The Most Perfect Country on the Planet | Switzerland

Summary

The video documents a week-long trip through Switzerland, known as one of the most expensive yet awe-inspiring countries. It captures the adventures of two travelers as they road trip to cities like Interlaken and Grindelwald, highlighting popular activities like hiking up mountains, paragliding off cliffs, and speeding down on trotti bikes. They emphasize Switzerland's postcard-perfect landscapes with turquoise blue lakes and villages that resemble Disney sets. Despite the high costs, they conclude Switzerland lives up to being an ideal, fairytale country with top-notch quality across food, infrastructure, and engineering.

Takeaways

• 😊 Switzerland is praised for its clean water, beautiful landscapes, and high quality of life
• 💸 However, it is also one of the most expensive countries to visit
• 🚗 To save money, the travelers rented the cheapest car available at $180/day
• 😋 They sampled various Swiss delicacies like chocolate, cheese fondue, and beer mixes
• 🚠 They rode cable cars and trains to reach high mountain peaks across the country
• 🏔 At 11,000 feet, they were at the highest point in Europe on the Jungfraujoch
• 😱 They cycled down a mountain and went canyoning, rappelling down waterfalls for adventure
• 🛫 They paraglided off a mountain, admiring stunning aerial views on the way down
• 🏨 Accommodation prices varied greatly, from $300/night to more affordable options
• 👍 Overall, Switzerland met their expectations as an idyllic, fairy tale-esque destination

Q & A

Why is Switzerland so expensive?

Switzerland is expensive mainly due to the high salaries and standards of living. The average salary is around $125,000 annually and the minimum wage is $25 per hour. This allows the Swiss to produce very high quality products and services.

What makes the water so blue in Lake Brienz?

The turquoise blue color comes from minerals dissolved in the water from the glacial melt and rocks. This gives it a bright, vivid blue appearance.

How high is the highest point in Europe that they visit?

They visit the Top of Europe, which is 11,000 feet high. At this elevation, you can see incredible panoramic views of the Alps.

What adventure activities do they partake in?

They go trotti-biking (riding downhill on tricycles), canyoning through mountain rivers, cliff jumping into canyons, and paragliding off of mountains.

Why does the video creator make his friend Haley go first for many of the activities?

Partly for safety reasons to test out the equipment, but he also admits it's a good excuse to avoid going first himself.

How much did a basic hotel room in Interlaken cost?

In Interlaken, a basic hotel room shown in the video cost $300 USD per night.

What did they have for a typically expensive Swiss dinner?

They had Swiss cheese fondue, which cost around $120 USD for two people.

How far did they rappel down the cliff?

They rappelled down a 150-foot cliff to go canyoning through a canyon.

Why is Switzerland known for being neutral?

Switzerland has a long history of neutrality in conflicts. They refrain from taking sides in wars, even if it means defending their borders aggressively.

What things does the video mention Switzerland ranks highly for?

The video says Switzerland consistently ranks at the top for quality of life, most expensive country, cleanest water, and more.