Events in Switzerland

Also known as "The Crazy Peak Experience", the Swiss Alpine Marathon Davos offers both breathtaking Alpine scenery and difficult terrain, taking place at 2300 metres above sea level around the Davos Ski Area. The marathon is broken up into eight different race levels, for various degrees of difficulty, from a children's race to walking and a extreme team marathon. The most adventurous can try to tame the K78, the largest ultra-mountain course in the world, a true challenge.

The first of August is Swiss National Day. Celebrations are normally concentrated around the individual "communes" or localities around the Canton. Bonfires are lit in all of the villages and on the surrounding mountains, with the Mont Saleve featuring the biggest and brightest. You'll find that as a visitor you're more then welcome to wander into and of this "communes" and find the program will be the same. After the municipal speeches about the Confederation and the national anthem are sung it's time to eat and drink. Be sure to try a grilled "Schublig" or "Saucisse de Veau", served with bread, mustard and a thimble-sized glass of the local white wine.

The Swiss Alps are home to an unusual beauty contest of sorts. Chur's International Alpine Beard Festival attracts around 60 hairy men competing for the title of best beard. Many grow their beards to keep them warm during the long winter months, but in the summer they become the focus of the oldest town in Switzerland.

The International Snowboard, Skateboard and BMX Event in Landiwiese in Zurich is on of Europe's largest snowboarding and freestyle events. This big day is filled with fantastic displays by some of the world's top athletes. Aside from the action on the mountain, the Landiwiese is an attraction on its own, allowing breathtaking views of the city's skyline and Lake Zurich.

This is a true Swiss celebration; the desalpe is the time when dairy herds descend from their summer grazing on high pastures to their warm winter stables. Each autumn a large crowd gathers at the sleepy Jura village of St Cerque to literally watch the cows come home. You will hear the clanging of cow bells, alpen horns, yodelers and choral singers for miles around. After the parade the local farmers put on an impressive spread of Swiss Cheeses, Vaud wines and other home-grown specialties to keep the crowds at this unusual celebration happy.

The Autumn Festival is how the Swiss in Lugano say goodbye to summer. This city has strong Italian influences being so close to the Italian border and it shows in this festival where local specialties and Ticinese wine are served. A wide range of entertainment keeps visitors busy, with musicians and street artists performing across the city.

In the Swiss village of Kussnacht am Rigi a refreshing alternative to the commercial side of Christmas takes place. Thousands of Iffelen holding huge candlelit mitires, along with horn blowers and bell ringers accompany St Nicholas through the streets. It's a very magical and spiritual experience and a great way to celebrate Christmas in Switzerland.