Visiting Switzerland around the time of Lent is an opportunity not to miss. You get to enjoy great powdery snow in the mountains, eat chocolate, go crazy during Fasnacht (Swiss carnival) and afterwards have… some more chocolate (it’s just so delicious).
Say goodbye to winter
Fasnacht celebrates the end of the winter; a period that symbolizes death and the ‘rule’ of bad spirits. The best place to experience this celebrations is the city of Basel. The party starts the Monday after Ash Wednesday at 4:00 am. All the lights in the city are turned off and everybody awaits the command: Morgestraich, vorwärts marsch!, which is a signal to begin the march. People dress up as fantastical creatures with extraordinary costumes and characteristical big-nosed masks. All participants walk down the streets holding lanterns and the sounds of drums and flutes can be heard from miles away. During that time, Swiss take partying very seriously. They no longer work as devotedly as their watches and intense work hours are replaced by three long days of celebration on the streets.
…but not to snow
Unfortunately all good things come to an end, and so does Fasnacht. But this does not mean that you have to go back to work. Once you recover from the three day long celebration, you can start enjoying the slopes in the breath-taking swiss mountains. Switzerland is known for being an incredible place for skiers or snowboarders. If you had some previous experience in winter sports, you could try going to Samnaun. This is a region located in the canton of Graubünden near the Austrian border. The ski area is incredible, although not recommended for beginners. The slopes have magnificent views and on top of that, Samnaun is a duty-free zone. There you can find plenty of petrol stations and affordable restaurants offering tasty meals.
Welcome to “Sweet Paradise”
As many expats have said, food in Switzerland is great. In House to Haus a blog by an American expat in Zurich, you can read wonderful stories about food and inspiring recipes. Judging from her pictures I can say that her comments are not exaggerated. Forget about your diet in Switzerland and just enjoy their incredible breads and pastries. This may be even healthier for you, as after that, you probably won’t find pastries that tasty in your own country.