When you move to a new country for the first time, it can seem like all the trials and tribulations of expat life are yours to bear alone. Luckily, Switzerland is home to a rich and diverse community of international influencers and bloggers who can explain, reassure and make fun of life in the alpine nation. Here are some of our favourites.
Want intuitive guides to life in Switzerland, with some great tips and stunning photos and videos along the way? Check out these great Swiss and international influencers:
If you want a light-hearted take on living in Switzerland, Olivia and her account olliechinny is the one for you. Originally from Singapore, Olivia - Ollie to friends - moved to St. Gallen with her husband in 2019 so that he could start a new job. She uses her presence online to document her goals, feelings and experiences as she moved and started settling into life in a new country.
Behind the veneer of jokes and great pictures lies genuinely useful information for expats to know. Along with regular posts about life in Switzerland, she also offers a range of cool travel guides for anyone who wants to take their holiday to the next level.
Sometimes, all you need is the affirmation that you made the right choice when you chose to move to Switzerland. Highlighting all the beautiful reasons why life in the alpine nation is worth it, Just moved to Switzerland shows the country at its very best.
The account is run by Larisa, an expat who moved to Zurich in 2017. Like many newcomers, at first, she struggled to make friends and adapt to the Swiss job market, so turned to social media to document and share her experiences. Now, she uses her platform to inspire and uplift fellow expats who want to make Switzerland their home.
Though mostly Zurich-centric, her videos and posts are full of great tips and things to do.
Having first founded Harrys Ding in 2008, Harry and co-owner Carrie have taken the Swiss influencer scene by storm. What started out as a hobby has turned into a one-stop shop for expat advice and guides.
Whether you need the low down on the latest trending restaurants or just want to enjoy some stunning pictures and videos of the Swiss Alps, harrysding has you covered. If you want to bathe yourself in the beauty of the place you call home, you can’t go far wrong!
Having been an expat six times, Elza from Expatpreneur in Zurich is well-versed in navigating the trials and tribulations of moving to a new country. Now, she makes fun videos about living in Zurich and Switzerland as a whole, documenting all the ups and downs that come with it, as well as providing advice for those who want to start their own journey as a content creator in Switzerland.
Having moved from Chicago to Switzerland with her husband in early 2023, Lindsey from Lindsey // Travel & Life Abroad brings her expat story to life through deeply personal and funny videos, photos and other posts. Along the way, she showcases all of the great things to do in Switzerland, and where new residents to the alpine nation should visit next.
Though new to the influencer scene, American expat Cassie from Expat Mom Life has started to take her viewers on an insightful journey across Switzerland. Along with travel blogs to places worthy of any person’s bucket list, she also shows off the very best of the area around Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein.
Based in Zurich after moving from Geneva in 2023, Jasmine started out as an influencer in a bid to get more people who live in Switzerland to visit local tourist attractions. She is well known for her great food and drink guides for the Swiss metropolis, along with day trip tips. A visit to jasminea.decker is a great way to inspire your next lunch or dinner out. One not to be missed!
Another great way to plan your own adventures across the cantons is to tune into Tatsiana at Expat Life in Switzerland. Originally from Belarus, she moved to Switzerland in 2018 and has used her posts to share her personal journey as an expat, mother and businesswoman.
Through her content, she encapsulates the many highs and some lows of what it is to be an international and how to integrate into a new country.
Though most of his videos are in German, we would be remiss if we did not mention Der Praktikant ("the intern"). The channel is run by Fabian Egger from Zurich, who started posting videos in 2020. Though he originally started creating content to cope with the doldrums of the COVID lockdown, his fun guides to interesting places in Switzerland soon took off.
Watch as Fabian and his friends travel around the country, introducing viewers to fun and engaging activities, and places that are off the beaten track. Approaching every video with boundless enthusiasm, Der Praktikant will help you get excited about your next grand day out.
Finally, for a funny take on life in the alpine nation, Zeki Bulgurcu from Zekisworld is the closest Switzerland has come to producing a “superstar” influencer. Based in Basel, Zeki started out in 2013 as the founder of the Swissmeme meme page - one of the first accounts to post memes in Swiss German.
In 2016, Bulgurcu rose to nationwide prominence through his hilarious satirical videos on Swiss cliches and culture, which still continue to delight viewers. From humble beginnings, Zeki has since featured in adverts, interviewed Hollywood A-listers, and now has his own kebab restaurant in Oerlikon.
Turns out this is Zekisworld and we are all just living in it!
Alongside influencers, many of the most insightful guides into life as an expat in Switzerland can be found on blogs and websites. Here are some of the most important ones:
Founded by British expat Christina Fryer, NewInZurich is one of the largest expat-focused websites in Switzerland. With its website and significant presence on social media, NewInZurich provides internationals with all they need to know about living in the Swiss metropolis.
Whether it's finding out about the latest exciting events happening in Zurich, or discovering your new favourite eatery, hike or thing to do, NewInZurich is the place to be. Though Zurich-focused, the website also features top events and activities from across Switzerland and beyond.
Tanya, her husband and two children first moved to Zurich in 2005, and nowadays gives all the advice families need to make the most of their time in Switzerland via their account Swiss Family Fun. Through their website and social media, they provide new arrivals and long-term residents with fun and engaging things to do once you settle in.
Whether that is planning great hikes or mini-holidays or navigating the Swiss school system, Tanya is able to use their family's deeply personal experiences to guide new expats through.
With videos in both English and Hindi, Desi Life in Europe specialises in providing guides to new expats and internationals who want to visit or make Switzerland their home. Run by Shashank and Kalyani from India, the site's unique perspective and style make for a captivating read.
From providing advice about finding a home to salaries and how to act in a Swiss supermarket, their approach is as insightful as it is accessible.
Having first started blogging in 2016, Pragati Siddhanti and her website My Swiss Story has evolved into a one-stop shop for anything from restaurants to entrepreneurship. Like all the best expat bloggers, Pragati infuses her work with her own personal experience as an expat in Basel.
Finally, combining expert knowledge with fun and engaging articles, Newly Swissed is a lifestyle-focused take on life in Switzerland. Founded by Dimitri Burkhard in 2010, the website specialises in explaining all the things that make the country weird, wonderful and above all unique; from nuclear fallout shelters to trains, carnivals and more.
Following international or Swiss influencers and bloggers living in Switzerland is a great way to understand more about the quirks of everyday life in the alpine nation.