Why Switzerland Captivates Visitors from Around the World

Ever wondered what makes Switzerland unique? In this special episode, three passionate Switzerland experts - each with a very different connection to the country - share why Switzerland holds such a special place in their hearts.

Together, we explore everything from Switzerland's breathtaking landscapes and seamless public transport to its rich traditions, regional cultures and unforgettable experiences. 

You'll also hear their top tips for first-time visitors, favourite Swiss foods, how they'd spend their perfect day in Switzerland and the one piece of advice they think every traveller should know before planning their trip.

Whether you're dreaming of your first Swiss vacation or already planning your next visit, this episode is packed with inspiration and practical travel tips.

Happy travels,
Carolyn

👉 Show notes - Episode 200

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Transcript

Carolyn Schönafinger: This week we're celebrating a very special milestone, episode 200 of the Holidays to Switzerland podcast. To mark the occasion, I've invited 3 guests who each have a unique connection to Switzerland. One was born and raised there, another made Switzerland his home after moving from the UK, and the third is an American with Swiss heritage. They share their favourite things about Switzerland, discuss what makes the country so unique, reveal their perfect Swiss day out, and offer top tips for first-time visitors. Whether you're planning your first trip to Switzerland or simply can't get enough of the country, I know you'll enjoy hearing these 3 different perspectives on one incredible destination. Welcome to the Holidays to Switzerland Podcast. I'm Carolyn Schönafinger, your Switzerland destination expert and the founder of holidaystoswitzerland.com. Each week, together with my expert guests, I introduce you to the Switzerland that I know and love and share inspiration and practical tips to help you plan your dream Swiss vacation. Before we dive in, a quick thank you to our podcast sponsors, Switzerland Tourism and Echo Rails. If you're planning a trip to Switzerland, you'll know just how much there is to consider. With so many incredible places to visit, figuring out your itinerary, booking accommodation, and choosing the right rail pass can quickly start to feel overwhelming.

Carolyn Schönafinger: So that's where Echo Rails comes in. Their small group rail tours are carefully curated so that everything is taken care of for you. From the moment you arrive at the airport, your accommodation, transport, daily breakfasts and dinners, scenic excursions, and a knowledgeable local English-speaking guide are all included, so you can simply relax and enjoy the journey. If travelling through Switzerland with a small group tour sounds like your ideal way to explore, you'll find more details via the link in the show notes. Along with an exclusive 5% discount code. Now let's get into this week's episode. Grüezi! Hi there. 200 episodes. I honestly can't believe we're here. When I first launched this podcast in June 2020, I simply wanted to share my knowledge and experience and love of Switzerland and help other people plan their own amazing trips. I never imagined we'd still be here 200 episodes later, talking all things Switzerland every single week. So before we hear from today's guests, I just want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who's listened, shared an episode, sent me a message, or trusted my advice to help you plan your Swiss adventure. I very rarely get to meet any of you in person, so just knowing that you're listening somewhere in the world, it really means so much to me.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Of course, the podcast is made all the more special thanks to the wonderful guests who have joined me over the last 6 years, some of whom I now call friends and meet up with whenever I'm in Switzerland. Thank you also to my fantastic editors, Roxette and Randy, and the sponsors of the podcast, Switzerland Tourism, who have supported the podcast from its very early days, and more recently to Eco Rails and My Mountains, who have also thrown their support behind the podcast. I sincerely appreciate every one of you. My own love affair with Switzerland actually began almost 40 years ago when the Contiki Tours bus that I was on arrived in Lauterbrunnen. I had no idea back then that one trip would eventually lead to this podcast, to my website, and in fact an entire business built with a purpose of helping travellers plan their trips to Switzerland. It has been a lot of work, but I feel incredibly blessed and I have you to thank for that. So let's hear from our guests and their own stories about Switzerland. Joining me today are Andy Neff, who was born and raised in Switzerland and is a train enthusiast who works for Travel Switzerland.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Representing Swiss public transport. James Wilson, who grew up in the UK and moved to Switzerland more than 10 years ago, and he has developed a real passion for Swiss culture and traditions. And finally, Kristen Fleming, who is a dual American and Swiss citizen, thanks to her Swiss-born grandparents. And she's a self-proclaimed Swiss superfan. So, welcome to you all. Now, before we hear your stories, I just wanted to start with one simple question. In one sentence, can you tell me why you love Switzerland? So, let's start with James.

