Just in: The Expert Guide to Your Life in Switzerland

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What's the best seat on the Bernina Express? How do I reduce my health insurance premium? And where, in the world, do I meet the Swiss locals?

These are just some of the questions we routinely receive in our inbox. Those readers fresh off the boat are often looking for basic guidance. Meanwhile, those who have already settled in are trying to get the most out of their everyday lives in Switzerland.

In comes The Expert Guide to Your Life in Switzerland, the ultimate companion book that answers hundreds of common questions.

I had the unique opportunity to contribute an entire chapter to this helpful publication. While other experts have covered social life, health insurance or Swiss etiquette, I was asked by editor, Diccon Bewes, to write about travel and tourism in Switzerland. How exciting!

Naturally, I have much passion for Switzerland from the vantage point of a traveler.

Be it relaxing boat rides, unique hotel stays or scenic hikes in the Alps, I have experienced a ton while running Newly Swissed. And during the past decade, I have discovered some of Switzerland's lesser known places firsthand. When the much acclaimed author, Diccon Bewes, knocked on my door, I knew instantly that his new book would be the ideal outlet for my findings.

As part of the expert guide, I have shared 23 pages of Switzerland travel wisdom. For example, here's my piece of advice for the Bernina Express:

On the Bernina Express, pick a seat in the back of the train on the right-hand side. As the train crosses the famous Landwasser Viaduct, you will see the entire composition as it curves and enters the tunnel. And further on, the Morteratsch Glacier and Lago Bianco will also be appearing on the right-hand side.

The travel chapter covers the following:

Swiss public transport, from passes to the best train rides (and the best seats).
Truly Swiss experiences, such as a blueprint on how to stay on a mountaintop overnight.
Valuable advice on how to save a franc or benefit from free stuff.
All the time it is really worth paying for an upgrade - whether on rails or in hotels.
A rundown of Switzerland’s best road trips across mountain passes, the most unique stays, scenic hikes, famous graves, and statues...

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Apart from the travel chapter, this companion book contains 17 additional chapters or 279 pages in total. Read some sample pages from the book.

I might be an expert when it comes to travel, but I sure learned a lot from everyone else. For instance, I never knew that there is a dish called “Swiss Army Grilled Cheese”. Or in the section entitled "Meeting Heidi and Finding William", I learned about the Tell Museum in Bürglen, the folk hero’s birthplace.