Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast Episode 113 Transcript

Wondering What To Do In Lucerne? These Cargo E-Bike Adventures And Swiss Alps Tours Are A Must!

You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.

Intro  

Are you dreaming of visiting Switzerland? Planning a trip to Switzerland is very exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. How do you choose which of the many scenic cities, towns and villages to visit, which mountain top excursions should you take? And what’s the best way to get around Switzerland and of course, how much of the country can you realistically see within your time frame? If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, this is the podcast for you. This is the holidays to Switzerland travel podcast. And in each episode, your host Carolyn Schönafnger chats with Swiss travel experts to answer your most commonly asked questions, provide practical tips and take you on a virtual visit to the most popular destinations, and, of course, some hidden gems to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland. And you’ll hear plenty of conversations about Swiss cheese and chocolate too. Are you ready to plan your trip to Switzerland? Well, let’s get started. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Hello. Welcome back to the Holidays to Switzerland podcast, your place for Swiss travel tips and inspiration. Lucerne is one of the first inclusions in any Swiss itinerary, and for very good reason, it’s a stunningly beautiful city right in the heart of Switzerland, and being such a compact and walkable city, most people explore the old town on foot, but there is a great way to make your visit to Lucerne a little more unique, and that’s by exploring outside the city by cargo e bike. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Roberto Riccardi, who owns and operates loop tours, offering guests from all around the world, unique e bike tours in Lucerne and also, more recently, in Interlaken. Roberto loves the interaction he has with his guests, and it was because of the conversations he had with them and hearing of their overwhelm when planning their Swiss vacations that he also started another company which offers private guided tours. Roberto is going to tell us all about loop tours and explain what a cargo e bike is, and we’ll learn about his private tours as well, all in today’s episode. He has an exclusive bonus offer for the Holidays to Switzerland audience, too. So make sure you listen until the end to get all the details. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Hello, Roberto, thank you very much for coming on to the Holidays to Switzerland podcast. Would you like to introduce yourself and give our listeners a bit of a background about what you do and how you got to be doing what you are today? 

Roberto Riccardi  

Hello, Carolyn. Thank you so much for the invitation. Super excited to be on the podcast. Actually, it’s my first podcast ever, so yeah, looking forward to it. My name is Roberto Riccardi. I am, as you can guess from my name, I’m not fully Swiss. My dad is from Naples, south of Italy, and my mom is Swiss. And I grew up in Switzerland, and I had a lot of different jobs in my life. In 2014 I started the Hospitality Management School here in Lucerne, and I loved the studies, because it was a great combination of work and practical experience. And then, because I love to travel, I mix it up with a lot of traveling. I worked as a chef in Mexico for six months. Then I lived for one year in Australia. So I love the combination the different kind of jobs, the combination of traveling, and then I finished the school and I came to Lucerne for a job. I was a manager of a cocktail bar in the nightclub for one year here in Lucerne, which was a really interesting job, but not really what I could imagine for myself for the future. So after, yeah, after one year, I had a had a call from a good friend of mine, Andreas, who is living in Copenhagen, and he told me that he’s doing cargo bike tours in Copenhagen, in the capital of Denmark. And then I said, I have no clue what you’re doing. What is e cargo bike, but sounds really interesting to me. So then I went to visit him in November, 2019 and I joined him on a tour. And I was blown away by the experience. And then after this tour, we sat together, we have a brainstorming session in a coffee. We gathered all the ideas, and then I decided to to start my own company and start with those tours here in Lucerne. And then in April 2019 I had my first loop tour here in Lucerne.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Fantastic. So what actually is a Loop Tour? And can you explain a bit more about what e cargo bike is?

