Our Backpacking Trip Through Switzerland
Backpacking through Europe is probably pretty high on most traveler’s bucketlist. I decided to partake in a little bit of the dream along with 7 of my closest travel buddies and we picked Switzerland as our destination. We traveled from Geneva to Zurich, and every Swiss City in between! Here are just a few of our favorite must-see places to visit, along with some budget-friendly places to stay when touring this breathtaking country.
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Geneva
Geneva is a small town in the far corner of Switzerland, sitting on the edge of Lake Geneva. We flew in on a late flight from Iceland, and after getting our rental car headed towards our hotel. We quickly learned how to maneuver the ever so slightly different lane markings. We were staying at Hotel Central which we were thankful had a late check in. It was a just a short walk from the parking garage at Parking du Mont-Blanc, and tucked away into a quiet area. If you’re only staying in Geneva for a night or two, try this more affordable hotel. The rooms are definitely compact, but it was perfect for what we needed. In the morning we packed up and headed to a small park not too far from out hotel. The Parc des Bastions sits across from Geneva’s University and has 6 huge chess boards and life sized checkers to play with. The Parc was also originally the first botanical garden in Geneva, and still hosts a beautiful garden for visitors today.
Next we made the short trek back toward the lake. We passed many streets of shops, just beginning to open for the day. There is also a quaint little area, Place du Molard, with a clock tower that would be nice to grab a bite to eat if you’re a people watcher like me. As we wandered closer to the lake’s edge we found a herd of swans peacefully sleeping, heads tucked into their feathers. Be sure to watch out for the many bikes that zoom by you around that area! We almost got ran over several times! As we continued along the water’s edge, we searched for the famous Jet D’eau but it was nowhere to be found. This jet is a symbol of strength for the city of Geneva and usually reaches up to 460 feet in the air. It can be seen all over the city, but we found out it actually only runs at certain hours of the day (that day it didn’t start flowing until 10am). Oh well, I guess that means I’ll have to return back someday to see it! The city also has beautiful cathedrals, such as the St. Pierre Cathedral, that are well worth a stop. Lastly, don’t forget to check out the many parks along the lake such as the Jardin Anglais with the beautiful Four Seasons Fountain. It was the perfect photo op before we left for our next Swiss City!
Zurich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. We parked and walked down to the Northernmost part of the lake. Just by the dock, you might be lucky enough to see the huge herd of swans resting before their next swim. We happened to also be at the dock at the same time as a boat, appearing to be hosting some sort of a party. We sat there envious of the people on board as a saxophone player belted out notes into the crisp, cool night air. We sat there for a little bit and enjoyed the ambience of the setting.
There are a few places to grab some street food by the water, and even a beer as there is no open container law in Switzerland! We walked back up to where the lake meets the Limmat River and followed along it’s banks on a street called Limmatquai. We passed the 12th century Grossmunster Church as well as the Fraumunster Church as we strolled along the river. As we were getting hungry for dinner we were thankful that the streets here are lined with restaurant after restaurant offering all different types of cuisines from seafood, to Italian, and even pizza. There were alleys stretching back into the city that offered even more off the beaten path options. I would’ve loved to stay in Zurich longer to explore everything those riverbanks had to offer in regards to food.
We decided to stop in at a Italian and seafood place called Bianchi. The staff was amazing and the food was DELICIOUS. We didn’t know it was a fine dining restaurant so we were a bit under dressed and stuck out like a sore thumb (whoops!) but this had to have been one of the best meals we had on the trip. My husband ordered fish and they filleted it by our table for him, then for desert they brought out an amazing tiramisu that our table DIED over. They also had a cart of dessert liquors and one of our friends couldn’t help but to indulge in one of their aged Brandys. Overall one of the best places I’ve ever eaten with staff that was super attentive and friendly.
Stein am Rhine
Stein am Rhine is a small medieval town on the banks of the Rhein River, most famous for its well preserved, painted façades. It’s about a 45 minute drive north from Zurich and one of the most charming Switzerland towns I’ve ever laid my eyes on. As we walked down the main street, I stared up in awe at the paintings on each building. Each one different and unique, portraying biblical, mythical, and of course historical scenes. It was like we were walking through a fairytale town! We poked our head into one of the many inviting cafes, and grabbed a strawberry pastry from their mouthwatering selection. We sat outside and enjoyed the peacefulness the town seemed to be exuding. My eyes jumped from building to building, to the ornate signs hanging above the shops, to the beautiful fountain next to us. It seemed as if this place hadn’t aged since it was created, holding onto all of its history for us to now see. After successfully feeding our sweet tooth, we wandered down toward the river past a vendor serving roasted chestnuts, and found some seating overlooking the water. Stein am Rhine used to be a fishing village and as business thrived along the river, the town flourished. Today it is one of the most well preserved medieval towns of its kind, and even won an award for the preservation of its cultural heritage in 1972. Stein am Rhine is definitely a stop I would recommend should you find yourself anywhere nearby.
