Decorative forged cowbell with embroidered strap

The sound of the Alps as an object — one of the few souvenirs here that's craft, not kitsch, if you buy from the right shop.

Price: 59 CHF (Mid-size genuine bell at Swiss craft shops; tiny souvenirs from CHF 15, large forged bells CHF 150+)

Where to buy: Schweizer Heimatwerk (Zurich), Casagrande Lucerne, Appenzell and Interlaken craft shops; avoid airport markups

Price checked 2026-07-03

• Two tiers exist: stamped-tin tourist bells (CHF 10-25, made who-knows-where) and genuinely Swiss forged/cast bells with hand-embroidered leather straps — pay for the latter at Heimatwerk-type shops
• No US/India comparison because the real thing simply isn't sold abroad
• Heavy — budget luggage weight for a big one