If you require removals to Switzerland and are a lover of castles and historic buildings, as many people are, then regardless of which canton you are moving to, Switzerland will not disappoint. There are a great many historic buildings that you are able to visit and some that may even be available to purchase. There are fairytale castles, magnificent mansions, and some fine old city buildings, which are bound to catch your eye. Once you have organised your removals to Switzerland and have settled in the country, you may wish to explore the local area and visit some of these wondrous edifices.
If you are looking for an experienced removals team to help with your removals to Switzerland, Hamiltons Removals are the ones to call. We have over 20 years’ experience in the business and regularly move people to and from all parts of Europe. We offer cost effective moving solutions and can tailor our service to your exact requirements. We offer full or part-load removals, we can provide secure storage and do the packing and unpacking for you. We can help you to fill out the customs forms. We can even help with the professional cleaning of the home you have just vacated. We have looked at every aspect of your removal and offer you a workable, affordable solution.
In this article, we have brought together our pick of the TOP 10 Swiss castles and historic buildings but, of course, we understand that any Top 10 is subjective so if you know of any that you feel we should have included, please feel free to add your comments.
Removals to Switzerland – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service.
Our Guide to Some of the Most Interesting Buildings in Switzerland
Abbey Church - Payerne
This is one of the most significant churches in Switzerland. Built in the 11th-century by the first religious community to be set up in the area, it was constructed in stages over 140 years. It would have stood alone and without protection if it weren’t for its connections with the Abbey in Cluny and the Royal family. Its beauty and charm are well preserved and presented. Sculpted and decorated from floor to ceiling and wall to wall, this is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture to be found anywhere in Switzerland. The building has since lost its religious status, but is used instead to host the most prestigious art exhibitions.
Batiment des Forces Motrices – Banks of the Rhone
The BFM as it is locally and affectionately known is a prime example of how to use and re-use brown belt land. An industrial site since May 1886, it was transformed into an Opera House in September of 1997. Situated as an island in the middle of the Rhone, It began life as a hydraulic power station supplying water under high pressure to the city's fountains, houses and factories. Decommissioned in the 1960’s and classified an historic building in 1988, its cultural future was secured when, in 1994, representatives of the Grand Theatre said they needed another location for their 1997-1998 season. Several phone calls, some construction and refurbishment later, it became the new 1000 seater Grand Theatre.
Benedictine Convent of St John
The Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair features the best examples of Romanesque murals, frescoes and stuccoes to be found anywhere in Switzerland. Situated in the upper valley of the Canton of Grisons, the building underwent some interior remodelling around 1908 and then again, throughout the late 40's and early 50's. It was during these alterations that the removal of a Gothic ceiling and whitewashing revealed scenes from the Old and New Testaments dating back to the Carolingian period AD751- 987. The discovery of this artwork, painted in ochres, reds and browns, led to the site being given UNESCO world cultural heritage status.
Chenaux Castle
Not far from Payerne with its historic Abbey Church, about eight kilometres to the northwest, is the small medieval town of Estavayer. This is where you'll find the impressive Château de Chenaux. Overlooking Lake Neuchâtel and the Grande Cariçaie nature reserve, this 14th century castle is quite simply splendid. It has been through the wars a bit in its time and just one of its towers still stands but, even so, a walk around the grounds and courtyards will give you all the impression you'll need of the majesty of the place and the views of the surrounding countryside that you get from the turrets is lovely.
Château de Chillon
One of the prettiest châteaux in all of Switzerland, Château de Chillon is easy to get to too. Follow the main road from Lausanne and take the Villeneuve exit, the one after Montreux. Take the road down to the lake then turn right, you'll soon reach a car park and the entrance to the château. Give yourselves a good couple of hours, as there is a lot to see. There is a guided ipod tour available which is very interesting and all the rooms are numbered to correspond with it. After your tour, you might like to take a picnic by the lake; the views and surrounding countryside are very pretty.
Château de Prangins
Now forming part of the Swiss National Museum, Château de Prangins, which dates back to 1730, is very much open for business. It has played host to many famous guests over the years and will doubtless go on doing so for many years to come. The immaculate parks and gardens that surround the house are a joy to walk around, as is the building itself, which has been painstakingly restored to its original glory. The château houses a permanent museum and regularly features special exhibitions detailing Swiss life in the 18th and 19th centuries. There is a varied programme of other events reflecting Swiss art, culture and society.
