Thursday 25 April 2013

Removals to Switzerland – Spotlight on Lake Geneva, a Guide to Living in the area

If you require removals to Switzerland, wherever you live you will be surrounded by beauty, as the Swiss landscape is so picturesque. However, the area around Lake Geneva is a particularly spectacular, because of its stunning scenery. It's also very prestigious as many celebrities have main residences, or second homes here.

Hamiltons offer top class removals at competitive prices to most European destinations, including removals to Switzerland. We pride ourselves in the service we give our customers and, as well as full and half load domestic and commercial removals to Switzerland, we also provide specialist removals. This is for awkward, or bulky goods and items such as vehicles, motorbikes, musical instruments, antiques and other treasures.

Meanwhile, if you require removals to Switzerland to the area of Lake Geneva, here’s our guide to this magnificent part of the country and some of the activities you can do here once you have settled.

Removals to Switzerland  – click here to read more about our removals to Switzerland service.

Living near Lake Geneva

Beautiful and tranquil, Lake Geneva is the playground of the rich and famous. The area around the lake is a wonderful place to call home and you will enjoy all that this scenic part of the country has to offer.

Celebrities Living near Lake Geneva

Switzerland has over five thousand celebrities, as well as the super-rich and other high net worth individuals, and many of these people live in the area of Lake Geneva. The lake, also known by the French name, Lac LĂ©man, and the German name, Genfersee, lies within two countries: Switzerland and France. 

However, several celebrities live on the Swiss side, including Canadian country and western singer/songwriter Shania Twain, who has settled here with her husband Lange and son Eja. English singer Phil Collins had a house overlooking the lake and lived there with his wife Orianne Cevey, until their separation in 2006, but still lives in Switzerland. Ex-Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher also has a home overlooking the lake, and the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury had a second home in the area.

Scenery in and Around Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva is one of the largest in western Europe and forms the lowest point of the cantons of Vaud and Valais. It has long been praised for its beauty, but the landscape varies according to which side of the lake you are on. The eastern side of the lake has an alpine backdrop with snowy peaks; in the south, the lake is flanked by rugged mountains and in the north, the backdrop features hilly vineyards, castles and villages. Exquisite and peaceful, it is easy to see why it’s such a sought after place to live.

Activities to do on Lake Geneva

For those who enjoy being active and getting out and about in the fresh air, Lake Geneva has it all. There are all sorts of activities to do on the water including water-skiing, windsurfing and yacht racing. Indeed, high performance catamarans have been designed especially to race on the lake. But, if adrenalin fuelled activities are not for you, other sports you can get involved in include rafting, swimming and rowing.

Tourist Attractions near Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva offers plenty for residents and holidaymakers alike, including museums, castles and historic sites.

For those who are fascinated by the Roman era, the Roman Museum in Avenches is housed in a fortified tower and, as well as mosaics and sculptures, you can also see the remains of an amphitheatre, a temple and roman baths.

If you enjoy exploring castles, there are plenty of these in the area including the romantic 13th century Chillon Castle, which lies on the edge of Lake Geneva, near Montreux. Lord Byron was inspired to write ‘The Prisoner of Chillon’ after visiting the castle in the early 19th century. It’s a popular attraction, drawing 300,000 visitors a year.

If you love wine, The Vine and Wine Museum is based at Aigle Castle, and shows a collection of all sorts of wine related tools including corkscrews, decanters, barrels, presses and measuring implements.

Properties near Lake Geneva

From secluded mansions located right on the edge of the lake, to houses and apartments, there are all sorts of properties you can buy here. As you would expect, properties that overlook Lake Geneva are pricey, but you are paying for the views and the exclusivity of the area.

At the time of writing, prices range from £1.5 million for a house containing two apartments (overlooking the lake), to just over £2.5 million for an exclusive apartment with a part view of the lake, and up to several million for a hideaway mansion.

Removals to Switzerland  – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service or click here for a free European removals quote.

