A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to visit Switzerland in all its summertime glory! I was so thrilled to see this gorgeous country in the peak of the summer, with blue skies, colorful flowers, and snow capped peaks, all with the benefit of some sunshine on my shoulders! Last I visited, was during the month of November and due to low cloud cover we could not even see those stunning Alps! So I knew this would be a whole new experience! I was also thrilled to get to partake in some of the adventurous activities offered during the summer months, bring on the paragliding and E-bikes! As you may know, Switzerland is known for a few things, the Alps, watches, and chocolate, and my itinerary called for me to gain first hand knowledge of all three! With my sunglasses and sense of adventure packed, I was off!
My itinerary had me arriving into Zurich. With my overnight flight from the states, I landed mid morning and was to my hotel just in time for lunch! I stayed at The Dolder Grand- https://www.sigtn.com/s/FC1C2FB. This historic hotel set high atop the hill overlooking the city is the perfect spot from which to explore Zurich! It offers stunning views, and a 43,000 square foot spa! There is a wonderful funicular train that you can hop on to be taken down the hill and be in the heart of Zurich!
After a wonderful lunch to revive me after the long flight, I was off for a guided tour of this beautiful city! I highly recommend taking a guided tour when first you arrive to a new city. This is is a great way to get your bearings and to learn about the culture and history of the town you are visiting!
I took the opportunity to tour several other hotels in the area. As a travel advisor, I always like to see properties in person, so that I can best match my clients needs and wants to the hotel that is right for them! Baur au Lac is a lovely hotel right in the heart of town, just across from the lake. This property is so convenient to the city! https://www.sigtn.com/s/6E5F5FC
After a long day of travel and touring, I slept like a baby and was ready for another full day! While in Zurich I highly recommend a tour of the Lindt chocolate factory! It includes a lovely interactive museum that tells the history of chocolate and how it came to be famous in Switzerland. It also includes lots of tasting opportunities! After chocolate tasting a took a boat ride on the lake, which is a must during the summer months and toured a few more hotels, before going back to The Dolder Grand to explore their huge spa and a lovely dinner!
It was now time to move along to my next stop on the tour. I packed up my things and would board the train toward Interlaken for some adventure in the mountains for the day. I used the wonderful Swiss travel pass, and opted to have my luggage forwarded to my next hotel in Bern! I will be over-nighting in Bern, and my luggage will be there waiting for me at my hotel, on my arrival! This is a fabulous service Swiss Rail can provide for you!
After breakfast I boarded the train to Interlaken and took in the scenery as we traveled out of the city and towards the countryside and the mountains. On arrival into Interlaken it was time for some adventure! I was met in town by our Paragliding company and taken by van up the mountain! I had a short walk to the launching point and proceeded to get harnessed up! I was given instructions on how to take off. Essentially you run down hill towards the drop off, until the parachute catches the wind and lifts you up! And then you are flying! It was so peaceful up there, soaring over the city and lake with the mountains surrounding me. My guide/driver was SO great! He took many photos and videos of me and they all turned out great! He let me steer right at the end of our ride, and then we came in for a landing in the main park in the center of town. This experience was just so much fun and I highly recommend it!
It was now time for lunch and to take a look at the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel, so I did both! This beautiful historic hotel is right in the center of town and first opened in 1865. It is Victorian in style and offers kids club! The Grand- https://www.sigtn.com/s/67EA, makes for a wonderful home base when touring Interlaken!
Of course, it was now time for more chocolate! I took part in a chocolate making class at the Funky Chocolate Club. This was super fun, and you end up with 3 chocolate bars to take home as a souvenir!
I then took a lovely stroll along the river to the funicular train that took me up to Harder Kulm! This excursion up the mountain is a must do when in Interlaken! You get stunning views of the mountains and there is a great restaurant at the top, which is the perfect spot to take in the view and enjoy some fondue or other Swiss foods! This is a good time to say, Switzerland in general was very easy for me to find vegan food options. It can be hard to find places that will work with special food requests, and even in this dairy heavy location, I was able to eat easily and well! After dinner at the top, I took the train into Bern for my overnight stay.
