I’ve been travelling to Switzerland more than any country in my life for 3 years. In fact, I’ve spent a lot of time there. Almost 4 months every year. This is what I learnt.

Before giving you the bullet points you came for, I’ll add some context. During 2016, 2017 and 2018 I had a large project for work which required to spend a lot of time in Switzerland. Most of my weekdays I lived in Switzerland and used to come back to England for the weekends. I travelled East, West, North and South in Switzerland across all seasons. It’s one of the 3 countries that I know the most (the other 2 are England and France). Let’s go to the point, this is what I learnt.

High Quality Flats

Best constructed flats (apartments in US English) I’ve ever seen. They don’t necessarily have fancy designs but certainly they are built to last long. Perfectly sealed from all elements, double paned glass, very thick concrete walls and solid doors. No gaps. No Air. Snowing and cold in winter? No worries, in a Swiss flat, you wouldn’t even know it’s winter. Absolutely reliable.

Top Notch Public Transport

Undoubtedly the best and safest I’ve ever seen. Trams, buses, boats, trains. Excellent connections across all countries. On time. Alright, sometimes 1 or 2 minutes delayed but not very often. Seriously. Impressive. If you plan to stay more than 7 days, get a Swiss Pass and you’ll have a lot of flexibility to hop on any train, cable car, boat without thinking too much about extra cost. If you stay less, do your math but make sure you buy tickets ahead. Fines are very expensive and painful. I know this from experience unfortunately!

Outstanding Education

It’s important to mention that the system is highly decentralised. Switzerland has 26 cantons and each one creates its own standards. Most schools are free. Lessons are taught in the language of the region, meaning up to 4 languages! German, French, Italian and Romansh. From very young age the kids learn one of the official ones and then English. It’s also a popular high education place for foreigners, especially in Lausanne, Geneva, Zurich, St. Gallen and Basel.

Business Culture

First things first. Salaries are very high and taxes not too high. This means that the net income can be significant compared to any other European locations. Competition is high too. In terms of business, the Swiss are very serious. Most of meetings are on time or no more than 5 minutes late. Meetings have clear objectives. Efficiency is everything. There are due dates for every single task. If you don’t have one, you’d better give one and stick to it if possible. Swiss are conservative and traditional as well as reserved and really not attempting to impress. In fact, quite modest. You don’t talk about your personal life at work as this is seen a bit unprofessional. No emotions. You focus on work, productivity and if possible, finish relatively early to go home and spend time with family. Gym is very unlikely in the evening as they prefer lunch time for the reason mentioned before: after work is family time. English is spoken everywhere but you’ll have an extra point if you speak German, French or Italian in addition to English. Hierarchy is the master, so you’re expected to respect according to the rank and be formal where possible.

Nature

I do believe that this is one of the most diverse and intense countries in terms of nature. You have mountains, valleys, falls, lakes, glaciers, reserves and countless natural wonders. I feel like in a collection of villages with very unique identities and stories to be told. No doubts why the Swiss truly love nature and strike a good work and life balance. Fun fact, I proposed in Mount Titlis, Engelberg. Google it 😉

Swiss Wine

Did you know about this one? Honestly, I didn’t know on my very first trip. Now, I love it. They export a very small percentage because there’s a high domestic demand and also because the labor cost is expensive as well as production, so it doesn’t make too much sense for them to sell abroad. They have over 250 variety of grapes in such a small country. Unbelievable and impressive. Around 60% red and 40% white wine. In Valais you’ll find whites like Chasselas, Petite Arvine or Sylvaner and reds like Pinot Noir, Syrah or Humagne. Then you have Vaud with some great Pinot Noir and Gamay. There’s also Ticino with amazing Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. These are only some examples. I was in EXPOVINA couple of years ago (world’s largest wine fair in Zurich) in Switzerland as well to some Wine tasting events in different cities. I’m not a sommelier but I was gladly impressed by the clean flavours, length and intensity.

Swiss Chocolate

This one is widely known but just want to drop few places if you plan to go in the future. Sprungli (best Luxemburgerli and pralines), Laderach (amazing chocolate bars), Max Chocolatier (special truffles), Du Rhone (never tried but I heard good reviews about their chocolate ganache) and Auer (well-rounded but less popular for tourists). No, I didn’t miss Lindt. It’s just not as good as everyone thinks, at least for locals.

Watches

Quality timepiece is undoubtedly synonym of Switzerland. Don’t go anywhere else. These watches have very high standards for their mechanisms, they use metal gears and can be serviced for life. All components and links are made really strong. Did you know that most of them are made with 316L surgical steel? Completely high grade. Meaning more resistance to corrosives and less chance to wear and tear. They are even hypo-allergenic. There’s also a sapphire crystal in many of them. They are expensive but reliable and stylish. Make sure you see the “Swiss Made” term on the watch. I personally love Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacturer, especially the Master Ultra-Thin Moon, Reverso and obviously the Master Control Tourbillon Dualtime.