Church San Guerg
There are many St. George’s Basilicas around the world but only one Church San Guerg in Lavin. Many tourists visit the Church all year round and, once there, you'll realise why. They come to see the famous murals dating back to 1500. The reformation of the churches saw them whitewashed, as in the case of the Benedictine Convent of St John, but the renovations of 1956 have bought them back to their former splendour. These, together with countless paintings, ornaments, intricate plasterwork and masonry, make this church well worth a visit. It’s a working church so don’t be surprised to find the place busy if your visit should coincide with Mass.
Ittingen Charterhouse
This 850-year-old building in the municipality of Warth is one of the region’s most important cultural sites. These days it is a training and conference centre with a worldwide reputation for excellence. There's a lot going on here, from its hotel and restaurant complex serving the most wonderful cuisine to its farming estate with cheese making factory and vineyard. There's a residential care home and nursery, workplaces for the disabled and an art museum. Here, people from all over the world and of all religions come to learn, to meditate and to be at one with each other in contemplation and spiritual connectivity.
Tarasp Castle
We have mouthwash to thank for this not-so-little Swiss gem. Karl August Lingner, the man behind the Odol oral hygiene brand, bought the castle as a neglected, run-down shell and completely gutted it. In the ensuing years, he spared no expense in returning the castle to better than former glory. Nothing in the castle is original and yet everything is correct and of the period. The gardens too received an extensive make over and are a joy to walk around. This was a huge restoration job. You should allocate at least half a day when visiting here and there are plenty of lovely restaurants to visit locally.
Museum Castle Kyburg
Overlooking the River Töss, the museum traces Castle Kyburg’s 800-year history giving a real insight into castle life over the centuries. As well as looking around its cellar, attic, torture chamber and kitchens, and for a truly interactive experience, you can take part in a staged court of justice. The castle once belonged to the “Count of Kyburg” Hartmann von Dillingen. The v. Dillingen’s were one of the most important and influential families in the area, after the Habsburgs and the Savoys. Join the club at Schloss Kyburg and you’ll receive free admission, a yearbook with historical information and invites to special events.
About Hamiltons Removals
For over 20 years now, Hamiltons Removals have been offering a tailored, bespoke removals service to all parts of the UK, Europe and beyond. We specialize in low cost, high quality removals and provide a service that is second to none. Our reputation speaks for us. We take pride in our work and in the fact that so many of our clients happily recommend our services to their friends. Peruse our online brochure and call us on 0845 003 8259. We look forward to assisting you with your removals to Switzerland.
Removals to Switzerland – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service or click here for a free European removals quote.
Monday 27 May 2013
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Removals to Switzerland – Most Picturesque Places to Visit
If you are looking to move to a country with spectacular and dramatic scenery, Switzerland has all of this and more. It is a country with many picturesque places to visit. Just think of the views you will encounter as you take in the awesome Alps, the beautiful lakes and the charming countryside. If you are seeking removals to Switzerland, it’s understandable that you'll want to explore these areas to discover more about this most scenic of countries.
If you are looking for the very best in removals to Switzerland, Hamiltons have the answer. At Hamiltons removals, we have worked hard to build a reputation based on our dedication to quality customer service and keen pricing. When it comes to domestic removals and commercial relocations, our 20 years plus in the removals industry have taught us the value of these things to both home-owners and business people alike.
Our range of services is as varied and bespoke as you need it to be. We offer full or part load removals, dependant upon the size of your move. We have a highly secure and fully insured storage facility. We offer a full packing and unpacking service should you require it and we even offer a cleaning service to professionally clean the property you have vacated, so you don’t have to. All of this we have put in place to ensure that your removals to Switzerland are as stress free and cost effective as possible
Removals to Switzerland – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service.
Here is our TOP 10 of the most scenic places to visit in Switzerland.
