Lying in the heart of Europe, Switzerland is a glorious landscape of mountains, lakes, rivers, and rolling pastures accentuated with diverse architectural styles, cuisine, and an elaborate public transportation system. A few days is not nearly long enough to experience the three distinct geographical regions within its borders, but honing in on the Swiss Alps provides an ideal glimpse into what makes this destination worth the long trek from home.
The finnicky mountain weather makes any trip into the alps a gamble, especially in the late spring and summer. Part of the excitement of venturing into the alps is never knowing exactly what will transpire. Just be ready to take that chance to venture out when the moment feels right. The impressive public transportation, including the convenient scenic trains, gondolas, funiculars, and boats, takes a minute to grasp, but offers easy access to the many lake and mountain towns with endless experiences amongst these majestic masterpieces!
Before heading up into the mountains, views are aplenty from towns like Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken. Lucerne is a perfect pitstop to enjoy a walk along the shops surrounding a river with historic wooden bridges and for a trek up the hills to the medieval ticking clock tower along the ancient Musegg wall that provided the best views and a great breeze after huffing and puffing to the top!
After a scenic train ride, arriving in Grindelwald is a jaw-dropping feeling of finally stepping foot off the train into the fresh mountain air amongst jagged beauties towering over vibrant green hills dotted with earth-toned chalets. The Belvedere Hotel provides comfortable accommodations with views of this gorgeous backdrop of the Eiger Northface situated in the heart of the perfect mountain town to get the full Swiss alp experience.
Words are also fleeting when standing atop Männlichen, watching the red and white flag flap in the winds as the clouds finally clear to give way to an incredible valley of waterfalls below. Time is of the essence, and the short steep hike to the best viewpoint will take your breath away in more ways than one! The tiny purple and white mountain blossoms peaking their heads out of the dewy mountain grass is surrounded by 360 degree views of snowcapped mountain peaks. The view is even more unbelievable when a rainbow appears before gliding down the steep cliff face in the gondola to gaze upon the soothing yet powerful rush of the 72 waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen Valley.
The incredible Staubbach Falls cascades from 900+ meters and the view gets even better when the clouds part to reveal the layers of snowy mountains beyond. Opportunities for sightseeing via hiking are endless in the alps, but the ultimate awe-moment trek is to Lake Oeschinensee, a true pinnacle of Swiss alps beauty, that offers obscenely serene turquoise water amongst a backdrop of mountain peaks dotted with waterfalls and pine.
Immersing oneself in the intriguing history of the country is one of the best ways to soothe the rainy day blues when the inevitable precipitous weather shrouds the mountaintops. In the middle of Thun, it’s a true step back in time climbing atop an 11th century wall with flowers sprouting between stones surrounding Thun Castle. Traversing up spiral staircases in and up the narrow wooden ladders into its round stone turrets provide sweeping views of another lakeside town along with a chilly breeze through the open windows.
Perched just outside of town on Lake Thun, Chillon Castle, Switzerland’s oldest and arguably most beautiful castle, offers an endless maze of rooms including the ornately decorated oriental smoke room with view of a manicured gardens below. After exploring, it’s time to shop for Swiss mementos, including numerous watches, Swiss army knives, cuckoo clocks, and greeting cards in German for a relative with a sense of humor. Rain or shine, the worst part about visiting Switzerland is saying Auf Wiedersehen to this beautiful country, a home away from Idahome.
Exploring Swiss Cuisine
Switzerland offers surprisingly tasty cuisine by its German, French, and Italian neighbors. In Zurich, German-inspired establishments like Zeughauskeller offer classic sausages and schnitzel along beef served on the blade of a sword!
Lindt’s Home of Chocolate in Zurich is also an experience but we opted to sample chocolate on the go while exploring the Romanesque and historic to modern buildings in this economic, cultural, and social center of Switzerland. Our sweet tooth was also satisfied in Lucerne where French chefs bake sweet pillows of chocolate chip brioche and macarons at Aux Merveilleux de Fred.
The delightful ding of cowbells from the carefree Swiss Cattle were a good reminder to enjoy some Swiss cheese! The most unique cheese experience could be enjoyed inside a cozy Gondola at Grindelwald’s Belvedere Hotel. Imagine dunking skewers of fresh bread into a steaming pot fondue complimented by a glass of Swiss wine or Swiss-made Coca Cola with views incredible mountain views.
The freshest trout is served right near town at Restaurant Alpina, a cozy spot that also offers a scenic dinner. Perched upon the rolling pastures, the most memorable meal was served at elevated Swiss-inspired restaurant at the Alpine Hotel, including an enchanting bowl of leek soup, a monstrously delicious burger and perfectly breaded and crisp schnitzel!