwegian, English, Romanian) The question is: was this film worthy of its Palme d’Or at Cannes this year? It’s been released this week, so let’s take a look at what it’s all about. A loving, quite religious … [Read more...]
Swiss exporters set for major tariff breakthrough in China
Switzerland and China have concluded negotiations on an upgraded trade agreement that would remove tariffs on almost all Swiss exports to China. Guy Parmelin, Switzerland’s economy minister, and Wang Wentao, his Chinese counterpart, announced … [Read more...]
Switzerland’s inflation problem is that it barely has one
Consumer prices declined in July, underscoring how different Switzerland’s inflation story is from much of the world. Over the month the consumer-price index fell by 0.1% from June, leaving prices just 0.4% higher than a year earlier, according to … [Read more...]
Guides
Setting up a business in Switzerland – a guide
Brought to you by Winbiz online accounting for Swiss businesses. So you have decided to start a business. You have a business plan and are ready to get started. Before you launch you need a name and possibly a company. Broadly there are two options … [Read More...]
15 things you should know about Swiss health insurance
It's health insurance season. Average premiums are increasing in 2018. Compulsory basic Swiss health insurance can generally only be changed once a year. To change you must notify your current provider by 30 November. This article explains the basics … [Read More...]
Activities
5 totally-not-stuffy Swiss museums for kids of all ages
By Bill Harby Winter weather is the perfect time for families to explore Switzerland’s fine museums. Some suggestions: Swiss Museum of Transport Lucern No wonder this is the most-visited museum in Switzerland with its hands-on exhibits showing the … [Read more...]
Swiss architect Le Corbusier’s Villa “Le Lac” turns 100
Granted UNESCO world heritage status in July 2016, Villa "Le Lac" in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland celebrates its 100 year anniversary in 2023. A number of celebrations are planned until October. The Villa, on the outskirts of Vevey, is open to … [Read more...]
How Switzerland’s best river swim became a summertime commute
Most people float down the Aare River in Bern just for fun. For Evelyn Schneider-Reyes, it was her summertime commute home. “I only had like 30 seconds walking from my office to the river,” she recalls. “I had an ‘Aare Bag’, where I put all my … [Read more...]
