We’re here in Basel, Switzerland, for the do’s and don’ts of visiting Switzerland and unusual things to do in Basel. And let me be honest, there’s a lot of do’s you want to do here and a few don’ts along the way. So I hope this article can help you know what to do and don’t do when you’re here in Switzerland.
1. Don’t choke to Death of fondue
And I have to tell you, I’ve got to start off with some safety advice. And that is, don’t choke on the fondue. Look, fondue really is all over the country, and you have to have one when you’re here. That creamy cheese, with some wine in it, just makes it fantastic.
And whether you’re dipping your bread in it or whatever, it’s fantastic. But do be careful, because if you get a little too rambunctious with that cheese, you can actually coat the back of your throat and choke a little bit. So if you’re going to be here with kids, have a heads up.
Or if you’re going to be in Switzerland with me having fondue, make sure I don’t choke to death because Jocelyn’s watched me die a few times because of the fondue because it’s so good. And just just know that, okay, maybe raclette would be a safer alternative than having fondue all the time when you’re here. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
2. Don’t Waste a Second on the Train
Okay, now my second don’t for you is don’t waste one second looking at your phone, reading a book, or doing anything else when you’re on the train here, except for looking out the window.
When you take the train through Switzerland, it truly feels like you are in God’s country. I mean, it is just gorgeous and probably the prettiest place in Europe. When you’re taking the trains through and you see the little houses on the hill and you see the mountains up there, there’s Jungfrau, there’s Zermatt, and you see all this stuff.
And it’s just gorgeous. When I’m on the trains here and I see people playing video games, using their switches, or doing anything else that makes me feel sad, I urge myself to stop. Just look out the window.
I mean, it’s just gorgeous. Just unbelievably gorgeous. Okay, so don’t don’t pass that up.
For me, the most memorable aspect of traveling through Switzerland is experiencing the trains and taking in the breathtaking scenery. This is one of the one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
3. Don’t Overestimate your Mountain Experience
And if you’re going to be experiencing that nature, one thing I have to tell you is don’t underestimate your mountain experience, because hiking is a big thing here.
And as a traveler, you should definitely go on some hikes wherever you’re going to go throughout the country. Now there’s a different level of difficulty. That’s one thing to think about.
Also, think about the shoes you’re going to be wearing. Do you have shoes that are going to be good for hiking? That’s going to be something there. Also, if you want to stay in one of those huts, yes, there’s one you can stay at when you go hiking. Make sure you’re checking those things out beforehand. So it’s all arranged.
4. Don’t Forget to check the Weather
Probably the most important thing, like mountain experience, you need to think about is don’t forget to check the weather, because the weather can vary a lot when you’re in the mountains.
And when you’re on those hikes, you want to stay safe because you want to hike some more and see some more beautiful nature here in Switzerland. Okay, so do be aware of that. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
5. Don’t get confused with the languages
Now, when you’re going around the country, I think one thing that’s really important for you is don’t get confused with the languages when you’re here, because there’s actually four official languages.
You’ve got German, you’ve got French, you’ve got Italian, and then you’ve got Romanish. And not everyone speaks all of them. They speak the language of their region, and then maybe one other one, and then they’ll speak some English.
But don’t expect everyone to speak all the languages when you’re here. So as a tourist, if you speak English, you should be fine. Obviously, try to speak to some of the locals, like hellos and hi’s, when you’re here in the different parts.
But yeah, I mean, don’t get too confused with the languages because there’s a lot here. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
6. Don’t ever try Swiss German
And as someone who speaks Hochdeutsch and high German, I’ll tell you right now, don’t even bother with Swiss German because I think I speak Hochdeutsch pretty well. And I have no clue what the Swiss Germans are saying.
Okay, so just be aware of that for my German-speaking friends. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
7. Don’t Expect your Money to Go Far
Now another thing I think I have to mention, just like every travel blog mentions here in Switzerland, is: don’t expect this to be a cheap visit. And don’t expect this to be an affordable visit.
Switzerland is an expensive place to visit, whether you’re going out to eat, getting accommodation, or, you know, doing excursions, hikes, or skiing. I mean, it’s not going to be a cheap thing. Like we have a video on budget tips for visiting Switzerland.
