Switzerland
Overview
We visited Switzerland for part II of our delayed honeymoon vacation. We spent two weeks from 08-01-2019 through 08-14-2019 exploring this incredible country. From hiking to mountain lakes, visiting historical sites, and immersing ourselves in it’s rich culture, this experience was one we will never forget and is most likely the reason we travel full time now!
Takeaways
The Swiss Rail Pass is well worth it. Getting all over the country was a breeze and the rail is clean and quiet.
People generally speak German though most speak English as well. French is spoken closer to the border.
Many recycling bins are available everywhere you go.
Everything costs more here so be prepared!
Employee lunch breaks are long so try to plan your lunches according.
People have a sense of pride in their country and appreciate it's beauty and history.
Common Phrases
“Ja”- Yes, “Guten Morgen” - Good Morning
Hidden Gems
Touring the city of Sion, Visiting Avenches for it’s Roman history, Schynige Platte hike
Journal
Day 1:
Having arrived the previous night by train from Milan, we were recharged and ready for our first day in Switzerland. Our BnB was on a hill overlooking the town of Engleberg.
We took the walk down by town and across a bridge to the base of Mount Titlus. Mount Titlus is a ski mountain in the winter and offers summer time fun as well. For more info check out their site. We took a gondola ride up to the top of the mountain. Here there is a minor attraction called Glacier Cave, gift shops, and an outdoor area with amazing views of the surrounding mountains.
There was snow on the ground and kids were sliding while adults were slipping. Instead of taking the cable car back down we decided to hike it. We were immediately in awe the of the Swiss landscapes' beauty. The ocean of rich green grass leading into towering half green half rocky mountains with steaks of snowy patches was a sight to behold. We passed small swiss houses with cows nearby ringing their bells as they devoured the lush grass. It felt as if we were in a Ricola commercial, not wanting it to end. Since it is so green it can sometimes be difficult to know if you are on the right trail. The main trails have rocks with 3 lines of white, orange, and white painted on them.
We made it back to town where the streets were full of people and vendors. We stopped by a few tents and tables then continued on to the other side of town. There is a church at the far end boasting the swiss colors of red and white inside. While outside men were blowing into Alphorns to traditional music with a beautiful mountain backdrop. This truly was a great way to begin our experience in Switzerland.
Day 2:
Took the walk down to the train station and headed to Lucerne for the day. When we arrived it as raining and it continued for much of the day. That didn't stop us from walking the streets, browsing shops, and visiting a couple museums.
This port city off Lake Lucerne is full of history and culture. Many of the buildings in the old town have medieval artwork covering them.
More art from centuries past is displayed proudly around the town, including morbid skeleton paintings lining the ceiling of Chapel Bridge which leads to the famous Water Tower. The tower was built in the 13th century and the bridge connecting to it came about 100 years later. More on the history of them can be found here https://chapel-bridge.ch/background/water-tower/.
After the tower, we walked over to see the beautifully tragic Lion Monument. This piece was carved into the sandstone wall commemorating the Swiss Guards who were killed in 1792 during the French Revolution.
Next, we made our way over to the Glacier Garden to admire the glacier potholes formed during the Ice Age as well as fossilized plants and animals from when the area was subtropical over 20 million years ago. Heading back to the modern world, we stopped by a few shops to buy gifts for friends and family then ate at an Irish Pub for lunch. After lunch we made the obligatory visit to Confiserie Bachmann to see it's chocolate wall!
We purchased a few chocolates then crossed a bridge over to our final stop, the Museum of History. Here you receive a scanning device which you'll use to scan barcodes of exhibits to learn more about it. This museum had a nice variety of items ranging from weapons and armor to masks and coins. The only negative here is that most of the items are displayed on metal shelving behind diamond shaped fencing. While it is nice to see these artifacts, it feels more like a library or archive rather than a historical art exhibit. We got a lot in despite the weather but it was now time to head back.
