Most people, when they hear the phrase “cottage country,” think of Muskoka or the Kawarthas, or at least, you know, Canada. However, a Swiss photographer’s Instagram posts of her weekend trips in Switzerland have made us realize that Canada may have to compete for the title of “cottage country capital of the world.”
Martina Bisaz is a scientific illustrator with a recreational side gig as a photographer of the Swiss countryside. Every weekend, she hops into her Vintage VW van (“the kit kat bus”) and heads out of town to photograph the pristine countryside in Switzerland’s mountains. Her photos depict snowy mountain peaks, still lakes, country barns, and vast forests. Some show a country locked in snowy stillness, and others are portraits of the lively colours of summer — yet another similarity between Switzerland and Canada.
Regardless of where they were taken, these photos are wonderful representations of the peace one can find outside of the city. They’ll make you yearn for cottage days spent out on a canoe or going on long road trips in your own camper van. Most importantly, they’ll remind you of the good things in life. Flipping through this gallery lets you take a vicarious trip with Bisaz through some of the most beautiful cottage country in the world.