Switzerland Travel Guide: Unspunnen, Alpine Culture, Historic Rails & Mountain Flavours

Travel writer Martin Hesp high in the Jungfrau, Switzerland

Too often, Switzerland is reduced to a glossy winter cliché: an expensive playground of high-altitude ski slopes, five-star chalets, and eye-watering lift passes.

While the snow and the peaks are spectacular, the true soul of the country lies in its quiet depths. It is found in the extraordinary pride of its regional communities, its remarkable railway engineering that carves through solid rock, its living farming traditions, and cultural gatherings that celebrate centuries of alpine identity.

Whether witnessing 80-kilo boulders hurled across an arena in Interlaken, following Dartmoor hill farmers high into the Simmental to understand the miracle of the 40-cow dairy, retracing Sherlock Holmes’s fateful duel at Reichenbach Falls with bowler-hatted enthusiasts, or crossing the Rhine on an engineless ferry, Switzerland is best enjoyed when you look beyond the luxury ski brochures.

Here is my complete collection of Swiss journeys, covering traditional culture, legendary railways, historic inns, winter magic, and regional food heritage.

1. True "Swissness" & Living Culture

• Unravelling the Unspunnen

  Held only once every twelve years in Interlaken, the Unspunnen

  

  Swiss people taking part in the Unspunnen, held once every 12 years

  fest is the ultimate celebration of Swiss identity. A look at the sheer spectacle of traditional stone-hurling, Schwingen (alpine wrestling), alphorn symphonies, and a community spirit rarely matched anywhere in Europe.

Mountain cattle taking part in the Unspunnen, Switzerland

• In Switzerland with the Sherlockians: Reichenbach Falls

  Joining members of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London on a pilgrimage to Meiringen and the thunderous Reichenbach Falls—the precipitous spot where Conan Doyle famously sent his consulting detective tumbling into history.

Sherlock Holmes Society on the Jungfrau

• Visiting Switzerland with Dartmoor Farmers

  Travelling to the Simmental Valley with West Country agrarians to explore Alpculture—discovering how alpine farmers produce world-class cheeses from small 40-cow herds and sustain the mountain landscape.

Dartmoor farmers in Switzerland

2. Iconic Railways & Mountain Passes

Switzerland’s railway network is one of the great engineering triumphs of the modern world, connecting tranquil valleys to the highest glaciers with seamless precision.

• Jungfrau – To the Top of Europe by Train

  Riding the mountain railway directly through the interior rock of the Eiger and Mönch to reach the Sphinx Observatory and the frozen sea of the Aletsch Glacier at 3,454 metres.

• The Bernina Express: One of the World’s Greatest Train Journeys

  Traversing the Rhaetian Railway over soaring stone viaducts, through hairpin loops, and past glaciers on this UNESCO World Heritage railway link between Switzerland and Italy.

Bernina Express crosses a rail bridge in the Swiss mountains

• Railroad to Andermatt: The Heart of the Swiss Alps

  A scenic rail route climbing into the Urseren Valley and the historic crossroads of Andermatt, where ancient mountain passes meet modern alpine architecture.

The Andermatt Pass

3. Alpine Escapes, St Moritz & Mountain Slopes

Beyond the glitz, the high mountain cantons offer pristine light, frozen lakes, and classic winter sports.

• St Moritz & The High Engadine

  Exploring the Engadine valley, famous for its sparkling 'champagne climate', wide alpine lakes, and dramatic contrasts between glamorous resorts and ancient Romanesque villages.

St Moritz

• Lucerne and the Surrounding Swiss Mountains

  Combining the charm of Lake Lucerne with excursions into the surrounding mountain peaks, including Mount Pilatus and the high ridges of Central Switzerland.

• Learning to Ski at Laax

  A first-hand look at taking to the slopes in the Graubünden region, exploring the vast interconnected ski arena of Flims, Laax, and Falera.

High up at Laax,

4. Historic Hotels & Timeless Heritage

• Swiss Historic Hotels: 5 Extraordinary Places to Stay

  A rail journey across the country staying at celebrated heritage properties—including the lakeside Hotel Wilden Mann in Lucerne, the high-altitude Grimsel Hospiz, and Edward Whymper’s climbing headquarters at Hotel Monte Rosa in Zermatt.

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5. Cities, Waterways & Winter Festivals

• Discover the Magic of European Christmas Markets in Switzerland

  Chasing real alpine snow and centuries-old Yuletide traditions across Geneva’s lakeside Noël au Quai, Bern’s medieval arcades, and Basel’s historic squares.

• The Zytglogge Clock Tower and Einstein's Apartment, Berne

  A private look inside Berne’s 1530 astronomical clock mechanism, followed by a visit to the Kramgasse rooms where Einstein developed his theory of relativity.

• Lilu Light Festival: The Winter Magic of Lucerne

  Lucerne bathed in dynamic January light shows, where medieval facades and baroque church interiors become canvases for international artists.

• Engineless Foot Ferries Cross the Rhine in Basel

  The historic wooden Fähri that glide across the swift Rhine using only a single overhead steel cable and the natural force of the river current.

6. Alpine Flavours & Culinary Traditions

• Emmental Cheese: History, Heritage and How to Make It

  Visiting the rolling hills of the Emme Valley to discover the science of cheese "eyes" and the strict craftsmanship behind authentic Swiss Emmental

  

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• Swiss Salad Dressing Secret: The Alpine Winter Salad Revolution

  Uncovering why Swiss winter salads taste so distinct—from Lucerne's riverside market greens to the alpine technique of blending hot vegetable bouillon into dressings.

• Following in the Footsteps of Mark Twain in Switzerland

  Prose and poetry retracing the footsteps of Mark Twain across Lake Lucerne, Vitznau, and Mount Rigi.