Our host offered to cook us a traditional Swiss meal earlier in our stay so we took him up on the offer. The dish is called Älplermagronen and it consists of macrononi in a buttery garlic cheese sauce topped with carmelized onions and pepper. Served with apple sauce and a local beer it was a treat to enjoy this local dish on our last night in Engleberg.
Day 3:
Leaving Engleberg, we boarded the train to Lauterbrunnen where we then took a bus to the Schilthorn aerial cableway in Stechelberg. The cable car ride lasts for a half hour and offer stunning views of the mountains Eigar, Monch, and Jungfrau on the way up. It does get crowded on these cable rides taking a bit of the experience away. The Shilthorn is famous for being the main filming location for the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret" which they have running on repeat all day in a theater room. Bond's arch-nemesis Blofeld's headquarters was in the revolving restaurant at the summit which was called Piz Gloria.
The restaurant kept the name in real life and this is where we had breakfast. We had scheduled well in advance for this one-of-a-kind experience. The food was buffet style and good quality. They even had Vermont maple syrup which made us feel close to home being so far away! The views were outstanding, and you don't miss any of the 360 degrees while the restaurant slowly spins. We visited a couple kitschy shops after eating then head out to see a musical performance on the balcony so high in the sky. https://schilthorn.ch/
We then made the trek down the mountain, rather than taking the cable car back. It was a perfect day with perfect views all the way down. The trail passes through neighborhood areas, cows grazing, and by Swiss style hotels and restaurants.
We then made the trek down the mountain, rather than taking the cable car back. It was a perfect day with perfect views all the way down. The trail passes through neighborhood areas, cows grazing, and by Swiss style hotels and restaurants. It then opens up to one of the most beautiful landscapes you'll see and our favorite mountain picture of Eigar, Monch, and Jungfrau. The trail continues through tree covered areas and streams and by wildflowers and butterflies. If you visit Shilthorn you must hike one way up or back to enjoy this incredible experience!
After reaching the main lot we began our journey to our lodging for the rest of the trip in Grindewald. The view from our balcony was surreal and we spent most all of our limited free time sitting out there admiring those mountain peaks covered in glaciers.
Day 4:
For our forth day in Switzerland we hiked our all-time favorite hike, Schnyge Platte. Here is a link to our hiking post on this outstanding hike! After the hike we returned back to Grindewald and ate at a pizza place on the walk back. This costs us 3x as much as it would cost in the U.S. and didn't taste much different, but it was nice to eat out in a familiar setting and not have to cook when we got back!
Day 5:
This was our first rest day of the trip, including Italy before it. We did some grocery shopping and hung around the area.
Day 6:
Now that we were fully rested we took a trip out to Bern, stopping at a town called Avenches on it's outskirts for some Roman History. The town was near empty when we arrived, likely due to the poor weather that day. Our self guided tour started by the remains of a Roman amphitheater.
The walk continued through a part of the town where foundations of old buildings and a couple of pillars stand just beside a main road which were once part of a sanctuary.
Then we proceeded through a field passing more remains and ultimately arrived at the well preserved Roman wall. It is 3.5 miles long and 21 feet high. It was built during the Flavian emperors around 70-80 A.D. and was more of a status symbol than used for military strategy.
After peering out to the hills in the distance and getting a feel of what they saw in times past, we finished the tour passing the ancient public baths display. We stopped in the museum before returning to the train which had an excellent display of roman sculptures and artifacts, including a gold bust of the emperor Marcus Aurelius.
Having gotten our fill of history we got on the train to Bern. The beauty of this city hits you right away. The streets are clean and the tan buildings are well maintained making sure to keep the charm of years past.
Shops line the main stretches both at street level and dipping down small flights of stairs. Other stretches of road were full of people dining and socializing in what was like a big piazza. We took a break here to order our first fondue and people watch.
