People often ask us, “What’s your favorite place you’ve ever visited”. It’s always difficult to answer that because we have loved so many different places in the world. If they had asked, “What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited,” there’d be no hesitation….Switzerland!
As a young adult, I spent a few days visiting parts of the country with my parents. Later, while Susie and I were living in Spain with two young kids we vacationed in a company-owned chalet (in Les Diablerets) for two summers.
In 2017, we spent three weeks exploring the area. This is a quick trip summary to add to our blog.
Besides being beautiful, Switzerland is also expensive. All our costs were about 2x US pricing, but on average, the scenery was about 4x US scenery, so it was well worth it. Save your money, bring a camera and some hiking boots and go! If you love chocolate as well, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.
Here is a roughly chronological order of our time there. Way too many photos in this post, but it’s such a dang pretty place!
Zurich
A checked bag, lost by the airlines for a few days, miraculously arrived an hour before we left for our next destination. This was the start of our chocolate experience, which carried through to the end of the trip.
Lucerene
A beautiful city. The Chapel bridge, old churches including one of the first Lutheran churches. The striking Lion Monument carved into a sheer rock face. The huge and fascinating Swiss Transportation Museum, and a concert with an organ that can play what sounds like thunder and lightening and rain.
Bern
Bears are the symbol of the city and have been kept in Bern for ages. What was a sad cement bear enclosure in 1979 and 1993 is now a beautiful, large bear park on the edge of town.
We rode bikes through town and along the river. A favorite fountain depicted a troll eating babies. It’ from the 1500’s so there is only speculation concerning the meaning. Fun fact: There are large and small fountains throughout Switzerland, in cities and the countryside. Except for those labeled otherwise, the water is perfectly safe and delicious to drink. There are over 100 such fountains just in the city of Bern.
Gruyeres Castle, Cailler Chocolate Factory
We visited this castle in 1993 with Nate and Jenna. I took a photo in 2017 at roughly the same spot (from memory, so not quite right). See the then and now slider comparison below. The Gruyeres cheese factory was just a cheese factory back then. Now its a tourist trap, so we didn’t spend much time there. I do like their cheese though.
This time we also visited the Callier Chocolate factory, and took the factory tour which ended with unlimited chocolate tasting at the end. I think we each made it through about eight pieces and had to stop. The chocolate was so good and rich.
Interlaken to Murren and Lauterbrunnen Valley
We took a train to the valley entrance, then a cable car up to the lip of the valley and a train to Murren. Such a beautiful setting with the valley below and the imposing Eiger, Moench and Jungfrau mountains looming above the valley. We went on several hikes in the high country, through forests, across fields, by cows grazing in the abundant grass. We discovered Roesti, a simple but delicious swiss dish. Any visitor to the valley must see the unique Trummelbach Falls (a waterfall that has carved itself inside the face of the mountain) We walked the length of the Lauterbrunnen valley. Waterfalls, green grass and trees, flowers, chalets, cows, just a magical place.
We took a day trip to the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum with ancient buildings collected from all across Switzerland. Unfortunately it was cold and rainy, and many of the craft displays were closed, but the buildings were all open and interesting.
A Jaunt into Italy
We took the train UNDER the Alps (Gotthard Base tunnel) from Switzerland into Italy. 35 miles long and 23 years to construct. After a day and night seeing some sights, including the Milan Cathedral, we took a train past Lake Como to the Italian/Swiss border, where we boarded the Bernina Express, a glass-ceiling train, which took us back OVER the Alps. Breathtaking views.
Raperswil-Jona
We spent the last couple days at a hostel in Raperswil, on the Ober Sea, then took a boat ride on the lake back to Zurich, and then home.
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