Recently updated on January 17th, 2020 at 10:45 pm
For a relatively small country, Switzerland offers an array of diverse cultures, heavily influenced from its esteemed neighbors: Germany, France and Italy. But binding it all together is a distinct Swiss mentality.
In spite of diverse cultural influences, the Swiss have developed and maintained a series of local customs and definitive ‘Swiss’ traditions. Although when showcasing at the 1992 World Expo is Seville, the Switzerland pavilion introduced itself using the phrase ‘la Suisse n’existe pas’ (meaning Switzerland does not exist). When asked to describe such an allusive statement, it was said that it is not uniformity, but variety in a small space that defines Switzerland. This has led to numerous regional traditions, with fewer customs celebrated from a national perspective.
Switzerland enjoys a wealth of cultural activity and historic traditions ranging from Alpine farming, to folk traditions celebrated through music, dance, arts and crafts.
The traditional musical forms of yodeling and alpenhorn are heavily linked to Swiss culture, although both are predominantly celebrated only in specific mountainous areas, and neither originated in Switzerland. The alpenhorn, a trumpet-like instrument carved from wood, was founded in Northern Asia and brought to Europe by nomadic tribesman. Yodeling developed as a form of long distance cow calling, and may find roots in African and Pygmy cultures.
Many festivals and traditional customs are celebrated throughout the winter months in Switzerland, a relatively quiet period for farming lifestyles. The Advent calendar is an important Swiss holiday tradition. Said to help promote patience in children, only one of 24 scenes from the advent are displayed each day until the entire story unfolds on Christmas Eve.
Another national tradition is Carnival – celebrated in over 200 communities across Switzerland. With typical Swiss flair, each Carnival is comprised of its own traditions, but typically include masks, parades, colorful costumes and of course, music.
Want to discover Swiss customs and traditions for yourself? Join our 9-day Secrets of Switzerland trip, which explores some of its lesser-known towns and villages.