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DISCOVER SWITZERLAND

Basel village named among the most beautiful in Switzerland

In a recent ranking, Arlesheim, near Basel, has joined the network of the Most Beautiful Swiss Villages.

Published: 4 April 2024 12:20 CEST
Basel village named among the most beautiful in Switzerland
The view of Arlesheim. Photo by Karsten Füllhaas on Unsplash

Switzerland teems with truly stunning villages (and towns too), where historic and architectural landmarks blend into pristine nature, so choosing the ‘most beautiful’ ones is not an easy task.

The newest pick, located in Basel-Country but just a 20-minute tram ride from the centre of Basel city, Arlesheim “has retained its village character,” according to the association, which every year crowns a ‘best village’ in Switzerland (though since 2019 Liechtenstein is included in the ranking as well).

Arlesheim “is characterised by a large number of historic buildings,” the association said.

Among them are the Hermitage, created at the end of the 18th century as an English landscape garden (the largest in Switzerland), and a 17th- century baroque cathedral.

The community is also home to the oldest settlement sites in the canton, dating back to the Paleolithic, Stone Age and Neolithic periods.

Arlesheim is the 49th ‘beautiful village’ in the association network, spread over 18 cantons, as well as the principality of Liechtenstein.

Some of the other ones are featured here:

Switzerland’s ten most beautiful villages you have to visit 

 The five most beautiful Swiss villages to discover by boat

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DISCOVER SWITZERLAND

Goodbye Edelweiss: Swiss tourism body unveils its new logo

After three decades with the same 'old' logo — the Edelweiss flower — Switzerland’s tourism board has now re-branded itself. What is its new symbol now?

Published: 30 April 2024 13:13 CEST
Goodbye Edelweiss: Swiss tourism body unveils its new logo

For nearly three decades, Switzerland Tourism, which promotes the country’s charms abroad,  depended on the Alpine flower to sell ‘Swissness’ to foreign tourists.

Coloured in gold, with a Swiss flag in the middle (perhaps so as to distinguish it from the edelweiss that also grows on Alpine meadows in Austria, France, and Germany), the flower had been part of the organisation’s official logo since 1995.

Image by Switzerland Tourism

 

Crossing its t’s

Now, however, the tourism board is taking its logo to a whole new level — or at least that is how the organisation is referring to the new design it unveiled at a press conference in Geneva on Monday.

And what could be more Swiss, or more emblematic of Switzerland, than… the country’s flag (you may argue that the iconic Matterhorn would be a good choice as well, now that it is no longer featured on the Toblerone chocolate).

The new logo features the word ‘Switzerland’ (in English), with the letter ‘t’ replaced by the flag.

With this new image, the tourism board “is now spreading its new identity throughout the world,” Switzerland Tourism said.

Another Swiss icon: Roger

Whatever you may think of the new logo, and even if you don’t think about it at all, the fact remains that Switzerland Tourism has had some clever ideas up its sleeve to ‘sell’ the country to foreign visitors.

Over the past few years, it has teamed up with retired tennis champ Roger Federer (who, in turn, had teamed up with other high-profile individuals) to promote Switzerland worldwide.

This is one example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXcBGfXXL4w&t=13s
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