Swiss oddities

Cats climbing the cat ladders erected on the façade of a house in Bern

What a love of cat ladders says about the Swiss

This content was published on Jun 14, 2025 Visitors to Bern are often surprised by the number and variety of cat ladders snaking their way up houses.

The difficult search for real Swiss cows

This content was published on Jun 7, 2025 Swiss cow breeds have conquered the world but are struggling to survive in their homeland.

Feline felons: The issue with Switzerland’s free-roaming cats

This content was published on Jun 5, 2025 Cats kill millions of birds, frogs and other animals every year in Switzerland.

‘The chalet is the first prefab house in history’

This content was published on May 31, 2025 The chalet first conquered the world – and then Switzerland. So why is it considered a quintessentially Swiss building?

Absinthe: the return of the green fairy

This content was published on May 24, 2025 Absinthe is back in fashion – not only in Switzerland but around the world. We went to the Val-de-Travers, where it all began.

Cross purposes: the unique Swiss flag

This content was published on May 17, 2025 Square and versatile: Switzerland's unusual national flag has a fascinating history.

The seven weirdest Swiss votes of all time

This content was published on May 10, 2025 Absinthe, car-free Sundays and cow horns: Swiss voters have certainly had to decide on some unusual issues.

Why the Swiss still like to have cash in hand

This content was published on May 3, 2025 Cash is losing out to plastic or digital cash in Switzerland, but it’s unlikely that coins and notes will become obsolete.

The Böögg, Switzerland’s exploding psychic snowman

This content was published on Apr 26, 2025 The Böögg is an exploding snowman with a famed ability to predict the weather. But how accurate is he?

Montreux has long been a magnet for Freddie fans

Don’t stop me now: Freddie Mercury and Montreux

This content was published on Apr 19, 2025 A growing number of fans flock to the Swiss town of Montreux every year in search of a Freddie Mercury experience.