International horse race on ice in St. Moritz

Every February, the glamorous town of St. Moritz hosts the White Turf Horse Races. One of the top events in Switzerland, it attracts almost 35,000 spectators from all over the world. The setting cannot be more spectacular: the frozen expanse of the Lake St. Moritz with the majestic Engadine Mountains as a backdrop. 

International jockeys on fine thoroughbreds race at a dizzying speed on the frozen lake three Sundays in February. The event has been running since 1907 and requires a minimum of 12 inches of ice on the lake. Although mild winters are rare in this part of Switzerland, once in a while the race are cancelled due to insufficient ice.

The jockeys compete for Switzerland's most generous race prize of almost half a million Swiss francs (about 490,000 USD). The racing programme is adapted to the winter conditions and includes a trotting race where jockeys ride in a sled and traditional-style horse races. However, the event’s highlight is, undoubtedly, the skikjöring race with male and female jockeys on skis pulled by thoroughbred horses along a 2,700-m-long track. Skikjöring is the only race of its kind in the world and exclusive to the White Turf event. The horses run at a speed up to 31 miles per hour with the skiers being able to control not more than 10 percent of the horses’ movements. Apart from daredevil courage, the race requires exceptional strength, skills in handling the thoroughbreds and high level of preparation. The jockey who collects most points over three Sundays wins a money prize and the title of “King of the Engadine”. 

Skikjoring

Apart from enjoying the races, there are many other things to do. You can enjoy a drink or two in a pop-up bar set up in a decommissioned submarine, browse temporary exhibitions in the tent city covering 130,00 square metres, gorge on hearty Swiss dishes, shop at gastronomic stands or people watch while sipping your champagne.

Photos via Flickr by: Lisa Mardell, Robert Varadi.

Horn sled races in Switzerland

In winter, many horn sled races take place in Switzerland keeping an age-long tradition going. Once farmers used the horn sled to transport hay in winter but they were replaced by modern tractors. The sled has handles that look like ram’s horns, hence the name of this sports equipment Hornschlitten (“horned sled”). 

Hornschlitten

The sled races are believed to have started in Swiss Valley of Grindelwalder in the Bernese Oberland and have a nostalgic tone to them as some teams sometimes dress traditional folk costumes for the competition and load the sled with hay and wood. The world’s first international sled competition took place in Davos in 1883 with nineteen participants from England, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia and the United States racing on a three mile kilometre stretch of road. 

The horn sled has no steering or breaks and is different from other types of sled because of its shape and the upright riding position. It is often referred to as a Grindelwalder after its birthplace and notoriously difficult to ride, as it was not designed for high-speed trills. 

Horn sled race

The races run from January and run until March in the cantons of Graubünden, Valais, Glarus and Bernese Oberland. Teams of two or three people ride the sleds downhill at a breakneck speed of up to 50 miles per hour. Spectators stand along the route and cheer on the racers zooming past them. The competitions are so popular in Switzerland that they are always more than 100 sleds racing in each location. A great comradery exists between racers and they always greet each other with a traditional exclamation “Horn heil!” (“Hail horn!”). 

Each race is more like a festival than just a sports competition. There is always a great atmosphere with folk music, dances, gastronomic stands selling local delicacies and plenty of hearty food and 

drinks to keep the spectators warm and happy.

Photos via Flickr by: Ethreon, Renate Dodell. 

Celebrating the Swiss carnival Fasnacht

It is carnival time in Switzerland from February to March with more than 200 of them celebrated across the country.  The Swiss carnival, Fasnacht, differs from town to town but all of them are noisy, colourful and fun events to see.

Celebrated since the 14th century from Monday to Thursday following Ash Wednesday, Fasnacht in Basel is the largest Swiss carnival. Up to 20,000 dressed up members of local cliques participate in the only Protestant carnival in the world attracting large crowds of spectators. 

Carnival in Basel

The festivities start as the clock strike four in the morning with flute players and drummers in masks costumes march through the old centre. The Cliquen, groups of local carnival participants, carry nine feet high lanterns, as the street lights are switched off for the event.

Costumed parades with floats are organized for Monday and Wednesday afternoon. On Tuesday evening, masked musicians (Guggenmusigen) spill out on the streets trying to outplay each other, the louder and more out of tune the better. Dressed up characters walk from one bar to another reading out loud Schnitzelbank, short satirical verses in Swiss German criticizing and ridiculing politicians, the church and celebrities.