James Wilson: Well, what a, what a tough one to start with. I would say the combination of the spectacular scenery and the infrastructure that allows us to travel around it so easily.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Good reason. Now, Andy, what about you?

Andy Nef: Well, that's pretty easy because of its diversity and culture. There are not many countries in the world where you find snow-peaked mountains, lakes, palm trees, and metropolitan cities so close together. And of course, everything is so well connected with the Swiss public transport system.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Absolutely is. Kristin, what, what's your reason for loving Switzerland so much?

Christen Fleming: I love, especially, you know, what James and Andy have already said, all of those opportunities to just be able to experience awe, you know, and, and it's just, it's endless, whether it is the cities or the mountains or the lakes, it's just amazing.

Carolyn Schönafinger: So much in one small country. Okay. So, Andy, would you like to tell us a bit about yourself, please, and your connection to Switzerland and your role with Travel Switzerland?

Andy Nef: Well, I'm born and raised in Switzerland, actually in the eastern part of the country, in the Canton of St. Gallen. The valley where I was brought up is called Toggenburg. So that's really rural Switzerland. And railways started to play an important role in my life very early. My father was a stationmaster and we used to live in the railway station, but I decided by my own will to join the railways. So I've been working there for quite a few years now, adding up to 32 years and with the company currently Travel Switzerland for 12 years.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Fantastic. Now, James, your background is quite different because you moved from the UK to Switzerland and now you've obviously been there for over 10 years and built your own business there as well. So, How did that happen and, and why did Switzerland capture your heart?

James Wilson: Well, it all started when I moved to the French Alps whilst I was at university, and that's where my love for the Alps in general started. And having learned French for a few years, I then worked for the French State Railways back in London, and it was during that time that I then came into contact for the first time with the team who were looking after the Swiss Railways. In the London office. And shortly afterwards, I took my first trip over here. Can't remember how long ago it was now, but my first mountain excursion was up the Stanserhorn Glacier. And I think it was at that moment when I stood at the stop, the top of the Stanserhorn Glacier that I realised, yeah, this is, this is the destination I now want to promote. And I was lucky enough to be, we can fast forward a few years and then I was lucky enough to work for the London office for a few years and then move to the head office in Zurich, but I was pleasantly surprised when they said I could live wherever I liked as long as I didn't mind being in the office 2 days a week.

James Wilson: So when I told them that I'd like to live in Wengen but commute to Zurich, the first reaction was that I'd completely lost my mind because it was so far. But I said, actually, that's what I was doing in the London office anyway. So I moved to Wengen 10 years ago, and once I moved here, that was it. I'm not going to move anywhere else. And those listeners that have been here will know why.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, absolutely. Kristen, you, you've got quite a unique family connection through your Swiss grandparents. When did you first visit Switzerland and when did you actually first fall in love with it?

Christen Fleming: Well, yes. So it was my mom's parents, my maternal grandparents who immigrated from Glarus in the eastern part of Switzerland when they were adults already. So, and, and growing up, I was very close to my grandfather and I was kind of surrounded by Swiss culture and didn't, didn't even know it. You know, he was a chef. And so I fell in love with Swiss food before realising, you know, I was eating Alper, Alper Macaroni and, and just, that was my, my childhood. And then as I started to get older, we would take trips over there to visit family and, and I just, I loved it and it was. You know, more about seeing family or, or being curious about the country. But the more and more I visited it, I realised it wasn't just the connection to family, but the country itself. I just, I loved, and I think everybody here, obviously we're, we're here for the same reason. We, we all know why it's, it's so magical. And before long I was just completely hooked and, and, uh, kind of became an expert because I just, I, I can't get enough. So the more that I learn, the more I know that I want to learn about it.

Christen Fleming: And I just, I, I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to have that, that dual citizenship to easily be able to do so.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Fantastic. Okay. And as an American, I know obviously you visit Switzerland frequently, but I know you also talk to a lot of other Americans who are planning trips to Switzerland. What are some of the biggest surprises that they discover when they get get to Switzerland for the first time?

