We all know that kids love trains. What you may not know is that kids love Switzerland, and that is largely because of the Swiss Travel System and its trains. Indeed, after nature, the biggest draw for families in Switzerland may be its trains. We offer great Swiss UnTours deals for families. And the Swiss…
Category Archives: Ticino
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…
Bellinzona, A Swiss City With Italian Flair
Ticino is a region of Switzerland that surprises and delights travelers, as those who have taken our Swiss Ticino Untour will tell you. And the town of Bellinzona is the surprise of Ticino! At the crossroads of the valleys leading to Italy from the Alps, Bellinzona is a natural sentinel and crossroads of trade…
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…
Swiss Rail Update: The Gotthard Panorama Express
Here is a notice for all of our Swiss Untour guests. As our Swiss Untour includes a Swiss Travel Pass that covers rail travel, guests spend much time exploring the best scenery by rail. From 2017, the Wilhelm Tell Express will be replaced by the Gotthard Panorama Express (GoPEx). But as before, travelers will still…
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…
Kunstmuseum: Modern Art Fix in Basel
On a recent visit to the Kunstmuseum in Basel, I was overwhelmed by the size and breadth of the museum’s modern art collection. A friendly guard explained it succinctly. “Yes, Switzerland and America have the largest collections of modern art because they could collect and protect ‘degenerate art’ while Hitler was marching through Europe.” I’d…
Five Super Fun Swiss Attractions for Kids of All Ages
Above: Walking the St. Bernard. Copyright Switzerland Tourism: swiss-image.ch/Christian Perret If you’re a kid or traveling with a kid, there’s just so much to do in Switzerland, from its well marked hiking trails to its pristinely clean and swimmable lakes. You can get your train fix, take a boat, or fly down a mountainside on…