Lucerne Fasnacht

One of the main events during Fasnacht celebrations are fire ceremonies. Oversized brooms (Chienbäse), wooden sculptures (Chluri) or straw figures (Böögg) are burnt to symbolise the end of winter. In Sissach, a town near Basel, a wooden figure depicting a public figure is burnt to the crowd’s cheering. The Böögg (the boogie man) is set on fire in Winterthur on the last day of the carnival. 

Carnival in Lucerne

Lucerne’s Fasnacht lasts for six days and is as noisy and colourful as it the famous carnival in Basel. Here, the carnival’s symbols are Fritschi, an elderly man with his wife known as Fritschene, and their child, Fritschikind. The Lucerne carnival is more chaotic and merry than the one in Basel as masked characters and musicians mingle with the crowds rather than march orderly along the streets.

Photos via Flickr by:  Noel Reynolds, Benjamin Chaulet, Roger Levy.

What to do in the Jungfrau Region

The Jungfrau Region is renowned worldwide for its stunning mountains, skiing resorts and picture-perfect villages. Three big peaks, Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, dominate the region and attract outdoor enthusiasts, climbers and skiers from all over the world. There is something to do and see for every age and taste in the Jungfrau Region all year round.

The Jungfrau Region

Go skiing 

With almost 130 miles of breath-taking ski slopes, the region is a perfect destination for beginners and experts alike. Some of the ski runs are as long as seven miles with excellent snow cover. If you get tired, you can always hop on one of many cableways that will take you to a mountain summit to admire the majestic panorama.

The Jungfrau Train

Ride the Jungfrau train

Hope on a train to reach the Jungfraujoch, the highest railroad station in Europe at 3,454 meters. The station opened in 1912 and today looks like a small village with a hotel, restaurants and bars. Once there you can walk to a viewing platform at the Sphinx Summit to see the Aletsch Glacier and the Alpine Peaks.

Grindelwald

Visit Grindelwald

The small village of Grindelwald is filled with beautiful traditional chalets and alpine meadows. In summer head to the Terrassenweg panoramic path for spectacular views of the Alps. In winter the village hosts the World Snow Festival where international artists create massive ice sculptures. Not to be missed!

Admire the Trümmelbach Falls

Europe's largest subterranean waterfalls rush down in ten cascades hidden in a vertical gorge. You will take an elevator to go inside the mountain through galleries, tunnels and see the falls that carry over 5000 gallons of water per second with rocks and boulders swirling down in it. 

Piz Gloria Restaurant

Dine in a revolving restaurant

Take the Schilthornbahn cableway that ascends to the Schilthorn peak where the restaurant Piz Gloria is located. In the 1960s the futuristic looking restaurant with its splendid panoramic views was featured in a James Bond film. Here you can have a special Bond Breakfast menu, see interactive Bond exhibits and memorabilia, and gaze in awe at the magnificent 360-degree panorama with the three peaks of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

Photos via Flickr by: Olaf Mündelein, Brad Scruse, Thomas Wenger, Richard Cassan.

Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city

Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city has been populated for at least 5000 years. Due to its strategic position in the Alps Chur had an eventful past: ruled by Celts, Romans, Goths, Germanic tribes, invaded by Saracens and Hungarians. Today, a stunning comfortable city of Chur harmoniously combines chic boutiques, modern galleries with medieval buildings, Baroque churches and a relaxed atmosphere.

Chur

The car-free Old Town has spectacular beautifully restored architectural gems. The cathedral of Chur built in 1272 has a stunning 15th-century Gothic gilded triptych, the largest of its kind in Switzerland. Check out the city’s beautiful squares Arcas and Kornplatz, the medieval towers Obertor, Malteserturm and Sennhofturm, the baroque Bishop's Palace, which still serves as the private residence of a bishop, the ancient the Town Hall Rathaus and Hofplatz, a Roman fort. Half of the city is covered in parks and gardens with colourful flowerbeds and fountains where you can escape the bustle of the busy streets.

The Old Town in Chur

Chur is also a terminal for several scenic train routes such as the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express with the track between Chur and St. Moritz considered by some as the world’s the most beautiful mountain train ride.

