Inspiration
3 Types of holiday – what do you prefer?
Whether you prefer a short city break, a relaxing beach holiday or an adventurous tour, we have relevant tips for each type of holiday. Read how you should prepare for the different types of holiday, how you can best plan your trip and which transport options are appropriate. Get more from your holiday with our handy tips.
City break – see and experience a lot in a short time!
Whether Amsterdam, London or New York, city breaks are the trend at the moment, having climbed to the top of the popularity stakes. But how do you get the most out of a short city break? Read our handy tips.
Planning
On city breaks it’s important to find a balance between the short time available and the infinite attractions on offer. This can be resolved with good planning. Read up in advance on places of interest, leisure activities, restaurants, bars and clubs you’d like to visit so you can then draw up a rough itinerary before you go. Once you’re at your intended destination, you’ll have more time to explore and enjoy yourself stress-free.
Transport
City breaks offer an excellent opportunity to escape from the daily routine for a short time and discover new things. Many large cities can be reached from Switzerland in a very short time whether by car, coach, train or plane. Explore all the possibilities and travel in a more environmentally-friendly way with the train or more cheaply by coach. Once you’re at your destination, enquire about 48- or 72-hour sightseeing and public transport passes saving you from having to buy a ticket every time.
Flexibility
For a city break it pays if you are flexible date-wise and travel outside of peak holiday periods. Firstly, you benefit from cheaper tickets and, secondly, you can enjoy your chosen city without stress or crowds of tourists.
Insider knowledge
So that you don’t end up in notorious tourist traps, make use of personal recommendations from locals or read up online for example at www.spottedbylocals.com or www.likealocalguide.com. Locals are best placed to know what is all the rage and worth seeing in their city! Numerous travel blogs also provide great inspiration.
Beach holidays – sunbathing, swimming and sipping cocktails!
The classic holiday is also the most popular. Beach holidays are a wonderful opportunity to unwind and enjoy the nicest time of the year. Whether you are spending your holidays in the Azores, Cuba or Italy, our travel tips specifically for beach holidays will allow you to get the most out of your seaside fun.
Health matters
Year health is also a top priority on holiday. The optimum holiday preparation therefore includes checking whether you require any additional vaccinations for your holiday destination. Under “Preparing for your trip” you’ll find a printable checklist with further information on travel related health matters and much more.
Planning
Before your trip decide what you want from your holiday. Do you simply want to relax and spend a couple of quiet days at the beach? Or would you prefer a varied programme including excursions and culture? The more specific your ideas, the better you can plan and make arrangements.
Beach bag
We don’t need to tell you what to put in a beach bag! However, a simple extra tip for using your smartphone on the beach might be helpful. Next time you go to the beach pack your smartphone in a freezer bag. You can use it like this and protect it from sand and water at the same time.
Finding your way about
A map of your destination country or city is useful for finding your way about abroad. To avoid using an unnecessarily large amount of mobile data, you can load the map onto your smartphone before you go and use it offline at any time. This function is offered by various apps, including maps.me.
Sunbathing on the beach
Make sure you are adequately protected when sunbathing so that you can enjoy the sun free of worry and undesirable side effects. In addition to wearing a hat and sunglasses, you should regularly apply sun cream with a high to very high sun protection factor (SPF 30-50).
Valuables
When you go to the beach, only pack what is absolutely necessary and avoid taking important travel documents or large sums of money and items of value with you.
Tours – immerse yourself in the country and culture
Experience the natural diversity of Canada on a hike along The Great Trail or enjoy unforgettable moments in the Chobe National Park. Longer tours enable you to discover a region’s beauty and immerse yourself in a country’s culture. Are you planning a trip of this kind in the near future? Then read our travel tips specifically for longer tours now.
Safety and security
Before you set off it’s important to read up on your destination and above all check the local security situation. To this end, we recommend you consult the relevant information provided by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In addition, downloading the Itineris app onto your smartphone enables you to save your itinerary and contact details and access information en route. The FDFA also provides a helpline that is available 24/7: helpline@eda.admin.ch or +41 800 247 365.
Information on the destination country
Experience the natural diversity of Canada on a hike along The Great Trail or enjoy unforgettable moments in the Chobe National Park. Longer tours enable you to discover a region’s beauty and immerse yourself in a country’s culture. Are you planning a trip of this kind in the near future? Then read our travel tips specifically for longer tours now.
Health matters
The optimum holiday preparation, particularly for longer trips, must include checking whether you require any additional vaccinations for your holiday destination. It is also worth taking a first-aid kit containing your personal medication and specific medication for the region you’re going to.
Getting about
Decide early on how you want to travel and how mobile you want to be. This is a key factor when planning your trip. If, for example, you want to do a lot of walking it’s worthwhile taking a large backpack and leaving the suitcase at home. This, however, requires minimalist packing and restricting yourself to the essentials. Think practical! You can find a printable checklist relating to packing on our website under Preparing for your trip.
Organisational matters
Consider whether you want to rent out your house or apartment when travelling for more than two months. Also don't forget to cancel any magazine subscriptions and arrange for your regular bills to be paid.