Christen Fleming: I think the number one thing that everyone says they're a little nervous about it at first because it's very different than what we have in most places in the United States is the public transportation and how intuitive it is and how well planned it is. And it just, it works and you really do not need a car. It's just very easy. Like we're here for a couple weeks now and we're obviously not, we're not renting a car and it's all public transportation and it just is, is seamless. And that it's just, it's so much more than the mountains that everybody sees. It's, it is that transportation that you're able to see on the journey, the, the beautiful nature, whether it is the, the mountains or the lakes or the, the little villages. It's, it's so much more than just what they expected to see. It's just, uh, all these little hidden surprises along the way. They allow themselves to be curious. They're, they're able to find, and it's not, you don't have to have that go, go, go mentality in order to truly enjoy it. It's, you can be more, it's not necessarily slower, but more intentional.

Christen Fleming: And I, I feel like I, I, I see that in the people here and my family.

Christen Fleming: It's very intentional in what they choose to spend their time on. And then they take that time and really make it matter.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. And as you say, coming from a country like the US or from Australia and probably even from the UK where, where we are so dependent on getting around by car, the public transport is a huge surprise, I think, for, for most people. James, um, since you've moved to Switzerland, you've really embraced a lot of the Swiss traditions. What is it about those traditions that you like so much and what made you want to get involved?

James Wilson: Well, I think that as far as the traditions go, the same applies for any country. I think they're so, they're so important for the, for the country's identity. And Switzerland has so many traditions. Being able to play a part in just a couple of them is a, is a huge honour. And, and it all happened when I was discussing my move over here with my, my previous boss in, in London. And he, one really good piece of advice he gave me was when you arrive, try and find a club locally and join it. And it doesn't matter what it is, but just join it and watch what difference it makes to the locals when you demonstrate that you're willing to integrate with them. And so to cut a very long storey short, I got friendly with some of the local farmers who invited me to join the bell-ringing club, the Trikler, and that's where we parade down the street with large cowbells making a huge racket. And that's one of the traditions that we have up here in the Alps and in fact all over the country. And being involved in such a thing, not only does it mean a lot to me, but it also, when the guests see these traditions in action, you see the look on their faces, they think, these things are actually real.

James Wilson: I've seen videos of this or YouTube clips of this, but this actually does exist. And so being able to join them, helping my integration in the process was, was a huge honour. Anything else that comes up in the village, I tend to get involved with because I really see the importance of keeping these traditions alive.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And places like Wengen over the summer months, they have regular performances, don't they, of the local traditions, not only the bell ringing, but yodelling and the Alphorn playing, et cetera.

James Wilson: That's right. We have, well, we have the cheese festival at the end of the summer, which is as it which the name suggests, a celebration of the cheese and the fact that the cows are coming down from the mountain. We also celebrate the cows going up the mountain at the beginning of the summer before then celebrating them on their way back down. But we have a regular Thursday evening concert whereby we start the evening with our cowbells. We have Alphorn players, we have the local dancers, we have the flag throwers, kind of traditions again, which are not just unique to Wengen, but very much unique to Switzerland. And all the guests are invited. It's free of charge. They're really surprised to see such a concert for tourists being put on at no cost to anyone. And then they also get involved so they can come on the stage and join the dancers. They can have photographs taken with all of us. The Alphorn player tends to be the Mick Jagger of— he's the real rock star of the show. Everyone crowds around him at the end for a photo. And just seeing, yeah, just seeing the pleasure it brings to the tourists whilst they're here is fantastic.

James Wilson: As I said before, being involved in such a thing is really special for me.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, and it certainly is a wonderful spectacle for anyone to see. Andy, Switzerland's trains are famous around the world, and for very good reason, but they're only one part of the transport network. What are some of the other unique ways that visitors can travel around Switzerland that perhaps, you know, people don't know about?

Andy Nef: I have to say that Switzerland is quite special in terms of public transport. We have a fully integrated network of public transport. It's not only the trains bringing people to all these beautiful places here, but also buses, boats, and city transportation, and they are connecting all parts in the country. Well, as Kristin said, you don't need a car in Switzerland. And I have to admit that I bought my first car about 8 years ago, and before I was doing everything by public transport. That's absolutely possible, and I'm not the only one. And that makes it so special to spend time in Switzerland and discover the country.

Carolyn Schönafinger: So for those folks that don't know, if they are heading up into the mountains and let's say they're starting from one of the cities, the connections between the different modes of transport are all just seamless, aren't they? From train to cog railway or to cable car or to funicular.