Roberto Riccardi  

That’s a really good question. So a Loop Tour is easily explained. It’s like a regular bike tour, but instead of the guests using normal bikes, we have the electric cargo bike. So e cargo bike is similar to a rickshaw, where someone is peddling and there is a bench, but the difference between the rickshaw is that the bench is in front and not in the back, which has two big benefits. So one, the customer have the whole view because they sit in front, and they also can talk to the driver. So someone can drive, someone can sit in the basket in front, or even two people, and then they can take turns. And the bikes are electric assisted, so it’s very easy, very smooth to paddle. It’s actually really fun to pedal the bike. And we are the first electric cargo bike tour in the world. It’s because we have rickshaw tours always in big cities, where the customers can sit in a rickshaw and the guide is driving, but our philosophy is more that it’s more fun to pedal the bike yourself. So we are the first ones with this concept, and every tour is always guided. So the guide goes in front with a regular bike, and then the guests join with those electric cargo bikes, because it’s such a unique concept, we always have to explain customers that the idea is actually that they pedal themselves. But once they figure it out how it works, they absolutely love it. And the cool thing of those tours is that it’s kind of a mix of a walking tour and a bus tour, because we always have very small groups and it’s very personal. There’s a lot of interaction between the customers and the guides. But then there’s also we can cover a bigger range than just on a walking tour with our bikes. So it’s a combination of those two kind of tours. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Okay, great. So when you went to visit your friend in Copenhagen with the the tours, with the cargo bikes he was using. Were they e bikes, or were they fully manual that you had to pedal the whole time.

Roberto Riccardi  

You have to pedal the whole time, but it’s E bikes, so the engine assists you, so it’s very easy to pedal, which is really cool, which, yeah, makes it accessible for everyone. Otherwise, it would be really hard without the electric assist to pedal around the people in front in the basket, but no, it’s really fun with the electric assist.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Okay. Oh, good. And so for anyone thinking, I’d rather just sit back and have someone do the work for me, they’re not actually going to have to work that hard, are they with an with an E bike.

Roberto Riccardi  

Exactly. So they can choose either they are in the in the driver’s seat as a pilot, or they sit in front. The funny thing is, most of the time at the beginning of the tours, people always say, Oh, I would prefer just to lay back and sit comfortably in front. And then we start a tour, and then they want to drive as well. And at the end of the tour, both want to be on the driver seat, they really enjoy the driving part of the tour. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

That’s good. to hear So how long do the tours last for? And what sort of things do people see when they’re out on one of these tours?

Roberto Riccardi  

So the tour lasts about two and a half hours. So at the beginning, when the guests meet the guide first, there is a little introduction, they can do a test driving with the bikes, because it’s a little bit different the driving, especially the steering part, because the bike has three wheels, so the steering part is a little bit not like a regular bike. So it’s good to do some practice in a safe area. Once the guests feel comfortable, the tour starts. And the tour is called a hidden gem tour, so we go around a peninsula of horb outside of Lucerne, and then we do a couple of stops, one stop, which is always the highlight of most people, we do a quiz, like a fun game with a map of Switzerland, where it’s like interactive. Also, when there are kids on the tours, they love it. They always like to make the game. And then we go towards the lake side, and then we drive around the peninsula, so it’s most of the tour is actually flat. And then on the second part, there’s a couple of hills. And the other big thing with those bikes, which is really cool, is that everyone can join so a few years ago, I had a group of friends here from from Switzerland, and there was Ruth. She was 83 years old, and we started our tour, and then we made the break at the lakeside. And then I asked Ruth, would you would you like to try it as well, to pedal the bike yourself? And then she told me, Oh, she’s not sure if she can handle the bike, because they’re quite big. And then I said, Let’s just give it a go. Just have a try. And then she sat on the bike. Her friend was sitting in the basket in front. She started pedaling, and she absolutely loved it. And it was so amazing. I still remember it very vividly, because I made a video her, and then she was driving along the lake side, and she said, Oh, I would have never imagined to that I’m gonna do something like this with 83 years old. So that was, that was really cool. So yeah, everyone can join, also families with kids. It’s, it’s great because the mom or the dad can sit in front the kids can sit next to it. People who are disabled, people who can’t walk anymore, yeah, literally, everyone can join this kind of tours. Most of my guests are tourists, but sometimes even for locals, for Swiss people, it’s, it’s fun and unique experience. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Yeah, certainly sounds like it. So, what about children? Do you have, sort of, like, any guidelines about what age a child needs to be before they can actually, like, you know, right, be the the one riding the bike.