Next stop was to see the Zytglogge clock four minutes before the hour. There was a massive crowd waiting to see the mechanical bears, jester, and rooster give their performance. We checked out a few shops then we visited Einstein's old residence before continuing our walk looping over and back across the river to Bern Minster. The construction for this Gothic style cathedral began in 1421 and was completed in 1893. Standing next to this giant that towers over the city makes you appreciate the amount of time and effort involved in building it.
That was our last stop in Bern so we worked our way back to the train and the Grindewald. On our way back up to the BnB a crowd was gathered around a stage where a band was playing classic rock music. After listening for a bit we called it a night and prepared for our adventure.
Day 7:
Entering the town of Lauterbrunnen is like walking into another world. The valley between towering waterfall cliffs and enormous mountains encloses you inside this Swiss wonderland.
The famous Staubbach Falls rises almost 900 feet. We passed more waterfalls on our way through this scenic landscape, crossing the bridge over Weisse Lutschine river, as we made our way to the cavernous Trummebach Falls in the adjacent mountains.
The famous Staubbach Falls rises almost 900 feet. We passed more waterfalls on our way through this scenic landscape, crossing the bridge over Weisse Lutschine river, as we made our way to the cavernous Trummebach Falls in the adjacent mountains. You can really feel the power of water roaring through crevaces and erroding rock as it pours down feeding the river below.
We continued our journey towards Stechelberg to a cable car ride which took us up to the highest inhabited settlement in the canton of Bern, Mürren. A couple of guys with paragliding gear joined us as we ascended the mountain. If you aren't afraid of heights then this would be the perfect activity for enjoying the beauty of this area. Mürren lies 5400 feet up from the Lauterbrunnen Valley and is the most beautiful, picturesque Swiss village we had visited on the trip. Charming houses and little shops are scattered in the mountains. The people living here are accustomed to tourists and greeted us with smiles and waves as we walked around.
We stopped at a Biergaten called Schwarz Mönch for a Schwarz Bier and appetizer. This dark lager is brewed with local ingredients and modeled after how beer would have been brewed by monks who had lived in the valley in times past. The view from our table of Schwarzmönch Peak was breathtaking!
We spent some time cherishing those peaks in that alpine paradise. It as difficult but we eventually had to leave and make our way back to the train station for a ride back to Grindewald. Lauterbrunnen Valley is a special place and well worth exploring while in Switzerland. Check out this site for more ideas to experience Lauterbrunnen.https://lauterbrunnen.swiss/en/summer/
Day 8:
We hiked around this insanely beautiful lake. For the writeup and more pictures of it please checkout our hiking post here.
Day 9:
Since we had already worked our way up and around Interlaken we decided it would be a good day to head into the city itself to see what it was all about. For the most part this was uneventful. We walked around for a while, stopping by few shops. This is a more conventional city that lacks the charm of a city like Bern. The streets were busy and full of locals commuting around town by foot or trolly. There are a couple of museums and landmarks with Unterseen Castle being most prominent. This castle, now sporting ugly black and yellow shutters, isn't much to look at nor is it's history that impressive. The last mayor of Old Bern spent a night here on his way to exile after the fall of the Ancien Regime. The highlight of this trip was appreciating the beauty of the old houses attached to each other leading to a well maintained church. This was one of our lowlights on the trip and we's suggest viewing Interlaken from atop Schnyge Platte instead.
Day 10:
We decided to stay in Grindewald for a hike around where we were staying. There wasn't any particular trail we were following, just roads and footpaths, but there didn't need to be one as the views along the way were extraoradinary! It was a perfect day for it too. Giant rocky peaks emerge through sunlit green grass with deep blue skies as their backdrop. The walk turned steep and open, exposing us to direct sun on our way up to Berghotel Grosse Scheidegg for a better vantage point of the mountains.
A short distance before the top we approached cows lined up blocking the trail. Unsure of whether or not they were friendly we began to walk beside the trail and around them. Then, just as I was beside the lead cow, she made a loud grunting noise and charged towards me! We both sprinted up the ridge and to safety. Luckily she didn't continue chasing us and we finally made it to the hotel at the top. We were just in time to catch a bus back down since we were both tired from the unexpected distance and beating sun on our hike.
