Papiliorama is a tropical summer retreat near Bern

On a cold, cloudy winter afternoon, I could not think of anything better to do than use the RailAway offer and head to the Kerzers Papiliorama – a summer retreat of a thousand butterflies, eternal greenness, and warmth.

Pretty much sounds like a piece of paradise, no?

After a comfortable and scenic train journey of a little bit more than half an hour, I was right at the doorstep of the Papiliorama. This exotic attraction is located in the middle of a tranquil Swiss scenery.

Papiliorama – Now you see me, now you don’t!

What a nice feeling it was to drop my winter coat and enter the tropical garden, full of lush greenery… I immediately grabbed my camera to capture the delicate beauty of butterflies that were playfully dancing around.

You have to be quick – they mostly land for a brief show-off for you to see their beautiful wings. A short moment later, they are already gone. It’s a tease: “Am I going to land on your shoulder, or not?”

Put your explorer skills to use

It does not just end with a house full of butterflies. Papiliorama has a lot more to offer. After chasing butterflies, I immersed into the world of mysteries and darkness in the house of nocturnal animals. (Tarantula did not look as nasty as I had imagined, but I was still glad that there was a glass separating us.)

Then, I went to explore Central American jungle forests which are a replica of the protected area of Shipstern, in Belize.

You have to be alert now to spot the inhabitants of the jungle. I almost missed two toucans that were right above my head – so close as I have never seen them before.

I was impressed by the majestic cohune palms that seemed to reach the sky and the overall atmosphere really made me feel like I was in tropical Belize.

Mom, can we keep one?

When you are done with playing Indiana Jones, you can sit down and enjoy a reasonably priced meal at the Jungle restaurant. Huge windows made me appreciate the warm Papiliorama climate and made me linger indoors a bit more.

But do not wait too long – there is more to do outside! The petting zoo with cute little Swiss-looking houses allows everyone to get even closer to the animals – you can pet little goats, donkeys, a pig and even mini monkeys!

I was looking for a piece of summer here. I found it, and I found even more than I was looking for. Papiliorama in Kerzers is full of small discoveries, and I am sure it is to be enjoyed for people of all ages. Especially children. You should see the spark in their eyes when a colorful butterfly swirls along their noses!

With the combined RailAway offer, you will get a 20% discount on the train journey to/from Kerzers Papiliorama (20% on the Libero regional network, 10% on the Frimobil regional network), as well as a 10% discount on the admission fee.

The offer is valid until March 31, 2016.