Andy Nef: Yes, all the timetables are synchronised and meaning when you have to change from a train to a bus to get into the more remote areas, you can be sure that the bus is waiting in front of the railway station and it will leave a few minutes after you have arrived. And the same thing applies to your return journey. The bus is arriving just a few minutes before the train leaves, et cetera. And that, that really makes it, makes it very easy to get around and don't worry about 2, 3 minutes connecting time. Time. That's just normal here because distances are short. In a small station, you can usually just get off one train and get on the other side of the platform. And that's how it works here.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And another thing that I think makes the public transport so special in Switzerland is that it's rarely late. Is it?

Andy Nef: Yeah, well, that's a good point. I mean, officially with the railways, a train is considered delayed running 3 minutes behind schedule. That's what you probably mean. And they say there is a punctuality of about 93%. 93, 94% in the recent years. So yeah, we do quite well.

Christen Fleming: That's incredible.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So let's have a bit of fun. I want you to tell me what your perfect day in Switzerland would be. If you've got one full day, you could do whatever you like. Where would you go? What would you do? And what would you eat to make it just the most perfect day for you? Let's start with Kristin. This is incredibly difficult.

Christen Fleming: And I am actually probably to think of one perfect day and fit it all in. I'm going to go against everything that I've said about taking your time. No, I think my perfect day, waking up early. I like to get up early and head over to Co-op, pick up some butterzopf and some juice and head out with some picnic snacks and head out on a hike before trail gets too busy. Nothing too strenuous, but something that just has a, a beautiful view and, and spend the morning up there overlooking a beautiful valley or, or a lake. And then maybe after that, go on a, a lake cruise and enjoy one of the lakes. And of course we're not being geographically accurate here. I'm picturing my perfect day. Okay. And then, you know, after lunch, you know, find a beautiful old town and kind of wander through there and, and hopefully happen upon a festival like what James was talking about. You know, either one of the local evenings where they have traditional music, or I also love finding if they have a, like a local folk museum with, or something about one of the traditions, something like wood carving or, or lace making or paper cutting, any of the traditional activities to see in the evening.

Christen Fleming: And then just kind of end the day with a glass of wine on the balcony of a beautiful hotel. With a stunning view. I think that would be a perfect day.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Bit of everything in there. So that, that sounds great. What about you, James? Where, where would your day take you?

James Wilson: Well, as Kristin says, this is a really tough question. So if you don't mind, I'm gonna, I'm gonna cross 3 different seasons as well in my perfect day, if that's all right.

Carolyn Schönafinger: That's fine.

James Wilson: Living in Wengen, I've got to go skiing first thing in the morning. So I'd be on the first gondola, the first cable car up to the Mannlichen, and I'd ski across and then do the World Cup downhill course, the Lauberhorn World Cup downhill, uh, race course that takes me back to the village. And then I'll probably throw my skis down, get the train down to, to Lauterbrunnen, see the Lauterbrunnen Valley in all its glory, and head towards Interlaken. I jump on one of my favourite train rides, the Lucerne-Interlaken Express. I'd head to Lucerne where it's become summer and, uh, have, have a coffee or something or a light lunch Somewhere in Lucerne, anywhere, it really makes no difference. And then maybe I'll head up to the Stanserhorn, my favourite mountain because it was the first one I ever visited. Have an Alpenmageronen up there and enjoy the view, which is absolutely mind-blowing. And then I'd go down back to Lucerne and then head towards Zurich and then over towards the Engadin. Why the Engadin? Because when I get to the Engadin, it's turned into autumn. And I think in the autumn, which is my favourite season, The colours in the Engadine are just truly, truly spectacular.

James Wilson: And also my favourite hotel in Switzerland, the Waldhaus in Sils Maria, is at the far end, and that's where I'd finish my day, and I'd eat whatever's on the menu, because whatever is on the menu there is always good. And that's, that's my perfect day.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay, well, you're going to be very tired. That's a long day, but, but it's certainly got plenty of highlights. What about you, Andy? How are you going to spend your perfect day in Switzerland?

Andy Nef: Well, what a question. I would of course be travelling by public transport. I would make sure that I have a nice bottle of wine, of Swiss wine, of course, in my backpack and some nice cheese and sausage and maybe some cold cuts. And I would board the next train and I would just stop when I feel like stopping and just travel into the day. And you can get quite far. In one day in Switzerland. And yeah, this would be my perfect day. And I think I would be the only one not being tired in the evening.

