Switzerland is among the European countries with the highest living standard and quality of life! With its notorious neutrality kept during both world wars, it has become a model for safe and peaceful place. The headquarters of more than 150 international organizations can be found namely here, while the Swiss economy has been regarded as one of the most powerful and developed in the world! However, the pluses of this country are more than simply economic or political and with our “Passport to…” series this month we are proving just that! Come with us as we are inviting you on board a charming Swiss train that will take us around the magnificent Alps! Enjoy breath-taking views, amazingly beautiful nature and to top it all off – have a taste of the most delicious high-quality Swiss chocolate!
Fairy landscapes
Landscapes, which have almost come to life from a painter’s canvas – this is what the Alps are all about! They take more than half of the Swiss territory. The word “alp” refers to high mountain pastures, where cows were put out during summer – and because there are loads of them in the Alps, people have mistakenly started to use the term to refer to the whole mountain chain. Here you can find plenty of tiny picturesque alpine villages, one of which is the so-called Lauterbrunnen – a place with a population of less than 1000 citizens, but with an admirable nature! Surrounded by three giant mountains and magnificent rocky formations, there is a whole of 72 waterfalls that flow here! Overall, Switzerland is extremely water-rich with over 1500 lakes situated on its territory. It is considered that wherever you are in Switzerland, you are always less than 16 km away from a lake! If you are already dreaming about beautiful landscapes, pure mountain air and breath-taking views, you can experience them with the alpine climbing for beginners, with the trek to the Singing rocks, or, to the Rila lakes. Or, just lose yourself in the embrace of the Balkan, the magic of Rila or in this unique vintage villa high in the mountain with the secret trip!
The food of the gods
Theobroma cacao – this is the name of the cocoa trees used for the production of chocolate. It literally means “the food of gods”! In Switzerland chocolate is on a pedestal – the average Swiss consumes around 9 kg of chocolate per year, which ranks the country first in the world in consumed chocolate per capita! Although the homeland of chocolate isn’t Switzerland, it has contributed a lot to its sophistication. This is where the milk chocolate has emerged from with the Swiss being the first to add milk to the cocoa mass. This is also where the so-called “conching” technique has come into being - it was applied for the first time by the Swiss chocolatier Rudolf Lindt. By conching, the qualities of the chocolate notably improve as the excessive water and acidity are removed and the mixture becomes much more homogenous. The result is: fine, tender and smooth chocolate that just melts into the mouth. In this way, the Swiss chocolate gains recognition for its high quality and perfectly balanced taste! We are giving you opportunities for many chocolate vibes with this one-meter long personalized chocolate, with this chocolate perfection in an elegant box or with this culinary course, where chef Darin Stoykov will teach you how to make a no-flour chocolate cake, white, milk and dark chocolate truffles, home-made biscuits and a chocolate mousse!
Winter is coming
During winter, Switzerland is one of the leading tourist destinations! Winter sports are on another level here. Switzerland is a regular host for world and European ski, biathlon and snowboard championships. A whole of 10 out of 21 winter Olympic games had taken place namely in the Alps! And because they take up most of the country’s territory, the climate is primarily alpine, which means a longer and colder winter season with heavy snowfall and thus – more opportunities for winter sport activities, which are often practiced by most Swiss! If this year you won’t be able to go to Switzеrland, trust us when we say that winter can be just as charming here – with the snowmobile ride for two or with the adventure tour at Borovets and Pamporovo. Don’t forget to book the ideal accommodation for your ski holiday as well with our special packs for a happy family vacay in the Ruskovets SPA hotel, a weekend for two in the unique Belchin Garden, an all inclusive feast in the St. Ivan Rilski SPA resort or a true splendor and relsih in Katarino SPA!
See more: Passport to… Cuba, Mexico, France, Brazil or Japan!