Switzerland was never a top priority on my list of countries to explore in Europe. Luckily, my travel partner at the time, was dead set on seeing the Swiss Alps. Now, I couldn’t imagine my trip without frolicking atop the luscious hillsides, climbing above the clouds, and gazing at the most stunning landscapes.
With less than a week to discover everything Switzerland had to offer, I knew I would be missing out on some of the magic, no matter how many destinations I hit. With that being said, I was satisfied with the villages, and cities, I did visit. Each had something different to offer, and every stop we took was just as breathtaking as the next.
Interlaken
The first stop on the journey, and a home base during my stay in Switzerland, was Interlaken. Interlaken gets it’s name from the two large lakes {thun and breinz} that surround it. Interlaken is home to many young travelers, and offers a plethora of outdoor activities {think parasailing, hiking, and canyoning}.
It is also very central and close to surrounding villages like Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Wengen and Murren. You can read more about the things to do in Interlaken here.
Lauterbrunnen
Oh, Lauterbrunnen. If you don’t already know of my love for this charming village, you can catch up here. Lauterbrunnen quickly stole my heart and became my favorite of the locations I visited in Switzerland. With over 70 waterfalls, traditional Swiss cottages, and grazing brown cattle on every hillside, you truly feel as though you stepped into a Swiss dream.
Grindelwald
Grindelwald sounded like a wizard in Harry Potter… which obviously, then, prompted me to visit. Although I only found muggles in this small village, the scenery itself was enough to leave me speechless. The snow bunny inside me suddenly came to life thinking about how Grindelwald must perform during the winter months. Grindelwald is a popular ski resort, offering some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Switzerland. Since I visited during autumn, I was left without these options.
Nonetheless, I had a great time wandering and shared a delicious lunch outdoors with the most ‘you-would-think-it-was-photoshopped’ backdrop. I must say, there is something to be said for witnessing this country in the warmer months. Find out more about Grindelwald in winter here.
Zurich
Our final destination in Switzerland was the one and only Zurich. We only had an afternoon to spend in Zurich, which we spent walking along the river and admiring the beautiful city. Switzerland was much more expensive than I had anticipated, which {as a budget traveler} left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth by the time we reached Zurich. I had also realized by this time, that I had not yet tasted the fondue that Switzerland was famous for. A post on my experience trying traditional fondue will be up shortly!
Old Town Zurich was {unsurprisingly} charming. And very, very clean. I attempted to spend a few Swiss Franc in the downtown area, but after finding the prices to be three times the American counterpart, I simply had to refuse.
Overall, my time in Switzerland was magical. It may have been the most expensive country I visited in Europe, but to be fair it put on quite a show. I was blessed with beautiful blue skies, gorgeous backdrops, and fell asleep to dreams of returning in winter.
Over to you, have you been to Switzerland? When is the ideal time to visit?