Carolyn Schönafinger: You're going to be very spontaneous and just go with the flow, wherever the mood takes you.

Andy Nef: There we are.

Christen Fleming: Yeah, that sounds great.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Now you've all experienced Switzerland from quite different perspectives. And I know you've also been to other countries around the world as well. So what does Switzerland offer that no other country can? What is it that makes it just so special? James, what are your thoughts?

James Wilson: Well, I'd say it was the variety of scenery, culture, and languages in such a small country. I think that's what makes it unique, perhaps above all others. Any time of year, there's— it's always spectacular. There's always something different going on. It looks different from season to season. And as someone who's lived I've lived here 10 years and seen those transitions from one season to the next. It's so spectacular all the time that you can simply never get bored. And it doesn't matter where you're coming from, what time of year you're coming, or where you're going. There is so much to see and do and explore and get involved in. And I just can't think of another country like it. I really can't.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, very true. Andy, what about you?

Andy Nef: Very similar to James. It's the diversity in culture here in Switzerland. You can start in a German-speaking part of Switzerland in the morning, have lunch in the French-speaking parts, then continue into the Italian-speaking part in the afternoon, all in one day, all different cultures, but in the end, we are all Swiss.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. Fantastic diversity for sure. Kristin, what do you think makes Switzerland so special?

Christen Fleming: I think the, like you both said, James and Andy, that, that diversity is, is amazing. I think what I would add on too is that it's the, the ability to be able to see all these things and the journey between them is so spectacular as well. And sometimes it is that train ride or the boat cruise or the walk into a village when on Andy's day when he is just spontaneously finding somewhere somewhere new or interesting to discover, the journey there is so much part of the experience and not just the destination itself. And, and the fact that that is just so ordinary for everyone who lives here, you know, people who over the summertime will float down the river to work, you know, or children walking to school. I remember one time I saw, you know, children coming, coming back from school in this beautiful mountain village and they're just, it's just their walk back from school surrounded by these gorgeous mountains or going to the grocery store of an old town with these beautiful painted walls that have been there for hundreds of years. That's just a normal day, you know? And, and the, I think the fact that so many Swiss people, well, that I know, holiday in the country as well.

Christen Fleming: That shows that there truly is so much to see for even people who live here in this very small country. It's, it's endless, the, the opportunities to explore.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Absolutely. That's so true. So for all our listeners and viewers who are planning their first trip to Switzerland, what's one piece of advice you'd give them to have the best possible experience? Let's start with you, Andy.

Andy Nef: Well, don't overload your programme. Don't overload your itinerary. Switzerland may seem very small on the map, but in the end, there is so much to see and so much to experience. Make sure, make sure you, you have enough time to just dive into the country.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Good advice. Kristin, what about you?

Christen Fleming: I second that. I think the easiest way to, oh, not ruin, cuz you can still have a spectacular vacation in Switzerland no matter what, but the, the quickest way to make it less fun and enjoyable is to try to pack everything in and try to jump around to different destinations with only one night. It's, it's a mountainous country. If you have, if you want to see the Matterhorn Glacier or you want to see a certain mountain, they like to play jokes. They like for you to get there and if you're only there for one evening, there's gonna be a big cloud at the top of the mountain. So if, if you have a lot of things that you want to see, make sure that you have enough time to do that. Definitely always support having someone to assist, to, to call a, a travel organiser and, and help you plan that trip logically. But if you, if you get up early, you plan well, you can absolutely see a lot, but please don't try to, to do too much so you really can leave space for those moments where You weren't expecting it because they will happen if you let them, if you let them happen.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. Very, very true. James, what is your piece of advice?

James Wilson: And I'm going to say more or less exactly what Andy and Kristin have said. Don't try and do too much too quickly. Even if you were just to pick one region or one city or one canton for that first trip, whatever you end up doing, you're not going to get bored. You're going to have a great time, whatever the length of the trip, but the minute you start to try and tick off all the highlights on that first trip, especially. That's the worst way to go about it. So take your time, don't cram too much in, pick one or two highlights, of course, and then the rest of the time, just let things happen. If I could just add, make sure you've got the right rail pass. And of course, Andy and his Swiss Travel Passes, that's the perfect solution. But also get some advice before you travel. Carolyn, you're the The best example I can think of, people travelling over here for the first time, don't try and do it all online. Don't try and ask AI to help you. Seek advice of someone who knows the destination, because that will transform your trip before you've even taken your first flight.

