October 2016 Travel Tips and Tales Newsletter

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October 2016 Travel Tips and Tales Newsletter

October 2016 Travel Tips and Tales Newsletter

So Many Exciting Travel Possibilities!

Greetings!

October kept WJ busy with another road trip – this time it was to California. Our primary purpose for the trip was to visit with European tourism members at a one-day conference (VEMEX – Visit Europe Media Exchange) in San Francisco, and learn what their focus is for visitors to their various destinations in 2017. Of course, we had to explore more of this spectacular and diverse state with stops in Napa, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Valley and San Jose (we’ll share more of those details soon). But back to VEMEX… Wow! There are so many wonderful travel options to choose from in Europe it’s difficult to know where to start. So we tossed a coin and are sharing some of the travel news for Switzerland this winter – check it out below.

TRAVEL TIPS & NEWS – Winter News from Switzerland

Zurich in Winter – Winter News from Switzerland. Photo courtesy of Zurich Tourism.

Zurich at Christmas Time – The Enchanting Christmas City Zurich is absolutely captivating at Christmas time. The narrow, winding streets of the Old Town are filled with the scent of cinnamon, mulled wine and beeswax. And as soon as the Christmas lights along the Bahnhofstrasse are switched on on November 24, Christmas markets are held all over in the city and in various towns and villages. They include Zurich’s oldest Christmas market in the Niederdorf quarter of the Old Town. The Main Train Station, meanwhile, is home to the largest indoor market in Europe, the highlight of which is a 15 meter (50 foot) tall Christmas tree decorated with glittering Swarovski crystals. If you stroll along the Bahnhofstrasse, sooner or later you will come across the spectacular “Singing Christmas Tree”. Lined up on a vertical, stepped podium in the shape of an enormous Christmas tree and adorned with fir branches, diverse choirs from the region spread Christmas cheer with their repertoire of Christmas carols. A particularly attractive “Christmas Village” is located at Sechseläutenplatz, in front of Zurich Opera House, comprising compact rows of festively decorated market stands. There is also a tiny children’s zoo, where younger visitors can stroke Santa’s donkey, and a small ice rink, where ice-skating enthusiasts can demonstrate their skills. Incidentally, in winter open-air ice rinks can also be found in the middle of the forest at the hotel, The Dolder Grand, directly next to Lake Zurich at the Romantik Seehotel Sonne in Küsnacht, or close to the Main Train Station in the courtyard of the National Museum, with its romantic castle-style architecture.

Gotthard Base Tunnel – is set to open in December 2016. On June 1, Switzerland celebrated the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel – at 35 miles/57 km the longest train tunnel in the world. At a depth of more than 6560 ft/2000 m inside the Gotthard massif, trains will travel at up to 155 mph/250 km/h. And as an attractive alternative, travelers can make the return trip by the historic panorama route over the Gotthard. Trains officially begin circulating through the new Gotthard tunnel after the timetable changes in December 2016.

Go on a Space Misson in Lucerne – The main attraction of the new space travel exhibition at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne from November 25 is the “space transformer”. Just like in a space station, visitors are able to walk on the walls and ceiling, which gives them a feeling of weightlessness. Adventurous visitors can try a multi-axis trainer. The machine makes it possible to experience how astronauts prepare for their mission in space.

Igloo Hotel on Stockhorn – This winter, the igloo village on the Stockhorn in the Bernese Oberland features an igloo hotel for the first time. The small hotel opens on December 25 and will be hosting guests until March 12, offering three rooms and space for up to 14 people. Visitors can sleep in the Standard Igloo, the Romantic Igloo or the Romantic Family Igloo.

Fatbiking Pleasure Ahead – In the Lake Geneva region, a new 2.5 miles/4 km fatbiking slope opens this December, allowing bike enthusiasts to enjoy the spectacular panoramic views from Bretaye to Villars. Once a week, a guided downhill fatbike run will be combined with an evening fondue in a mountain restaurant, so participants can take on the descent from Roc d’Orsay to the center of Villars.

Lauberhorn Race – January 13 to 15, 2017 – The Lauberhorn Race, the biggest annual winter sporting event in Switzerland, takes place in mid-January against the most beautiful mountain backdrop of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The growing audience numbers and the huge media attention prove that – with more than 80 years of tradition behind it – Wengen is one of the highlights of Alpine ski racing.

White Turf St. Moritz – February 12 to 26, 2017. The annual White Turf event, a tradition dating back to 1907, is no longer “merely” a horse-racing meeting. It stands for thundering hooves on spraying snow. Courageous men and intrepid women on skis pulled along at high speed by horses at the only skijoring race in the world. It is a veritable feast for all the senses, and a social highlight of the season.

Swiss Travel Pass – For ease of getting around Switzerland, take a look at all the benefits of a Swiss Travel Pass.

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RECOMMENDED PRODUCT:

The New Primal Jerky – WJ sampled the beef and turkey jerky and gives them 4 thumbs up. When we’re out on the road or off for a hike we are always looking for a high-protein and healthy snack. The New Primal Jerky filled the bill for us with their grass-fed, free-range, no antibiotics meats. Check them out!

FACEBOOK:

We have our WAVEJourney Facebook page back up and running, and we’d love for you to join us. Click here to go to the page and be sure to like it – we’re going to be sharing lots of interesting travel info there that won’t be elsewhere on our networks.

SHOPPING ON AMAZON?

If you are shopping at Amazon from either Canada or the USA, please use WJ’s affiliate link. You pay the exact same prices, and we get a tiny commission from each sale to help keep the lights on at WAVEJourney.com. Thanks for shopping with us.

Need some more ideas for your next trip? Peruse the archives to discover some of our favorite travel adventures and gear. Plus, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr (links are in the sidebar), where we share fun travel photos, deals, tales and tips on a daily basis.

Cheers,

Viv and Jill – AKA: WJ

UNTIL NEXT MONTH… PLEASE VISIT FRIENDS OF WAVEJOURNEY.COM

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