What to do with a free afternoon in the pretty lakeside village of Sachseln? That’s the question I was confronted with recently, after a morning of apartment visits in nearby Lungern and Meiringen. Black clouds were threatening rain as I studied the bus and train schedules. Why do most visitors come to Sachseln? Aside from…
Category Archives: Switzerland
The Best Gardens in Europe: 16 of Our Favorites
As spring merges into summer, gardens in much of Europe are at their most vibrant and colorful. Whether you seek out gardens as a main sight for your day or duck into them as a respite from sightseeing in built environments, it is hard not to fall in love with these lovingly cultivated spaces. They…
Zentrum Paul Klee: A Modern Art Mecca Outside Bern
Paul Klee may be Switzerland’s most famous artist. As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus, it seems a fitting time to visit the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern. One of the 20th century’s most influential artists, Klee was an abstract expressionist painter who studied color and took inspiration from music, his global travels,…
Sustainable Travel: 6 Ways to Green Your Untour
Happy Earth Day! Anyone who follows UnTours knows that we are more than simple tree huggers around here. We are a B Corp, undergoing a regular certification that verifies our ecological business practices. We run on solar power, compost lunch scraps, print double-sided to save paper, and buy carbon offsets for staff travel and commutes….
Love Letter to Meiringen, Switzerland
Meiringen is a charming Alpine town. Ringed in snow-capped peaks and filled with charming shops, picturesque chalets, and inviting restaurants, it is one of our most popular hometowns on the Swiss Heartland UnTour. Meiringen and the Hasli Valley have a remarkably history. This was one of the most important trade routes through the Alps for…
Spiez, the Jewel of Switzerland’s Lake Thun
Centered scenically on the southwest shore of Lake Thun, Spiez is a regal, inviting town. With its historic charm, mountain views, and excellent rail connections, it is one of our more popular hometowns on the Swiss Oberland UnTour. Whether you stay here or use the train or boat to visit, you will likely fall in…
Great Swiss Rail Journeys: The Luzern-Interlaken Express
Sometimes in life, and especially on vacation, the journey is its own reward. This is especially true in Switzerland! The train ride on the Luzern-Interlaken Express is a perfect example, linking two spectacular destinations. Passing through UnTours’ Swiss Heartland villages, it also happens to take in some of the country’s most impressive Alpine panoramas, turquoise…
A Primer on Swiss Family Travel: Tips and Advice on Swiss Rail
No other vacation destination is more delightful to explore by train, bus, and boat than Switzerland. And no mode of travel is more family friendly than Swiss rail. It is one of the secrets behind the success of our Swiss UnTours, especially for families. In case you are considering taking your kids or grandkids to…
To the Berner Oberland! An Untours Foundation supporter shares his amazing Swiss photos
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…
Einstein in Switzerland: Bern’s Einstein Museums
Did you know Albert Einstein lived in Bern, Switzerland for 7 years at the beginning of the 20th century? They were among his most important. It was here, while working as an officer at the federal patent office, that he developed his theory of relativity. He formed a discussion circle around science and philosophy, published…