James Wilson: That would be my advice.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay, so let's just do a little quick runaround, a few of your favourite things before we finish up. So we'll start with Andy. What's your What's your favourite Swiss food?

Andy Nef: My favourite Swiss food? I don't have a favourite. I'm really sorry. But the variety of food is so big. I mean, come on. Even though I had hundreds of raclettes already, I still love raclette that much. Is it the original one with the half wheel of cheese or just being home on a Saturday evening in winter and have our tabletop stove for raclette? That's what I love. I mean, as I said, there's so many different cultures here in Switzerland and the same applies to the food. There is always a local speciality and I love to discover those.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Excellent. Okay. So, James, what about you? What would you nominate as your favourite Swiss food?

James Wilson: Well, I'm going to go simple and say after a hard day on the slopes, there is nothing better than a fondue. In the winter.

Christen Fleming: Okay.

Carolyn Schönafinger: We've got a bit of a, bit of a cheese theme here. Kristen, what's your favourite Swiss food?

Christen Fleming: How can you pick? Yeah. Any of the breads, I think that, and I think part of that too reminds me so much of being a kid and waking up in the morning and my grandfather has the most perfectly braided bread, a Zopf, on the counter. And that just immediately brings back childhood memories.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. Now James already mentioned that autumn is his favourite season. Kristin, what's your favourite season in Switzerland?

Christen Fleming: I think I have to say summer. Autumn. Oh man, though. Autumn in the Engadine is gorgeous. And springtime on Lake Geneva is beautiful as well. And down in Ticino. I think summer is my pick though.

Carolyn Schönafinger: And what about you, Andy? Can you differentiate between the seasons? Do you have a favourite?

Andy Nef: Well, that's another beautiful thing about Switzerland. The seasons are so different and all of them are so beautiful. But if I had to choose, it would be autumn. Yeah. And because it's harvesting time and you know me, Carolyn, I'm kind of a foodie and especially the wine harvest is important for me. I love wine very much. And so, So this is really that the days are getting shorter. It's more the time of cosiness in the evening and have a nice meal among family, good wine, et cetera. That's what I like very much about autumn.

Carolyn Schönafinger: It is a very spectacular season, that's for sure. Now, the passion that you all have for Switzerland is very obvious from our chat today and the previous times that you've been on the podcast as well. So, Just to finish up, can you each give me just one word that you would use to describe Switzerland to someone who's never been to Switzerland before? How about we start with you, Kristen?

Christen Fleming: I think awesome in the most, in the, in the truest sense of the, the word. It, it, a, a country that just brings you so much awe in everywhere that you go.

Carolyn Schönafinger: It's a great one. James?

James Wilson: The word I picked, which again, a very difficult one, I would say it's charming.

Christen Fleming: Okay.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. Good. And Andy, from a Swiss person themselves, what word would you use to describe Switzerland?

Andy Nef: It's still my homeland. I love travelling above all. I mean, you know that, Carolyn. I'm so much— I'm travelling so much. Is it for work or privately? And For me, it's always, I always love to go home. As much as I like travelling, I always love to go.

Carolyn Schönafinger: So your word is home.

Andy Nef: Yes.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Fantastic. Well, thank you all so much for joining me today for the 200th episode.

Christen Fleming: Wow.

Carolyn Schönafinger: 6 years and 200 episodes in the bag. It's, yeah, it's gone fast, but it also seems like a pretty long journey as well. And you three have all been on previous podcast episodes, which, yeah, I really, really appreciate. So thank you as always for your time and for generously sharing your Swiss expertise with the Holidays to Switzerland audience.

James Wilson: Carolyn, can I just say on behalf of the three of us and everyone else that has taken part over the years, first of all, congratulations to you and to Holidays to Switzerland on your 200th episode, and I think over the course of those 200 episodes and everything in between, what you've, what you've done on behalf of all of us, what you've done on behalf of the country as, as a destination, promoting it the way you do with the passion that you do, it means a lot to us all. And we're all extremely grateful. So thanks very much for everything that you do on behalf of us all. And hopefully we'll be here in another 200 podcast time celebrating number 400, but But genuinely from all of us, thank you very much.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Thank you all. I appreciate your kind words. Thanks, thanks for joining me again.