Lake Geneva
Where else could we start our tour of Switzerland's finest, if not at Lake Geneva? Often described as the prettiest lake in Europe, it is certainly one of the largest. The hotels and restaurants about its fringes offer some of the finest cuisine and, seen on a good day, the view of the lake with its mountainous backdrop set against a clear blue sky is, quite honestly, breath-taking. Don’t forget to look out for the famous Jet d'Eau, Geneva’s famed water fountain. You'll see it everywhere, on every piece of tourist literature and every book about the city; it’s the logo of the tourist office and Geneva’s prime photo opportunity.
Zermatt with views of the Matterhorn
The term “breath-taking” is overused these days but, when used in connection with Zermatt and The Matterhorn, it is particularly apt. Don’t bring your car unless its electric, the internal combustion engine has been banned. As a result, you can hear nature. In Zermatt, you can hear the birds and the crickets, you can hear the sounds of local children laughing and playing and the church bells as they ring out calling the locals to prayer. The horse and cart is popular here as are bicycles but you must be vigilant in the city as the electric car is virtually silent and taxi drivers forget people don’t have eyes in the back of their heads.
Mürren, Berner Oberland
If it’s mountains you're after, then they don't get much better than here in this tiny little village. Like Zermatt, it is car-free, which is a good thing since it is perched right on the edge of a 3000ft cliff. Surrounded by mountains, everywhere you look there's another awe-inspiring sight and it offers the perfect landscape for hiking. As you may expect, the shopping here is pretty poor and the nightlife even more so, but that is not why people come here, it’s not what they want. Visitors to Mürren come in search of peace and tranquillity. They come to appreciate some of the finest natural landscapes in the world.
Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is situated just across the valley from Mürren. Literally translated as “Many Fountains”, this incredible landscape features 72 waterfalls in all, some of the most impressive and beautiful in Europe. There are many excursions to be had in the area with long walks, hiking and cross country skiing being favoured pastimes. There are lots of interesting places to see in the area, fans of James Bond 007 will love nearby Schilthorn, the 2,970 metre high summit of the Bernese Alps, where OHMSS was filmed. You can even organise a “007” themed wedding in the area, made extra special because this is where it all happened.
St. Moritz
St Moritz is one of the most famous addresses in the world, right up there with Beverley Hills, Monaco and Marbella. Yes the skiing is fantastic but St Moritz is more than just a ski resort: it is THE place to be seen. The rich and famous have been coming here for years, many taking the Glacier Express from Zermatt to arrive in style and cable cars to reach the three closest summits. St Moritz is one of the world's oldest and possibly most famous mountain resorts and there is as much going on off piste as there is on it, with posh hotels, chic restaurants, luxurious spas and as much high end shopping as you could wish for.
Lucerne
The city of Lucerne is best toured on foot and there are many guided tours in operation here. Your tour is sure to include the world-famous Chapel Bridge and Water Tower, the Jesuit Church, the Mill Bridge, the Lion Monument and the ultra modern KKL culture and convention centre and then, of course, there's the lake. Lake Lucerne is clean and crystal clear. Look over the side of any boat or bridge and you can see the bottom; you can see the fish swimming in amongst the rocks. Take a trip on one of the paddle steamer ferryboats. Lunch and dinner is available and the quality of food and service, not to mention the scenery, is top notch.
Interlaken
If you consider yourselves outdoorsy types, there's no better place than Interlaken. In the summer months, you can go hiking along one of many local trails and you can take part in one of the many adrenaline sports on offer here including: paragliding, sky diving, hang gliding, bungee jumping, canyoning, mountain biking, river rafting and rock climbing. And, in the winter of course, there's skiing, snowboarding, sledging and ice-skating to do. If the thought of doing any of that fills you more with dread than with excitement, you could always take a long leisurely walk along the shores the Thun and the Brienz.
Montreux
Famous for its annual jazz festival, this place rocks in July. Since 1967 it has played host to the likes of jazz legends like Miles Davis and Ray Charles through to contemporary performers like David Bowie and Prince. This year's festival will include sessions from Leonard Cohen, Wyclef Jean, Green Day, ZZ Top, Jake Bugg, Prince, Kraftwerk, Sting, The Hives, George Benson, Joe Cocker and Deep Purple, so you can see, it’s more than just a jazz festival. Montreux has more to offer than just music though, the Riviera is chock full of culinary delights too, with 20 or so Michelin and Gault Millau registered eateries.