Monday 22 April 2013

Removals to Switzerland – A Guide to the Country’s Best Family-Friendly Attractions

If you are a young family and require removals to Switzerland, one of the things you’ll want to think about is how to keep the little ones amused, especially during the weekends and school holidays. To help you, we’ve compiled a guide to some of the best family-friendly attractions that your children will love.

Hamiltons are specialists in high class removals to Switzerland and are committed to quality and service. We provide tailor made removals and our experienced team do all they can to deliver commercial and household belongings smoothly and promptly to your destination. In addition to our full or part load removals to Switzerland, we also provide specialist removals to Switzerland and are happy to transport vehicles, bulky goods, antiques and other valuables.

For more information on removals to Switzerland, contact our professional staff by telephone, or use the link below.

Removals to Switzerland  – click here to read more about our removals to Switzerland service.

Meanwhile, to help you adjust to your new surroundings, here’s Hamiltons’ guide to some of the country’s most popular family-friendly attractions – and some of these may be on your doorstep. We are unable to list all the best attractions here, but here’s our pick of what we feel are the most memorable.

Moving to Switzerland: Top Family Friendly Attractions

Ballenburg Open Air Museum – It’s definitely worth setting aside a whole day to see this Brienz museum because you can spend hours here. Your children will love exploring the 100 or so century old buildings, depicting rural life of yesteryear in Switzerland. You will also get the chance to see farm animals at first hand and test the weight of the heavy cow bells. In addition to this are the various displays, including demonstrations of the Alpine Horn and ancient crafts such as rope making and weaving. A top tip is to bring good shoes as you can expect lots of walking.

Basel Zoological Garden (locally known as Zolli) –For those who don’t live nearby, the zoo is well connected, with good transport links, and is near Basel’s main train station. It is worthwhile setting aside at least an afternoon to see this zoo as there’re lots to see. Firm favourites are the apes and the aquarium and you’ll also get the chance to watch the animals being fed. In addition to this, there’s a playground for the youngest of your group. Again, it is a good idea to bring good walking shoes as you will be on your feet a lot.

Conny-Land Zoo – This Lipperswil zoo is ideal for water fanatics and has more than 60 fun-filled attractions. The main attractions include live shows featuring dolphins, sea lions and parrots. And while the youngest ones of your group will enjoy the pony rides, the oldest children can enjoy a ride on Europe’s largest linear roller coaster, the Cobra. Other popular draws are the Voodoo Island log flume, Dino Attack (with moving ‘dinosaurs’), the petting zoo and Kiddies’ Activity area, where your children can splash about in the fountains. It’s a good idea to bring a swimming costume, spare clothing and a towel.

Heidi Village – The novel, Heidi, which depicts the story of an orphaned girl in the Alps, has captured the imagination of millions of children worldwide. You will find this fantastic attraction, dedicated to the main character of the book, in Maienfield. The village takes children back in time to the 19th century, the era when the novel was penned by Johanna Spyri. You can follow the idyllic trail to Heidi’s house and the Heidi Alp and your children will enjoy seeing the farm animals at first hand. You can also send a post card home with a Heidi stamp!

Papiliorama and Nocturama Tropical Gardens - Also known as the Exotic Butterfly Park, you can see more than 1,000 species of butterflies at this attraction in Kerzers.  Other attractions include the Nocturama hall, where you can see night animals in the dark, such as night monkeys, bats and anacondas, and The Jungle Trek where you will find tropical birds and plants. The youngest ones in your group will also enjoy the mini zoo and playground.

Amusement Park and Mini-Zoo – This makes a great day out for kids, especially during the holiday period, and you can find this attraction at Sitterdorf Airport. Some of the most popular attractions are the hamster wheel, cable car, Nautic-Jet and Butterfly. And, if you don’t need to keep your feet firmly on the ground, there’s also a chance to take a leisure flight or a balloon ride at the airport.

Removals to Switzerland  – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service or click here for a free European removals quote.