Currently, many of us assume that even with warmer temperatures until well into the summer, you can’t expect great trips abroad.

Those who want to take these restrictions as an opportunity to get to know Switzerland and its special features a little better on extensive hikes are well served by the small book series “Heimatschutz unterwegs”. The third volume has just been published under the title “Durch Stadt und Dorf” (Through town and village), after volume 1 “Historical paths” and volume 2 “Sweet fruits, golden grain”, about which we have already reported in this magazine.

The diversity of the townscapes and settlement landscapes in our country is impressive, writes the Heimatschutz about this handy hiking guide with 24 routes through town and village.

The hilly settlement landscape of Appenzellerland, intact heap villages in the Knonauer Amt, the chessboard-like streets of Carouge: every region and every place has its unmistakable characteristics, a network of landscape, history, building and farming methods. If you walk through a region with your eyes open and with a rucksack full of background knowledge, you can dive deep into it and see and understand its characteristics. Richly filled with information, “Heimatschutz unterwegs” is more than a simple hiking guide, it offers a new form of experience and adventure.

In the third volume “Through town and village”, the focus is on townscapes, urban landscapes or scattered settlements and the cultural landscapes surrounding them. The publication shows the value and necessity of a careful and coherent development of townscapes and landscapes in a visual and tangible way.

Wanderungen durch Stadt und Dorf

Route 22, Safien GR; Photo: Schweizer Heimatschutz, Regula Steinmann

The following applies to all volumes of the series: high-quality pictures, detailed map sections and the route overview provide the basis for travel planning. Informative short texts in German, French and Italian and picture captions provide insight into the characteristic features of the regions. The volume “Durch Stadt und Dorf” (Through town and village) comprises 24 route sheets and an overview brochure. In addition, all hiking routes are digitally stored on www.schweizmobil.ch.

The trilingual volume “Durch Stadt und Dorf” in the format 167 x 122 x 35 mm with bilingual route texts depending on the region German/French or German/Italian can be ordered directly from the Swiss Heritage Protection for CHF 28.00 (CHF 18.00 for members) in the shop.