Roberto Riccardi  

Riding the bike is from 16 years old. Sometimes when there’s some parts of the tour where it’s very remote along the lake side, if they’re younger, we also give them a try there, so they can pedal on some safe areas, because we try to make the tour as safe as possible and, of course, as scenic as possible. And by now, yeah, I have done so many tours, and they always optimized the route, the exact itinerary, like where we are going. So there is really nice trails. One part, we drive on the old train rail, which is really cool. Right now it’s just for pedestrians and bikes, so we’re not driving on the streets next to cars and then, yeah, babies as well. I had babies three to four months old in front, like in, how do you call them? Like in, the vest with with their mom. Once they’re a little bit bigger, they can sit next to it. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Sounds great. So are the tours, do they operate all year round?

Roberto Riccardi  

So I start in March, and then offer the tours until October, because usually in winter, it just gets too cold. When it’s cold, I still, yeah, we bring blankets for the tours. We make a warm tea, but yeah, then during winter, we make a break.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Okay. And whereabouts do the tours start and finish from? Is that somewhere in central Lucerne, or is it easy to get to buy public transport from the middle of Lucerne, or the station.

Roberto Riccardi  

So it’s, it’s actually, we have a really nice location to start. It’s right next to the train station. It’s called Caritas bike station, Caritas Velostation. It’s a huge parking spot for bikes, and that’s where I have my bikes parked. There is a safe area where they can do the training, and then we move outside of the city. So just the first part to move outside of the city is a little bit on the street. And then we get on those bike trails outside of the city, and it’s really nice because it’s most people we have on the tours. They do a walking tour first, so they explore Lucerne city. And as you know, Lucerne is great just walking, because it’s such a small city. You can get everywhere just by walking. And then if they do the bike tour, it’s they see something completely different. So it’s not that they double the things so they see something completely different.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Yeah, great. And when during the season, so March till October, do the tours operate every day of the week? Or are there only certain days that you have the tours?

Roberto Riccardi  

So we operate every day. We offer the tours, usually one in the morning at 9am and one at 2pm because sometimes people are very spontaneous. They look at the weather and just book one or two days in advance. Other people prefer to already start planning their trip in January and book the tours way ahead. Yep. So basically, we do the tours every day.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Well, that’s really good to know that anyone visiting Lucerne doesn’t have to change their plans to make sure that they are in Lucerne on a specific day to do one of the tours. As you mentioned that if the tours are operating every day, that certainly gives people a lot more flexibility.

Roberto Riccardi  

Yeah, and it’s a nice combination, because sometimes, yeah, they want to go on a mountain or do, like, just sleep in in the morning or go on a walking tour in the afternoon. So it’s like a nice half day program for them.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

So as well as operating the E bike tours in Lucerne, do you also operate them anywhere else in Switzerland? 

Roberto Riccardi  

Yes, that’s right. This year I started in Interlaken as well. So in Interlaken at the moment, I have two bikes, whereas in Lucerne I have seven bikes at the moment. But usually it’s, yeah, it’s always really small groups. I just do bigger groups when I have, like a team event, or like one group that wants to stay together. But usually it’s very small groups. And in Interlaken, yeah, at the moment, we have two bikes, and it’s also, Interlaken is even a flatter tour. And over there it’s also, it’s, uh, the same concept, like it’s called the Hidden Gem Tour, where we drive through, Bönigen, through all those traditional Swiss chalets, we get to the lake Brienz, have a little picnic there, and then we come back to the center of Interlaken. Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

An E bike tour is a pretty unique and it’s an eco friendly way to explore a destination so I’m so sure plenty of people will be interested in finding out more about Loop Tours, and I’ll make sure I include some photos of the ebikes in the show notes for this episode, so that our listeners can see exactly what the cargo e bikes look like. They are different to a normal rickshaw or a tuk tuk that people may be more familiar with, as you mentioned. So a photo will help everyone to see how great they are and that they’re, of course, very stable because they have the three wheels. What is the average age of your guests on these tours? 

