Come with me on a train ride through the longest railway tunnel in the world and end up in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. This is how easy you can move around here and find yourself not only surrounded by another language, but also by a different cultural atmosphere.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is quite a thing here in Switzerland, and maybe in the world. It was opened in 2016 and took almost 17 years to be built. It surely is a masterpiece of engineering. The tunnel is 57km long, starts in Erstfeld and ends in Bodio, and leads right through the Swiss Alps – a challenging barrier between the North and the South of Europe when it comes to mobility. As a passenger the only thing you realize is the dark view when you look out the window. Going at around 200km/h you will see the sun and the typical palm trees of the Ticino after a 20-minute ride. For those of you who would love to learn more about this spectacular tunnel, I recommend watching the 8-minute long documentary by the Swiss Radio and Television.
Gotthard Base Tunnel 360° Documentation (in English)
Gotthard-Basistunnel 360° Doku (auf Deutsch)

Ticino makes you indulge in the beautiful language, the warmth, the socially-minded culture, and the way they celebrate and cherish food. Read more