Day 11:
In what may have been my favorite part of the trip we jumped on the train and headed over to the city of Sion for a fascinating medieval discovery walk. It is a self guided tour of the city and we didn't follow in order. Our first stop was to the Sorcerer's Tower. This was a defense tower built in the 1400's which was later used for the witches' trials from the 15th to 18th century. It was a place of interrogation and torture. Though closed off to the public there still traces of instruments used inside from this brutal era.
The next stops were two old churches right next to each other. The first was a Romanesque crypt church, Cathedral of Notre Dame du Glarier, dating back to the 11th century and the other is the Church of St. Theodule which is even older (4th century) and is built over a Roman baths site. It is modern inside now but has some interesting stain glass windows and artwork to appreciate.
We continued on down the road passing a blend of historic and modern buildings. This led to an area of old buildings that can be explored. It begins by walking up an old staircase with artwork carved into corners next to coats of arms on the way up. The displays spread out through several rooms and contained intricate medieval furniture, artifacts, and paintings.
This was right down the street from the Ville de Sion which is a city building that can be toured to view old Roman tablets inside. We worked our way past a 13th century watchtower, a 6th century bishop's residence, and the 14th century Chapel of All Saints before heading to the highlight of the visit, the Valere Basilica and Valais History Museum.
Valere was a fortified church community where canons of the cathedral chapter of Sion resided until the end of the 18th century. Now the Valaisan government maintains the site where an excellent museum is now housed next to the church of Notre Dame. This church was built in the 1200s and houses the oldest organ in the world (1432-1437). And yes, it can still be played today! It's well preserved interior also contains Romanesque canopies and 15th century paintings.
We then walked over to the Valais History Museum next door which was very nice! It is described as being "a complete panorama of the life of man in Valais, from his origins here to present day." There are artifacts from ancient times but what is more impressive is the quality of items displayed from the medieval era. These weapons, armor, paintings, and religious artifacts are of exceptional quality and beauty connecting you to a time long ago. I wish we could have stayed in this museum longer but there isn't enough time in a day! We enjoyed a view overlooking the city then walked over to our last stop which was Tourbillon Castle.
This castle was built in the 13th century to house the bishops of Sion. A rebellion in 1417 led to it being burned down. It was rebuilt and later destroyed again by a fire in 1788. Although protected, this castle is mainly in ruins now. There are several viewpoints looking out at the city below.
If you are interested in more photos from this discovery walk please reach out to us at beyondyourbubble@gmail.com. I took way too many pictures to post here but will be happy to share them via e-mail! After enjoying these views we headed back to the train station then to a bus stop for a short ride to our last BnB of the trip.
Day 12:
This was our last chance to see Zermatt and, despite the weather forecast being grim, we decided to go for it. We had trouble on the way the track to get to the Zermatt station was closed down for maintenance. We could either turn back and call it quits or find a way. We found a way. Continuing on to the last possible stop, we left the train and hiked alongside trails by the roadside for a couple miles past the closure and to the next active station. We lost an hour or so but did make it to Zermatt and walked around cool little town. It is clean and has higher end shops with plenty of kitschy stores and restaurants mixed in.
We skipped the overpriced restaurants and ordered some sausages from a stand to eat before making our way to the outrageously long tunnel of the Sunnegga gondola station. It rode up to Blauherd where we were hoping to view the famous Zermatt peak. Well we didn't get the view. It was cloudy the entire time and we only caught a glimpse of part of it on the gondola ride back down.
We did however get a nice little hike in around some small lakes and snapped a picture with one of the locals! This ended up being another lowlight on our trip though had we had a smooth trip and better weather this could have been a great experience.
Day 13:
Though this trip was basically non-stop, we both felt recharged with smiles on our faces knowing that this sparked the travel bug in us. We had an amazing experience in Switzerland and only touched the surface of activities and attractions along the way.