Roberto Riccardi  

Yeah, that definitely helped, helps pictures and videos and that they actually understand that they get to to pedal themselves, and it’s electric assisted. So, yeah, it’s, it’s really fun, and it’s really easy to pedal because, yeah, we always make stops along the way. And it’s, yeah, it’s, it’s nice for everyone. So my my average customers age, I would say, is about 65 years old. So it’s very easy to pedal. Everyone, literally everyone can join. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

The E bike tours are a really great idea. Do you offer any other kind of tours?

Roberto Riccardi  

Yes. So a few years ago, I read a book which is called The Paradox of Choice, and it speaks about that we always want to have different options, different choices, right? Whether we buy a piece of chocolate, a new car or go on holidays. So people always want to have different options available. But I think nowadays, there are too many options, especially in Switzerland. What I noticed that people, many times, are overwhelmed, like, Which mountain to visit, what kind of transport should they take, how to get around, where to stay. And then in social media, they see so many things, and they get overwhelmed. So it’s good to have options, but once they have too many of them, it can be very frustrating. It can be really confusing and hard to plan a trip. And I noticed that when I did the Loop Tours, I was always speaking to the to the guests, and many times I saw that they struggled to to plan their itinerary while they are in Switzerland. Or, yeah, they plan it even before, but they struggle to plan it, or don’t know where to go. And then I started to two years ago, I created my second company called Riccardi Travel, where I help the guests exactly with this challenge, where, that’s where we do day and multi day tours. All tours there are private, and it’s mainly in central Switzerland, mainly in the area of Lucerne and Interlaken. And then we we create customized tours according to what what people are looking for. So if they want to go on hikes, if they want to go on, like, really hidden gems where there’s no tourists, like a combination of both, like whatever they’re looking for. We create it, and then we guide them. We organize the transport. Usually we don’t do the hotels. We give them recommendations where to stay, and then we do the rest, like transport, guiding, tickets. And I think it’s it’s much easier for them. Of course, they can do all the research themselves. If people love to do the research, then it’s great. But for many people, as I noticed, they it’s more of a hassle. They’re stressed about it. So many times, they just prefer to give it away to someone who is an expert and he lives in the area, and then they can just join and enjoy the tour. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Yeah, and I think so many people also struggle with the time, they just don’t have enough time to spend researching all the different options. So I can see why having a local expert like yourself do all the planning based on the guests interests is so popular. So for anyone who’s listening and is thinking, this is exactly what I need, what is the process for planning their tour with you? 

Roberto Riccardi  

Yes, so they can reach out to us, either on the website, the riccarditravel.com or on social media. We get more requests on social media via email, and then, usually, like on the website, we have a few day tours, fixed itineraries, or for multi day tours, I recommend that they just reach out to us and then we create a tour for them, so it’s not like a fixed tour. So we always try to look what the customers are actually looking for and then create the tour based on their interest.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Is there a typical number of days that your guests book? Is it two or three days, for instance? Or does it vary a lot?

Roberto Riccardi  

Yeah, I would say between three and five days is the average. Yeah. And as you already know, like Switzerland is a very small country. So you can see a lot of things in just a few days. So many times, people also combine Switzerland with Italy, and then afterwards continue their journey. But yeah, I would say between three and five days is a good amount of time to explore. Of course, if you have six or seven days, even better. But yeah, I would say average is three to five. But also sometimes people want to have some free time, which is great as well. So we can also include that in the tour. For example, we do a program for four days and then they have two days by themselves, or one day just by themselves. Or it’s always also good to have a little bit flexibility within the itinerary, just in case of bad weather, or just yeah, so we can adjust it, because in Switzerland, the weather is always a little bit unpredictable when the guests book private tours, so there is more flexibility. So we try to make it the customer experience as best as possible, so they they can enjoy the tour. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Some of our listeners are probably wondering, what type of transport is used on the private tours. For instance, is it a private vehicle? And how does it work if they perhaps want to include a ride on, say, the Lucerne Interlaken Express or on one of the other panoramic trains? Is that possible?

