UnTourist Kemp Plugh first fell in love with Switzerland on a Swiss UnTour. He has returned to Switzerland many times since, capturing the landscape with his keen eye and photography skills. In those years, he has also become a regular supporter of the UnTours Foundation, donating annually. Here he shares some of his best landscape…
Category Archives: Hiking and Walking
Swiss Alpine Wildflower Walks Over Engelberg
Nestled in the mountains south of Luzern, handy to our Swiss Heartland and Oberland UnTours, the traffic-free village of Engelberg is surrounded by pure countryside and several mountain lifts. It’s packed with activities aimed at families, but placid enough for anyone. Here are a few hikes in the area that are accessible to most…
Elizabeth in Switzerland: Two Weeks Without Luggage
Ten years ago, our beloved Hal Taussig, my boss at the time, sent me on a Swiss UnTour as part of my job. Quite a perk! Hal wanted me to experience his travel company in action, so I could prepare the board of the UnTours Foundation to one day inherit the business. Elizabeth (right)…
Mountain Excursions to the Most Scenic Swiss Summits
For Alpine enthusiasts, a visit to Switzerland is pure paradise. It is also easily discovered and enjoyed, thanks to the extensive network of mountain railways, all accessible with the Swiss Travel Pass. The pass covers travel between cities and into the mountain villages around UnTours territory. But sometimes, our guests want to venture to…
Swiss Rail Update: The New Gotthard Base Tunnel, an Engineering Marvel
Swiss UnTourists use their Swiss Travel Pass to zip all over the country by rail (and boat and bus), taking in the best of the Alps. Here is some news about a new option, the Gotthard Base Tunnel. It offers insight into the engineering brilliance of the Swiss. Construction of the world’s longest train…
6 Reasons to Love Locarno, Home of our Swiss Ticino Untour
Our Swiss Ticino UnTour offers the perfect marriage of Italian romance and Swiss efficiency, with spectacular hikes, excellent train connections, and picturesque lakeside towns. Here are 6 reasons to fall in love with Locarno, homebase of our Swiss Ticino UnTour. 1. History Locarno was settled before Roman times and was an important glass-making…
Mountains and Music: Q & A with our Salzburg staffer, Vera
The hills are alive, with the sound of music! You’ve seen the movie, but do you know about the lovely city of Salzburg that the film took place in? Firstly, most locals aren’t wearing clothing made from curtains, but there is an amazing presence of history, art, music, and nature. It’s a smaller city that…
Top 10 Places to Go in Spain: from beaches and museums, to mosques and mountains
Top 10 Places to Go in Spain Barcelona This seaside city, known for its quirky architecture, outstanding seafood, and rich art history, is a must-see for anyone traveling to Spain. Architecture really is the center of attention, with great works from Antoni Gaudí, the famously-unfinished church of La Sagrada Familia, and many other cathedrals, buildings…
10 Perfectly British Train Trips from London
10 British Train Trips from London Although we adore London, sometimes the city is so bustling that we long for slow, small-town, English living. This is why we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 favorite English towns to visit by train from London. All of these can be enjoyed in a day, offering…
Beyond Bérets and Baguettes: Top 11 Places to Go in France
There’s so much to see and do in France. Here’s our French Bucket List, a good place to begin. Strasbourg Centrally placed on the border of France and Germany, and an hour north of Switzerland, Strasbourg is truly a European epicenter. It is the official seat of the European Parliament, home to the Council of Europe…