“Metzgete” and the North-East of Switzerland

Switzerland- Matterhorn, Jungfrau, Lucerne, Zürich, Geneva and Montreux. Chocolate and watches, cheese and knives. While these are the must sees, eats and buys, there is much more to discover beyond those majestic mountains.

The Northeastern part of Switzerland:

The region between Zürich and St.Gallen, lake Constance and Säntis.

Let’s start in Winter. For those of you who want to take on the slopes, head out to the regions of Appenzellerland and Toggenburg. A winter wonderland for skiing, sledging and snowshoeing. Park up at Brülisau and you can take the Gondola up to Hoher Kasten and take in the spectacular 360° view at their revolving restaurant. Or why not hike/snowshoe your way up there, taking the route past Berggasthaus Ruhesitz, a cosy alpine hut, for the most heart-warming Alpine macaroni ever or an original cheese fondue (do check their opening hours).

Jakobsbad will give adventure-seekers a time of their life around the region of Kronberg. If you’re snowshoeing upwards, mind the toboggans that are racing down. The sledge route starting from Kronberg peak is one of the longest at a distance of 7km.

For some proper ski lessons, then do check out Alt St.Johann, Unterwasser or Wildhaus and hire your gear at Sutter Sport.

If you’re not a wintersport enthusiast then the traditional, quaint town of Appenzell will not let you down. If you’re lucky you’ll hear some locals spontaneously jodeling at the table next to you.

Have you ever wanted to know how to make the world famous Appenzeller cheese (Abigail’s personal favourite)? Then take a tour around the Appenzeller “Schaukäserei” in Stein.

These places of course, offer many great hiking experiences in Summer too and are definitely picturesque, but you may want to take a dip in one of the many rivers and lakes instead.

Switzerland can get pretty hot! Our favourite river is the river Rhein. Its source starts in the mountains of Graubünden and flows all the way to the Netherlands into the North Sea. The second-longest river in Central and Western Europe, we believe it’s at its most stunning between lake Constance and Schaffhausen. Perfect for swimming, paddling and beaver-spotting, the Rhein is truly breathtaking! But let’s start at the famous Rheinfall in Neuhausen-Schaffhausen.

Don’t miss out on the exhilarating boat ride to the rock in the middle of the waterfall. It will float your boat and rock your world! The impressive Munot fortress sets the scene for the quaint cobbled streets of Schaffhausen, and for a fun night out and some excellent grub do check out the Güterhof bar & restaurant.

For happy campers like us, may we recommend our favourite campsite in Switzerland. Right around the corner from Schaffhausen and directly on the river Rhein, lies Langwiesen Camping. We like to walk upstream and take in the nearby views as we float back down paradise (the place is actually called Paradise!).

Moving up river, there are many more hideaways to be seen. Get on board and take a ship from Schaffhausen, and make stops to touristy Stein am Rhein, Steckborn and Ermatingen for Fischknusperli and a relaxed dip into the lake. We have now reached part of lake Constance, called the Untersee.

Autumn can be spectacular too. On a clear blue day, the colours of the trees are illuminated and the mountains can already be sugar-coated with snow. But the reason we love this season so much is the fresh abundance of food and one tradition in particular; “Metzgete”.

“Metzgete” means butchered. But we call it the celebration of the pig, or simply pigging out on pork! It’s an old tradition found in fall, that many restaurants and farms offer. It’s a fun way to get together with friends over a feast.

Blutwurst, sausages, bacon and chops. Liver, snout and tail, and sometimes parts of the leg, ham and tongue, will be served on a bed of sauerkraut and hard-boiled potatoes. Every restaurant has its own way of presenting “Metzgete” to its audience. It may be served plate after plate, course after course, or on a “Schlachtplatte”, our preferred style of eating. This way you get to sample a bit of every delight on offer as opposed to ordering individual items. This tradition is still going strong in this region but can be found in other parts of Switzerland too, and even in southern parts of Germany.

Restaurants and farms will usually advertise their “Metzgete-days” on a cut-out pig shaped display and are booked up fast. Do make your reservation in advance as it is extremely popular. The places we like to go to are; Restaurant Traube in Berg am Irchel and Gasthaus zum Ochsen in Marthalen. They still provide a traditional “Metzgete” on a “Schlachtplatte”, and are perfect ways of experiencing the authentic “Swiss Restaurant” atmosphere.

For the many other “Metzgete” available in the region; please do a quick Google search.

You’ll not be disappointed in the North-East of Switzerland. It may not be first on the tourist map of things to do, but among its natural beauty, you’ll meet some of the most laid-back Swiss people, will not be stuck in traffic and will not have to break the bank in order to have fun! Oh and did we mention that the most famous St.Galler Bratwurst comes from here too? Don’t miss it!

Uf Wiederluegä…We’ll meat you guys around the world!

Richie and Abigail