Roberto Riccardi  

So usually it’s a combination of a private vehicle or public transport. So if they would like to do any specific train, then we can also, for example, pick them up in Zermatt, or pick them up in St Moritz, and then start a tour from there. Or like many, especially in Lucerne, because it is located right in the center of Switzerland, many things are more convenient to actually use public transport. For example, Pilatus, Mount Rigi, Stansenhorn, there it’s much more convenient to use the boats, cogwheel train, gondolas, and it’s also more of a local experience, because in Switzerland, we use the public transport as much as possible, so it’s nice if they also get to experience that, rather than just staying in a car or in a minivan. And so it’s usually a combination. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

And I guess having a guide with you who buys all the necessary tickets and makes sure you get on the right train or cable car takes a lot of the stress out of traveling for your guests too.

Roberto Riccardi  

Exactly. I see like when I look into those Facebook groups, that’s always the biggest question, right, how to get around, which tickets to buy? And to be honest, it’s really confusing, not only for tourists, but even as a as a local, it’s there’s just so many different options. Then you get a pass, and this mountain is not included, you only get a discount, and there’s just so many options. It is really confusing. So if people get frustrated, they can fully understand them.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Absolutely. So are the private guided tours available all year round?

Roberto Riccardi  

The customized tours we offer from March till December, but they can definitely reach out, if they would like to do it in January, February, they could also reach out, but usually it’s from March till December, where we offer those kind of tours. And many times, people book them 4, 5, 6 months in advance. But as well, there, it has changed, like some people, some they come to Switzerland and look for a day or even two day tour, just like a week before. So yeah, it has shifted a little bit exactly. It’s never too late. Always give it a go. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

It sounds like, Roberto, that every day you’re working, you’re visiting some of the most beautiful places in Switzerland. So do you have a favorite tour? 

Roberto Riccardi  

Hard question. I have so many favorite places in Switzerland, such a beautiful country, so many hidden gems in Switzerland. But my favorite tour, I would say, is, I call it the secret lake. It’s a really cool tour. It’s a little bit outside of Lucerne, where we’re going to go on the on a very tiny gondola. We do a small little hike, and usually we do an outdoor fondue. And this place is just, I remember the first time I was there, I went on a hike. I went to explore with my mom. My mom loves to hike. She’s super fit and always exciting when she goes up to the mountain. So I thought, oh, that’s figuring out the new tour. And we went there there, we came with to the top of the gondola, and then we had this view. Was just amazing. I was just like, it looks literally like a postcard. You can’t even take a picture it. It’s so, so amazing. And on this tour, we include an easy hike, we go downhill, and then we do a fondue outside. It’s right next to the lake, and you’re surrounded by those massive cliffs and mountains. It’s really cool. And the best part of this tour is that’s actually also the reason why I call it the secret lake. I never tell customers or travel agents where exactly it is, because it’s absolutely no one is there is there’s no tourists, a lot of even a lot of local people, they don’t know about this place. So that’s why we call it the secret lake. It’s without any other tourists, no people, just cows on the way. And it’s a really cool experience, especially with the fondue. We make the fondue on a fire outside, like we buy the cheese from a local cheese store here in Lucerne, and, yeah, that’s that’s always a highlight. When people come on a four, five day tour, I always try to include this tour, and this is always their highlight.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

I’m not surprised, visiting a beautiful location where there are no tourists is getting more and more difficult, unless you can really get off the regular tourist trail. So to be able to incorporate such a special location where there’s no one else there, would there be truly something memorable, and I’m sure people remember that for many, many years to come. 