Vevey
The picturesque town of Vevey is full of floral displays and public art. One of the most startling and unexpected pieces on display here is a life size statue of Charlie Chaplin stood, part bent on cane, in his usual pose looking out over Lake Geneva. He lived nearby in Corsier-sur-Vevey on a 37-acre estate called Manoir de Ban. Chaplin is not the only artiste to have found inspiration in Vevey; in 1878 the US author Henry James wrote his novella "Daisy Miller" here during a stay at the Hôtel des Trois Couronnes and you can still book a room there today. The town has lost none of its charm over the years; you can still wander the streets and alleys of the old town, visiting fine art collections and markets along the way.
Gruyères
The picturesque village of Gruyères has more restaurants and eateries than any village of its size has any right to. On the main roads and side streets in the village you'll find dozens of them, 34 at the last count and Gruyères is not a big place. Walking around its ancient streets and alleyways, it is inevitable that you will succumb to the temptations of at least one of them on your way to visit the Castle and perhaps another, on the way back. Whichever restaurant you visit, they will all have at least one thing in common: the serving of Gruyère cheese. Everywhere you go around here, you can see the cheese makers hard at work, producing their Gruyère to a recipe that had remained the same for hundreds of years.
About Hamiltons Removals
For more than 20 years now, Hamiltons Removals have been providing removals services to all parts of Europe and beyond. Our cost effective, customer oriented service continues to build on our reputation for excellence, a reputation we are proud of. If you are looking for removals to Switzerland, contact us today for your free, no obligation quote.
Removals to Switzerland – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service or click here for a free European removals quote.
If you are looking for the very best in removals to Switzerland, Hamiltons have the answer. At Hamiltons removals, we have worked hard to build a reputation based on our dedication to quality customer service and keen pricing. When it comes to domestic removals and commercial relocations, our 20 years plus in the removals industry have taught us the value of these things to both home-owners and business people alike.
Our range of services is as varied and bespoke as you need it to be. We offer full or part load removals, dependant upon the size of your move. We have a highly secure and fully insured storage facility. We offer a full packing and unpacking service should you require it and we even offer a cleaning service to professionally clean the property you have vacated, so you don’t have to. All of this we have put in place to ensure that your removals to Switzerland are as stress free and cost effective as possible
Removals to Switzerland – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service.
Here is our TOP 10 of the most scenic places to visit in Switzerland.
Lake Geneva
Where else could we start our tour of Switzerland's finest, if not at Lake Geneva? Often described as the prettiest lake in Europe, it is certainly one of the largest. The hotels and restaurants about its fringes offer some of the finest cuisine and, seen on a good day, the view of the lake with its mountainous backdrop set against a clear blue sky is, quite honestly, breath-taking. Don’t forget to look out for the famous Jet d'Eau, Geneva’s famed water fountain. You'll see it everywhere, on every piece of tourist literature and every book about the city; it’s the logo of the tourist office and Geneva’s prime photo opportunity.
Zermatt with views of the Matterhorn
The term “breath-taking” is overused these days but, when used in connection with Zermatt and The Matterhorn, it is particularly apt. Don’t bring your car unless its electric, the internal combustion engine has been banned. As a result, you can hear nature. In Zermatt, you can hear the birds and the crickets, you can hear the sounds of local children laughing and playing and the church bells as they ring out calling the locals to prayer. The horse and cart is popular here as are bicycles but you must be vigilant in the city as the electric car is virtually silent and taxi drivers forget people don’t have eyes in the back of their heads.
Mürren, Berner Oberland
If it’s mountains you're after, then they don't get much better than here in this tiny little village. Like Zermatt, it is car-free, which is a good thing since it is perched right on the edge of a 3000ft cliff. Surrounded by mountains, everywhere you look there's another awe-inspiring sight and it offers the perfect landscape for hiking. As you may expect, the shopping here is pretty poor and the nightlife even more so, but that is not why people come here, it’s not what they want. Visitors to Mürren come in search of peace and tranquillity. They come to appreciate some of the finest natural landscapes in the world.
Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is situated just across the valley from Mürren. Literally translated as “Many Fountains”, this incredible landscape features 72 waterfalls in all, some of the most impressive and beautiful in Europe. There are many excursions to be had in the area with long walks, hiking and cross country skiing being favoured pastimes. There are lots of interesting places to see in the area, fans of James Bond 007 will love nearby Schilthorn, the 2,970 metre high summit of the Bernese Alps, where OHMSS was filmed. You can even organise a “007” themed wedding in the area, made extra special because this is where it all happened.
St. Moritz
St Moritz is one of the most famous addresses in the world, right up there with Beverley Hills, Monaco and Marbella. Yes the skiing is fantastic but St Moritz is more than just a ski resort: it is THE place to be seen. The rich and famous have been coming here for years, many taking the Glacier Express from Zermatt to arrive in style and cable cars to reach the three closest summits. St Moritz is one of the world's oldest and possibly most famous mountain resorts and there is as much going on off piste as there is on it, with posh hotels, chic restaurants, luxurious spas and as much high end shopping as you could wish for.
Lucerne
The city of Lucerne is best toured on foot and there are many guided tours in operation here. Your tour is sure to include the world-famous Chapel Bridge and Water Tower, the Jesuit Church, the Mill Bridge, the Lion Monument and the ultra modern KKL culture and convention centre and then, of course, there's the lake. Lake Lucerne is clean and crystal clear. Look over the side of any boat or bridge and you can see the bottom; you can see the fish swimming in amongst the rocks. Take a trip on one of the paddle steamer ferryboats. Lunch and dinner is available and the quality of food and service, not to mention the scenery, is top notch.
Interlaken
If you consider yourselves outdoorsy types, there's no better place than Interlaken. In the summer months, you can go hiking along one of many local trails and you can take part in one of the many adrenaline sports on offer here including: paragliding, sky diving, hang gliding, bungee jumping, canyoning, mountain biking, river rafting and rock climbing. And, in the winter of course, there's skiing, snowboarding, sledging and ice-skating to do. If the thought of doing any of that fills you more with dread than with excitement, you could always take a long leisurely walk along the shores the Thun and the Brienz.
Montreux
Famous for its annual jazz festival, this place rocks in July. Since 1967 it has played host to the likes of jazz legends like Miles Davis and Ray Charles through to contemporary performers like David Bowie and Prince. This year's festival will include sessions from Leonard Cohen, Wyclef Jean, Green Day, ZZ Top, Jake Bugg, Prince, Kraftwerk, Sting, The Hives, George Benson, Joe Cocker and Deep Purple, so you can see, it’s more than just a jazz festival. Montreux has more to offer than just music though, the Riviera is chock full of culinary delights too, with 20 or so Michelin and Gault Millau registered eateries.
Vevey
The picturesque town of Vevey is full of floral displays and public art. One of the most startling and unexpected pieces on display here is a life size statue of Charlie Chaplin stood, part bent on cane, in his usual pose looking out over Lake Geneva. He lived nearby in Corsier-sur-Vevey on a 37-acre estate called Manoir de Ban. Chaplin is not the only artiste to have found inspiration in Vevey; in 1878 the US author Henry James wrote his novella "Daisy Miller" here during a stay at the Hôtel des Trois Couronnes and you can still book a room there today. The town has lost none of its charm over the years; you can still wander the streets and alleys of the old town, visiting fine art collections and markets along the way.
Gruyères
The picturesque village of Gruyères has more restaurants and eateries than any village of its size has any right to. On the main roads and side streets in the village you'll find dozens of them, 34 at the last count and Gruyères is not a big place. Walking around its ancient streets and alleyways, it is inevitable that you will succumb to the temptations of at least one of them on your way to visit the Castle and perhaps another, on the way back. Whichever restaurant you visit, they will all have at least one thing in common: the serving of Gruyère cheese. Everywhere you go around here, you can see the cheese makers hard at work, producing their Gruyère to a recipe that had remained the same for hundreds of years.
About Hamiltons Removals
For more than 20 years now, Hamiltons Removals have been providing removals services to all parts of Europe and beyond. Our cost effective, customer oriented service continues to build on our reputation for excellence, a reputation we are proud of. If you are looking for removals to Switzerland, contact us today for your free, no obligation quote.
Removals to Switzerland – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service or click here for a free European removals quote.
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