I made this awesome trip almost five years ago. And the reminiscence is still so strong that I could not resist to share it with the explorers and wanderers around the world who might one day get to see this beautiful country.
DETAILS:
15 Day Trip begins and ends in Zurich, Switzerland
Dates: July 12- July 26
Accommodation: $ 900 (2 member for 10 nights)
Swiss Rail Pass: $773 (2 members)
Day 1 Arrive in Zurich, Switzerland
Gruetzi! -The Mercedes Benz trams – the smell of freshly baked chocolate croissant – train announcements in swiss german – Zurich Hauptbanhof (main station) – office of SAM Architekten – ETH university campus at Zentrum & the spectacular view of the city from its terrace
Day 2 Tour around Lake Zuri
Bike ride through old city’s stone paved slopes – Freitag Retail Outlet (17 rusted shipping containers stacked up was to create a retail outlet of Freitag) – Orange Cinema by lake Zuri ( view of the hills behind the lake)
Day 3 Arrive in Interlaken
Hang-gliding over Mountains & Lake Thun – Sightseeing through old city – dinner – swiss cheese & bread on a bench by the fountain in the streets of Interlaken
Day 4 Interlaken to Jungfrau – Top of Europe, Scenic train route
Green meadows – brown swiss cattle wearing bells – reachin to the snow covered top – Jungfrau (German: “maiden/virgin”) is one of the main summits in the Bernese Alps – Ice Palace
Day 5 – 6 Arrive in Montreux
Lake Geneva – Montreux Jazz Festival – live music – Rosti and cheese fondue sticks -Bike ride by the water front – visit to The Château de Chillon – an island castle located on the shore of Lake Geneva
Day 7-10: Ticino – Bellinzona – Engadin
Hostelling International – Tram Ride to San Lorenzo Cathedral – A fully-equipped bedroom at Chesa Quadrella, Pontresina – Bernina Express Train – A day in St. Moritz vising Chesa Futura designed by Foster + Partners
Day 11-12: Baths at Vals
(Mountain. Stone. Water – building in the stone, building with stone, into the mountain, building out of the mountain, being inside the mountain – how can the implications and the sensuality in the association of these words be interpreted, architecturally? he whole concept was designed by following up these questions; so that it all took form step by step.»
Peter Zumthor) – Spa Complex by Peter Zumthor – Breakfast at the terrace – Read more about the architecture here.
Day 13-14: Basel
Evening by River Rhine – Dinner at friends’ – Sunday flea market of antiques
Day 15: Zurich
Ciao, tschuss…(Good bye)
- Jazz Festival, Montreux
- Freitag Store, Zurich
- Baths at Vals by Peter Zumthor
- Chesa Futura by Foster + Partner
- Baths at Vals by Peter Zumthor
- Chesa Quadrella, Pontresina
- Chateau de Chillon, Montreux
It looks like you guys had an amazing trip. Switzerland is still in my bucket list, hopefully this fall I will start my Euro travels. My experience so far during my travels is that history, culture, scenic beauty is only half the experience; the rest is filled the amazing time you get to spend with fellow travelers and locals. I highly recommend staying in hostels 🙂
Thanks for reading Vikram. And you’re right about spending time with fellow travelers and locals. I was lucky enough to have local swiss friends who welcomed us with big heart and even gave away their apartment for few days for us to stay. I can surely tell you that I’ve not met such beautiful people in any other country so far. Feel free to start a conversation with any stranger on the train and you won’t be disappointed!
It is true that this place is HAVEN on the earth. Place and people have blessings of GOD. Lucky persons can get the chance to meet this place and the people of this place.