The city’s great location means that numerous hiking trails, the Brambrüesch Mountain, skiing and spa resorts, as well as the Bündner Herrschaft winemaking region are all within a short drive. 

Church of St. Martin

All year around the city hosts many big festivals and events. Chur City Festival and Alpine Beard Festival in August are filled with music and culinary delights and attended by bearded men from across Europe among which a champion is selected. In August, every two years Chur hosts the open-air Haldenstein Castle Opera festival. Advent in Chur event in December attracts thousands of visitors who come here to see a Christmas market, listen to gospels and gorge on traditional festive treats. 

Photos via Flickr by: Tim Venchus, Manfred Morgner, Benjamin Chan.

Interlaken: lakes, mountains and mysteries of the world

The small town of Interlaken has been a tourist destination since the 19^th century. Few places in Europe can compete with its stunning landscapes, modern infrastructure and warm hospitality. The town’s location makes it a perfect base for exploring central Switzerland, the Bernese Oberland, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

Interlaken

In summer months, you can explore the town’s most popular sites in a horse-drawn carriage. Interlaken’s pretty main boulevard, Höheweg, stretches from the central square to the east. Here you will find swanky hotels, good restaurants, cosy cafes, and various shops. Check out the Interlaken Castle with its formal gardens and 100,000 tin figures grouped in 150 scenes from important world history events.

A cable car will take you to the top of the Harder Kulm Mountain, a lookout point that offers unforgettable vistas over the town, lakes and the Jungfrau Region. Another fascinating place to visit is the St. Beatus Cave where you can explore grottos, stalactite and stalagmite formations and waterfalls hidden 1000 meters underground.

Harder Kulm viewing platform

Spend a few hours in the Mystery World Park that has six exciting multimedia themed pavilions, each dealing with a riddle that scientists have not been able to solve: the flying vehicles mentioned in ancient Indian stories, the Nazca lines, the Pyramid at Giza, the Mayan calendar and others.

Interlaken is Europe’s main adventure sports destination with many centres organizing various pursuits to give you a good adrenaline rush. You can go paragliding, canyoning, sky diving, bungy jumping, river rafting. If you prefer less extreme activities, take a boat trip on Lake Thun or Lake Brienz on a beautifully restored paddle-wheel steamboat and enjoy majestic views of the snow-capped peaks from a comfortable seat on board with a glass of wine in hand or while savouring a gourmet meal. 

Photos by: Interlaken, Switzerland/Facebook, Kosala Bandara/Flickr.

Zermatt, a car-free village in the glaciers paradise

Located at the foot of the majestic Matterhorn Mountain, the car-free Alpine village of Zermatt is one the most famous and good-looking mountain resorts in Switzerland. The village is abuzz with visitors, festivals and activities most of the year. In winter, people come in droves for the world-class skiing pistes, in summer for hiking, biking, skiing up on the glaciers or simply admire the scenery.

Zermatt

Everything you might need for a comfortable luxury Swiss holiday you will find along the lovely main shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse: shops, restaurants, bars, and luxurious hotels. There is also the Matterhorn Museum where you can learn about the village’s history, local farming and mountaineering. However, the main attractions lie high above, in the mountains: 38 stunning summits, glaciers, pine and larch forests, Alpine meadows, mountain lakes are there to be discovered. 

This region is called "Matterhorn glacier paradise" because it has Europe's largest and highest lying skiing pistes. Professional ski teams train here during hot summer months.

However, you do not need to be an Olympic champion to enjoy the Matterhorn glacier paradise, just hop on a cable car that will take you to a viewing platform, the highest in Europe, at 3883 metres. 

The Gornergrat cog railway

The Gornergrat cog railway takes the curious up to another platform where magnificent Alpine peaks run into horizon as far as you can see. In summer, hikers enjoy an easy walk at the Gorner gorge crossing narrow bridges to admire spectacular rock formations and waterfalls. To relax after the outdoor adventures head to the tranquil Mont Cervin's spa for a relaxing massage and a soak in an aromatic steam bath. 

Matterhorn

Zermatt hosts various exciting events all years around. In July there is a Golf Tournament, Matterhorn Eagle Cup. In August, a big fest of the Swiss Food Festival and Folklore festival take place. During winter, a number of skiing tournaments attract international champions and enthusiastic cheering crowds.

Photos via Flickr by: Kosala Bandara, Martha de Jong-Lantink, Trond Hindenes