Roberto Riccardi  

It is challenging, especially nowadays with social media, right? You go somewhere and one person is an influencer, makes a video or a post, and then the next year, it’s just packed. So it’s it’s always hard to find those spots. That’s also what I do in the off season, like during winter, when I’m not busy. I try to figure out new tours, new places to go. Yeah, because it’s can change very quickly from from a hidden gem to a very popular spot.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

With all the tours that you operate, I guess you meet people from all around the world every day. Do you also stay in touch with some of the guests?

Roberto Riccardi  

I do my best. I do my best. So Carolyn, Carolyn, I’m very blessed. I have the best job in the world. So it’s I’m always like the Swiss Alps or my office. So I’m always outside. And the best thing of every tour is always the guests, because the tours with the time you go to the mountains, you see the same landscapes, which also we kind of get used to it right, even if it’s kind of sad. But that’s why it’s so nice to go with tourists, because we learn to see it through their lens. So I go to a mountains, which I’ve already been like 50 times, and they’re so amazed. And then me, as a guide, I think, wow, actually, they’re right. It’s so amazing. So it’s, it’s really cool to always see Switzerland through their lens. And yeah, I had so many cool guests, so many interesting people. Two years ago, I had a family from Venezuela, and we went to Mount Pilatus, and then we explored Lucerne. We went on a loop tour. And then at the end of the tour, they said, if you ever want to come to Venezuela, let us know, and you can stay with us. And I’m sure you know that many people say that just with the thought, Okay, it’s up in the air, and you’re never going to visit them. And then about three months later, I I called them, and I asked them whether that was just a joke or they were serious. And then they said, no, no, they are serious. You can come and stay, stay with us. Then I went to visit them, to Venezuela, and that was such a cool trip like that would be another podcast for itself. But there was a very interesting adventure. I was the only tourist in the country. No one goes to Venezuela, but it was really cool to actually stay with locals. They could give me their insights where to go and what to do, and the country is just amazing. So that was really cool experience. So I had another couple, which I can’t forget is, which is Riley and Elizabeth. They were the most loving couple I ever had on a tour. They were amazing. I was touring with them for four days. Riley was from the US, and Elizabeth originally from from Mexico. And the cool thing of multi day tours is that I really get to get to know the people, right? Because it’s not just a few days which you spend together. So is a lot of really interesting conversations. And then they told me how they met. And this story, I was fascinated by the story I was that was such a an inspiring story. That Riley was on holidays in Mexico, and he was walking on the beach, and then he saw Elizabeth, and he was on a on a 10 day holiday trip, and then they spent some days together, and then, before he left, he proposed, and they got married, and now they’re together for more than 40 years. So that that story was so cool and just, yeah, their energy and being around them, they took everything with humor and always joking around as it was. Yeah, those four days felt like four hours. Time went so quickly. And yeah, I have so many amazing people I meet. That’s yeah, that’s why it’s such an amazing job.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

I’m sure we’ve got people listening who are thinking, I really want to do that secret hidden lake tour, or I’d love to have Roberto just plan out everything for me and make my trip planning a whole lot simpler. So if they’re out there, they’re thinking, yes, I’d love to do one of Roberto’s private tours, you’ve got a special bonus offer for us as well, especially for the Holidays to Switzerland audience, correct? Could you share the details of that bonus with our listeners, please? 

Roberto Riccardi  

I would love to tell everyone about that. So it’s if you use the codes H T Swiss, you’re gonna get 5% discount on every tour, whether it’s day or multi day tours. You can just mention it in in the email or while you reach out to us, and then we can plan your adventure together.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Fantastic. Thank you so much for your generous offer, Roberto, that’s greatly appreciated. I’ll include that promo code and the link to your website and your contact details in the show notes, so that everyone who is interested in booking a private tour can get in touch with you. Okay, so before we finish up, I’ve just got one last question for you. What would you recommend to someone who’s visiting Switzerland for the very first time?

