The old town in Waldshut, Germany is great for shopping.

by Chantal Panozzo

No matter how long I live in Switzerland, I always feel a rush when I cross a border, even if it’s just for the day. Grocery shopping in Germany, hiking in Lichtenstein, dining in France, part of the fun of living in a country that borders five others is being able to country-hop. Below are four suggestions to make the most of your next border crossing.

Waldshut, Germany: An adorable, postcard perfect town just 40 minutes by train from Zurich. Geraniums spill from windows in the car-free old town where shopping deals can be found on clothes, bakeries offer tempting things like Nusszopf (nut bread), and ice cream cones are only 1 Euro. 1 Euro. Yes. We are not in Switzerland anymore. And right near the train tracks, take your pick, there are three huge grocery stores just waiting to temp you with their huge selection and reasonable prices.

Lake Como, Italy: Less than 30 minutes by train from Lugano, Como and its small resort towns cluster around Lake Como. You can visit a new one each time you cross the border: George Clooney can be found in Bellagio, the Vezio castle is yours to climb in Varenna, and the cathedral awaits in Como. And if you’re feeling fashionable, Milan is just another short 30-minute train ride away.

Vaduz, Lichtenstein: Why go to Lichtenstein? To say you went, of course. While you’re in Vaduz, be sure to buy a few stamps before you embark on a 2.5 hour round-trip hike, beginning and ending at the Rheinpark Stadium.

Eguisheim, France: Not far from Basel, Eguisheim, France is one of the most charming towns in the Alsace. Brightly colored houses all seem to compete for a gardening award, bakeries serve dome-shaped cakes called kougelhopfs, and a walk in the vineyards is just steps away.

Where do you like to border-hop?

Chantal Panozzo is a writer in Switzerland. She’s the author of One Big Yodel, a blog about life in Switzerland and moving abroad, and also discusses living abroad as a freelancer at Writer Abroad.

Tags: day trips from switzerland, expat in switzerland, France, germany, Italy, lichtenstein, Switzerland

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