And the first thing I say is that there’s really no budget tip. There are just some things you can do to minimize the damage to your wallet. And once you realize that, it’s easier to kind of enjoy this.
It’s like when you go to Disney World, you know, you’re going to spend a lot of money, and you’re okay with it. First, if you think I’m going to save money, it doesn’t go as well. That’s why I just understand, but don’t think you’re going to save money when you’re here.
It’s going to be pricey. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
8. Don’t forget to take advantages of the Passes
Okay. Now, one of the best things you can do to kind of mitigate a bit of those prices is don’t forget to get a pass.
Now, you may say which pass to mark because there’s lots of passes. Yes, there are lots of passes here: the Swiss pass, the half-fare pass, you go to different cities, you might have the Zurich pass, Zurich card, Basel pass, Basel card, whatever. What’s cool is that they have all these discount deals you can get.
Now you have to buy the card, but if you get the Swiss pass, you can cover your transportation. If you get the Zurich pass or a card, like you get the museums, And if you use those, you’re going to visit all those sites that can actually save you hundreds of dollars, or hundreds of francs.
While you’re here, if you’re here for a few days or a couple weeks, it does make a difference. So don’t pass up getting passes when you come here to Switzerland. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
9. Don’t Miss Out on Some Adventures
Now, I know I talked about, you know, hiking and stuff like that.
But I think another thing is really important: don’t miss out on the other kinds of outdoor experiences that you can have here in Switzerland. Now, probably the most famous place in Switzerland for travelers to go to for, you know, you’re kayaking, you’re canyoning, you’re spelunking, and all that kind of fun, crazy mountainy stuff is Interlaken. And I’ll be honest with you: Interlaken is a fun place to go.
Balmers is probably the most famous hostel in Europe that people go to. And they’ve been going since I was a kid, you know, so don’t think Interlaken is the only place you go in Switzerland to enjoy the fun kayaking and outdoor activities. There are lots of places.
But to be honest, for me, that’s the most fun one. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
10. Don’t be Too Proud to Stay in a Hotel
Okay. Now, another thing I don’t expect when you come here is that you shouldn’t be too proud to stay in a hostel.
I know some people, as we get older, are like, Oh, hostels are for kids. Not here in Switzerland. Hostels are actually significantly more affordable than staying at a hotel, especially if you’re a solo traveler.
I mean, your money goes a lot farther than those hostels. And you can meet other travelers. And the thing is, the whole country has a great hosteling network.
So you can really get that and go back to Interlaken and Balmers. Yes, yes, yes, we have that. But all over the country, you have fantastic hostels.
And it’s not just for young people. It’s for old people as well. We were in Zurich a few years ago.
And we stayed with grandma, grandpa, me, Jocelyn, and the boys. Yes, we shared the bathroom and the showers. But it was worth it because the amount of money we saved helped us get a lot farther along in Switzerland. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
11. Don’t Break The Rules
So another thing I don’t have for you here in Switzerland is that you don’t break the rules. Whatever the rules and regulations are, the Swiss really like their rules and regulations, and they want everyone to follow them. Now they might not tell you that you’re breaking the rules, though they might definitely tell you that.
But just know if you are, there’s some Swiss person shaking their head going tourist. So just a heads up for that. You know, if you follow the rules, you’ll be okay. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
12. Don’t Skip the Towns and Cities
Another thing I need to say, though, is that I know I’ve been really harping on the outdoor adventure, you know, kind of stuff here in Switzerland. I also have to say, don’t skip the towns and cities of Switzerland because they are gorgeous. Walking through Basel, going into the town hall, and seeing the courtyard there, all done up going to Lucerne, walking on the covered bridges, and taking in the old town.
I mean, Lake Geneva going through Geneva and stuff in Zurich and Bahnhofstrasse and doing the shopping there. I mean, there’s so many great towns and cities you can go to; St. Gallen is fantastic. Go to the Italian part, and you’ll feel like you’re in Swiss Italy.
You know, it’s such a fantastic thing to see these little towns and big cities, but just how beautiful they are, the architecture that’s in them, the churches, and the paintings on the walls. I mean, it’s just really, really fantastic. So don’t think it’s just taking in the natural beauty here.