My hotel in Bern is just a treasure! The Bellevue Palace-https://www.sigtn.com/s/8B0C is the official guesthouse of the Swiss Confederation and the only Grand Hotel in the UNESCO World heritage and main capital Bern. The Palace is located in the heart of the city in walking distance to all major attractions and train stations. It over looks the river and has a gorgeous terrace and outdoor dining here during the summer months is a must! This hotel embodies old world charm at its finest!
After a lovely breakfast on the terrace, it was time to board the train to Jungfraujoch-top of Europe! I took the train to Grindelwald, where I started the journey up, via a gondola ride! After the gondola you board the train that takes you to the top of Europe! From here you can dine, experience the ice cave, and take in the stunning views! Again this is a not to miss excursion!
On the way back toward Bern, the train ride is just stunning! The scenery and views look like they have been drawn to life! I hopped off the train at Lauterbrunnen just to explore this quaint little village for a while. I walked up to the waterfall, which was not falling very fast, as it was the height of summer, but the views along the way and through the village are well worth the stop! There is so much to explore in this region of Switzerland! It is an outdoors enthusiast dream! Hiking, alpine slides, paragliding, and mountain biking, are just a few of the activities available! I made my way back to Bern and had a lovely dinner at the Bellevue Palace on the terrace and rested well. Tomorrow, I will continue the journey towards Geneva!
Again, I boarded the train towards Geneva, the views from the train did not disappoint! Lovely views of the lake and wineries, as well as, sunflower fields all along the route. and arrived to my next hotel the Metropole Geneve- https://www.sigtn.com/s/673B0. This lovely property is nestled in the heart of Geneva with a beautiful view of the lake, and is conveniently located on the left bank, within the city’s famous shopping district and just a short walk from the old town. I enjoyed a lovely lunch and then was off for a very short ride out of the city to the countryside for an E bike tour to a winery! It was time for some more adventure!
It was only about a 15 minute van ride to the bike shop where I met our guide and got fitted for my E-bike and we were off! We biked through the countryside, past rows of grapes and large patches of sunflowers and it was just a lovely way to spend the day. This is so close to the city, but you feel like you are worlds away! We ended our tour at Domaine Du Centaure winery, where we enjoyed a wine tasting and some raclette, a famous Swiss dish. The van drove us back to town. I took the evening to tour some other hotels and had a lovely dinner, before calling it a day!
Just outside of Geneva is the CERN large hadron collider. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the most powerful particle accelerator ever built. The accelerator sits in a tunnel 100 metres underground at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, on the Franco-Swiss border. They offer guided tours of the facility and also have a smaller self guided museum. I did not have time to do the longer tour, but enjoyed the self guided tour and visiting this monumental place! For any science buffs, this is a must visit attraction! It is a easy bus ride to visit CERN. It has its own designated stop!
After returning to the city I enjoyed a guided walking tour, to learn more about the history of this beautiful town! I then took a boat ride on the lake to visit another beautiful hotel and enjoyed lunch. I could not depart Switzerland with out learning more about one of the things they are so famous for…watches! This evening I took a watch making class! It was fascinating to take a part a watch and then reassemble it! I have a new found respect for this vocation! I then enjoyed a lovely dinner at another unique hotel the Hotel Beau Rivage-https://www.sigtn.com/s/2E1EFFF . The hotel is a historical gem, and an iconic hotel since 1865. Many of their suites are named after their many famous guests! And with that, my journey comes to conclusion, as I depart for home from Geneva the following morning.
Switzerland makes for a wonderful varied and perhaps adventurous destination for couples, friends, and families alike. From quaint villages to lovely and historic cities, and from the lakes to the mountains there is something to intrigue any traveler! I would love to help you plan your adventure! I can offer special amenities for you at any of the hotels I linked to, and many others! Let’s plan your Switzerland Adventure!
To plan your trip, email me at Maci@Passportforadventure.com.
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