If you love traveling Europe, getting off-the-beaten path, meeting locals, or having foodie experiences (especially coffee and gelato), then you're in the right place! We're Jana and Brett, a travel couple exploring Europe. Since we got married 10 years ago, we've spent more than 2.5 years adventuring in Europe. But we aren't your average travelers... —Dual USA and Italian citizens —30 European countries...and counting! —We didn't sell everything to travel (we still own our home in Tennessee!) —Both work online (Brett: business operations and consulting. Jana: SEO copywriting and content editing.) Get to know us better by joining our newsletter, binging our YouTube videos, or browsing our blog! When we're not traveling, you will find us hanging out with friends, hosting dinner parties, or playing strategic board games.
Wanna hear alphorns? See edelweiss?
Hey there, Traveler!
We've got 3 things for ya in this week's email:
- New video (Sorry it's a week late!)
- Consultations open for mid-September to mid-October
- Reflections on our week in Zermatt
Let's jump right in, Reader!
If you want to...
✅ Hear alphorns 🎶
✅ See edelweiss ❀
✅ Ride a cogwheel trail 🚂
✅ Taste traditional Swiss food 🫕
Then you should add Schynige Platte to your Swiss itinerary!
How to add Schynige Platte to your Switzerland Itinerary
Wanna visit the Top of Swiss Tradition? We've done the work for you by including Schynige Platte in our 1-Week Guide to the Jungfrau Region!
Consultations now OPEN for mid-September to mid-October!
Run, don't walk! Because so far this summer, our Consultations have sold out lightening fast!
| BOOK A CONSULTATION NOW |
New around here? Learn more about our 1-on-1 Swiss Vacation Consultations here.
Zermatt Update
If you've been reading our emails recently, then you know we just took a trip to Zermatt!
According to my phone, we walked 20,000+ steps per day and 50+ miles during our week! We clocked those miles exploring the hot spots, wandering off the beaten path, hiking a dozen different trails, drooling over incredible dishes, and finding the hidden gems. (Oh, and we filllllled up our phones with photos, videos, and notes about Zermatt.)
Our lingering impressions:
- The village was as resort-like as we anticipated (Helloooo tourists and giant chalets!), but the historic architecture was charming and very different from what we see in the Jungfrau Region.
- The views of the Matterhorn never get old — and you can almost always see it! (Well, if the weather cooperates)
- The hikes are incredible! There's a lot of variety, and there are plenty of trails much higher in elevation than in the Jungfrau Region.
- Gornergrat was our favorite spot in the area for sweeping views. (Eye spy a glacier! And another one! And another one...)
- The general Zermatt area is a haven for foodies like us. (That includes the village and nearby hiking trails.)
- Was Glacier Paradise worth it? You'll have to wait and find out when we publish our Zermatt Guide and Glacier Paradise YouTube video!
Did you know? It will take us a few months to organize, write, edit, design, and publish a Guide to Zermatt plus a handful of YouTube videos.
That's because we only publish the best of the best, our top recommendations for exactly what we would do again, and the spots we won't miss next time we visit Zermatt.
Our plan is to launch a Zermatt Guide and YouTube videos in early 2024, so stay tuned!
Until then, enjoy a few pics :)
Jana & Brett | Aplins in the Alps
If you love traveling Europe, getting off-the-beaten path, meeting locals, or having foodie experiences (especially coffee and gelato), then you're in the right place! We're Jana and Brett, a travel couple exploring Europe. Since we got married 10 years ago, we've spent more than 2.5 years adventuring in Europe. But we aren't your average travelers... —Dual USA and Italian citizens —30 European countries...and counting! —We didn't sell everything to travel (we still own our home in Tennessee!) —Both work online (Brett: business operations and consulting. Jana: SEO copywriting and content editing.) Get to know us better by joining our newsletter, binging our YouTube videos, or browsing our blog! When we're not traveling, you will find us hanging out with friends, hosting dinner parties, or playing strategic board games.
📣 If there was a news station reporting on Swiss transportation, THIS would be the headline today all.week.long. If you've been following us for a little while Reader, then you know we're a bit partial to the Half Fare Card and Berner Oberland Pass. And there are a few BIG updates for the 2024 Berner Oberland Pass that you won't want to miss. Today's email is full of details, so give yourself more than 30 seconds to give it a scan: ▶️ New video: the Berner Oberland Pass just got even better 💬...
Reader, have you ever made any travel mistakes? We certainly have! We've been caught in a new country with the wrong currency. (I think it was Denmark? Or maybe Hungary?) When we were in Paris, we missed the last bus of the night, so we had to walk 3 miles back to our lodging. (We could've paid for a taxi, but we were traveling for 1 year+ on a tight budget.) One time we mimed back and forth for 10 minutes with a man in the French countryside because we didn't speak French and he didn't speak...
Happy New Year, Reader! We hope that the first few days of 2024 have brought you an abundance of joy! For us, we've enjoyed some walks where we watch our breath puff in the cold air, clean food (and minimal sugar after the holidays), fresh-outta-the-box board games, and an eagerness to get back to work (we have a lot of big projects for the next few months!). However, things don't always go as planned... For example: We planned to have dinner with friends on New Years Eve...but we got sick...