There’s also the city and the urban beauty that’s here in Switzerland. Now, when you’re in those cities, you might be thinking, Oh, we’re going to have a good time. We’re going to party and go all out. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
13. Don’t Expect an Exciting Party Center Visit
Well, I have to tell you this much. Don’t expect to do too much partying when you’re here in Switzerland. That is not the case here.
That’s just not a thing. OK, anything loud and boisterous is just not a thing here in Switzerland. So probably not a good place to do your bachelor or bachelorette party, just to let you know. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
14. Don’t Worry About Tipping
If you are going out to eat here, I have a little don’t for you. I don’t think you have to tip. Service is already included on your bills.
I mean, you can tip, but you don’t have to. It wasn’t expected. So, that can be helpful for you.
And the thing is, as I talk about tipping, that leads into service. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
15. Don’t Assume the Service Personnel Will Help you for no reason
And one thing I will say about service here in Switzerland: don’t expect them to come up and ask you if you want help. Now, if you need help, you need to go and ask them.
Just like a Swiss person, they won’t come up and help you. But if you ask for help, they will come and assist you. And when you’re here, you’ll get professional service.
Don’t expect to be friendly. Don’t expect to be prompt. But you have to ask, so don’t just expect the service to show up.
That’s why it’s important when the menu comes. Make sure you get your order in as soon as you can, just so we can get the process going. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
16. Don’t Use Euros
OK, so speaking of those tips, I think it’s important to mention this.
Don’t think they use euros when you’re here in Switzerland. They use the Swiss franc. Now, credit cards are taken all over the place, and a lot of places will take some euros.
But remember, Swiss francs are the way to go. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
17. Don’t Be Loud is most Unusual things to do in Basel
And I really think I need to reemphasize this one. Don’t be loud.
The Swiss do not like loud people. They don’t like loud things. If you’re on the train, if you’re on the bus, if you’re going out to eat, if you’re walking around town,.
I mean, I’m filming all these videos in Switzerland on the river with nobody around me because I don’t want to upset any of the locals because they really don’t like loudness. OK, and what’s crazy is that there’s actually a regulation about loudness. So if you’re going to be staying someplace, you might not be able to flush the toilet too late at night or do laundry on a Sunday or whatever.
You need to be aware of your noise level when you’re here. So if you’re one of those loud talkers, be ready to bring it down to the inside when you’re going to your hotels, restaurants, or cafes. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
18. Don’t Expect to Make Local Friends
And with that kind of thing, I think one thing I need to let you know is: don’t expect to make a lot of Swiss friends when you’re here.
You know, when you travel around, sometimes you can meet people really quickly and make some local friends. It’s a bit tougher here because small talk and getting to know people aren’t as much of a thing here. It’s much more of a reserved society.
Now, like I said, if you talk to them, they will probably talk back, but they probably don’t want to because small talk really isn’t a thing here. They’ll look at you like, Why are you talking to me? I don’t know. So just to be aware of that, This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
19. Don’t Forget to Try The Swiss Wine
Swiss wine is another fantastic thing you need to have when you’re here in Switzerland. I know we never really think about Swiss wine because we don’t see it in our local wine store. That’s because the Swiss drink all of their wine.
So when you’re here, make sure you try some of the Swiss wine. It is fantastic. This is one of the most unusual things to do in Basel.
20. Don’t Mix up the “Swiss Cheese” From Home with the Swiss Chess in Switzerland
And then I want to finish off with this very important don’t, which is don’t confuse the Swiss cheese from your local grocery store back home with Swiss cheese here in Switzerland.
Because, as you know, the Swiss cheese back home has those big holes and looks like it’s from a cartoon. That’s how they roll here. There are different regional cheeses.
There’s seasonal cheese. There’s all kinds of great cheese from here. And no, it’s not just for a slice of fondue cheese, okay? There are so many kinds of cheeses here.
And don’t think that when they say we’re going to have a cheese plate, it’s going to be a bunch of that stuff you got from home. No, that is an insult to the word swiss cheese, okay? Because when you’re here, the cheese is amazing, all right? So I hope these have helped you know a bit more about what to do and what not to do when you come here to Switzerland. It’s a beautiful country.
Nature really is God’s country when you’re here. When you’re going through on the trains, it’s just beauty beyond belief.
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