Stein Am Rhein, Switzerland
Interlaken
This amazing city is known as the adventure capital of the world and it does not disappoint! It has everything from, hang gliding and paragliding, to hiking and rock climbing, and even night sledding with a fondue dinner! We chose to go hang gliding, and even though I’m afraid of heights, it was the best thing I’ve EVER done! If you’re looking for a great hike, try heading to Harder Kulm. The locals like to hike up to the panoramic restaurant at the peak of the mountain, then take the funicular down after having a drink from their vast selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. You can get tickets from the central Interlaken-Ost railway station to the Harder Railway valley station train station just right next door and they’ll give you a timetable. They run about every half hour, and the ride is about 10 minutes. If you’re a little weary on heights like me, try to get toward the top of the funicular. On the way up, I was standing toward the bottom and got a little vertigo. Once we reached the top we ate lunch there, and I have to say the Bacon & Onion Fondue was TO DIE FOR. Don’t forget to head outside because the views of the valley from the viewing platform will leave you breathless. Interlaken had a lively nightlife as well. Balmer’s hostel has a cozy bar that has beer pong, foozeball, and even couches to relax on. Since the hostel itself was next door, there were many people from all over the world mingling so it was easy to meet people there! We also ended up at The 3 Tells Irish Pub one night and our bartender was absolutely amazing, bantering back and forth with us until we had stitches in our sides from laughing so hard. If you’re into (American) football and find yourself wanting to watch the games in Swizerland, try Hüsi Bierhaus. They had a few TVs playing the games on Sunday and their beer on tap was great! All around, this city has so much to offer and we regret not spending more time here.
Lauterbrunnen
Only a short distance (15 minute drive) from Interlaken, this quaint Swiss mountain village is beautiful beyond words. With its 72 waterfalls cascading off the enormous cliff-sides, you might think you’re in a dream its so stunning. The valley is filled with hiking trails of all levels, or if you’re more into biking you can rent one it town for the day. Even though Lauterbrunnen is a fairly small town, they do have a train station that has routes to nearby cities such as Murren (a city were cars are not allowed) and Grindlewald, and connects to trains that will take you up to Jungfraujoch (A saddle in the Bernise Alps). The town itself is also picturesque with beautiful Swiss buildings and homes lining the street so be sure to leave enough time for wandering. If you find your way to the base of the third largest waterfall in Switzerland, Staubbach Falls and you’ll see a staircase that will lead you on a hike up to the cliffside. It goes up behind the waterfall, to an outlook over the town of Lauterbrunnen. It does get a bit slippery on the rocks once you reach the end, so be sure to snag some of the free hiking poles at the start of the hike.
Travel Trick – If you get there early in the morning you can beat the crowds. We arrived around 8:00 and as we were returning from our hike at around 9:00 the tour buses were pulling in with troves of people. We were lucky enough to have the hike to ourselves, and really got to enjoy the serenity of the valley at dawn.
Bern
Bern is the capitol of Switzerland and sits just along the Aare River. It is known for it’s huge clock tower ( Zytglogge) in Old Town that was built in 1530 and inspired Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. Tourists gather every hour to watch the astrological clock and it’s medieval figures come out for their hourly performance. Not only does this clock tell the time but it also tells you the month, day, zodiac sign, and the phase of the moon – it’s no wonder the people of Bern use this clock as their master clock. If you book in advance, you can take a guided tour inside the clock tower and see the inner workings of the Zytglogge. Also found in old town are beautiful Renaissance fountains such as the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen, which is the only Bernese fountain to retain all original design elements. If you’re into things that are a little darker, check out the Kindlifresserbrunnen or the “Child Eater” fountain of Bern. Towering over the fountain is a statue of a man eating babies, although no one quite knows why it was built. There are a few theories, including scaring children into behaving, but nobody knows for sure. While you’re in Bern, take advantage of all the shops they have in Old Town. I was obsessed with all the elaborate clocks, watches, pocket watches, and koo koo clocks they had. Each shop had something different that grabbed my attention, and as we were headed out I finally found the perfect matching set of pocket watches for my parents’ Christmas gifts.
I hope you all add these wonderful Switzerland cities to your bucketlists! They will not disappoint!