Roberto Riccardi  

So for the first time visiting Switzerland, I have a good friend of mine. He’s a DJ, and he always plays at the at weddings, and after every wedding, he comes back to me and said, says the wedding was amazing, but just the bride and the groom were very stressed, because they want to make everything perfect. And that’s exactly what I see with so many people visiting Switzerland that they are stressed about the trip, what to do, where to stay, how to move around, and yes, we talked before. Also like all those Facebook group, Instagram posts, like it can get very quickly, very overwhelming for people to plan their trip. So what I usually do on my multi day tours is that we use Lucerne as a base, and then we do day tours, so they have to move less from one hotel to the other one, so there is less luggage move, less check in, check out, and everything is a little bit more calm. So they have a base. And then, and I recommend Lucerne because it’s, in my opinion, is the most charming, most beautiful city in Switzerland, and also it’s right in the center of the country. So it’s very convenient. It’s just one hour away from Zurich, it’s one hour drive away from Interlaken. And so there’s so many places which we can visit from Lucerne, and it’s just more convenient, and because many times I see that people stay two days in Zurich, two days in Lucerne, two days in Interlaken and two days in Zermatt. And at the end, it’s such a hassle. You arrive in one spot, you have to do the check in, you have to figure out where to go, what to do. So it’s, I always recommend to use somewhere as a base and then move, move around. So that is, that is my trip. Many times if you do less, it’s actually more. Don’t just focus on the destination, but enjoy. Enjoy the gorgeous train rides. Enjoy having lunch somewhere outside on the river. Enjoy the view, not just waiting to get to the summit of the mountain, because maybe you’re going to be in the clouds. You never know Switzerland, that’s always unpredictable with the weather. So yeah, don’t stress yourself with all the information out there. Maybe try to do less things, but be more present, enjoy the moment. Yeah, I think that would be the biggest advice I would give someone to visit Switzerland.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Quality over quantity every time. 

Roberto Riccardi  

Absolutely. Absolutely. And enjoyment over stress.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Less stress should be a major part of any holiday, I think.

Roberto Riccardi  

It should, yes, and yeah, we we try. That’s our job as well, right to that people can actually enjoy their time while they’re here, and they get, get to see parts where there’s no other tourists. And the other thing, which I think is a benefit of having a local tour guide, is that you actually get a deeper understanding of the local culture, because you actually exchange with a local whereas I just thinking back when I was in Venezuela, I had the family where I stayed with but then I did some tours, and with the guide, you actually have this exchange, and you get the perspective of how it is to live in the country, and you can ask as much as you want, and you get just a deeper understanding of the culture and how it is to live in the country than if you just do it by yourself, and you can still combine it, right? You don’t have to do everything fully guided, but like maybe have a mix one part with a guide and then another part by yourself,

Carolyn Schönafinger  

And you really get the best of both worlds that way, too. Thank you so much, Roberto, for chatting with me today and for introducing our listeners to the Loop Tours cargo e-bike tours, and for telling us about your private guided tours. It’s been fantastic to chat with you, and I hope we’ve inspired lots of people to come and check out your E bike tours, and perhaps even have you plan a private guided tour for them in Switzerland.

Roberto Riccardi  

Excellent. Yeah, was great being on your podcast. And yeah, thank you so much.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Don’t those cargo e bike tours sound like a lot of fun? I really love that they are suitable for all ages, so no one has to miss out. And that’s another experience added to my ever growing Switzerland bucket list. Now I’m sure you could tell that Roberto is passionate about making sure his guests have a wonderful experience when they visit Switzerland. If you’re struggling with planning a Swiss vacation, why not reach out to Roberto and ask him to help you might just like a one day tour? Or perhaps you’re more keen to find out about a multi day itinerary, but either way, you can benefit from his local knowledge and insights whilst visiting the places that appeal to you. Head on over to the show notes, where you’ll find the links to book a Loop Tour and the contact details for Riccardi Travel, and don’t forget to quote our promo code, H T SWISS, that’s H T S W I S S when inquiring about or booking a private tour and you can save yourself 5%. The show notes are at holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode 113. Thank you so much for joining me today. If you enjoyed the podcast, I’d be really grateful if you could leave a five star rating or a review on Apple podcasts or Spotify. I would really appreciate it. Until next time, Tschüss.

You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.