Snow clad mountain peaks with lush green slopes that end up in crystal blue lakes - a scene so very true to Switzerland. The destination for romantic couples can leave anyone simply breathless with its beauty. However, the beauty comes at a price. It is one of the most expensive countries in the world with food, stay, travel at least 2 to 3 times more than other European countries like Spain.
Where to stay?
One thing you would find as the first recommendation everywhere is not to stay in any of the cities like Zurich, Bern, Basel, Geneva and rightly so. The two favored destinations for first time visitors are Interlaken and Lucerne. Lucerne is definitly recommended as it is well connected with Mount Pilatus, Mount Rigi (both free as part of Swiss Pass) and Mount Titlus. The town itself has a good charm for the evenings.
I would not recommend Interlaken, instead stay a couple of days in a remote Swiss village. All areas are well connected by hourly trains so reaching the destination is not a problem. There are many villages around Interlaken and in the Natural Parks / Forrest. We found a lot of good places on the Goldenpass line between Spiez to Montreux. We are not into skiing hence did not opt for Ski resort - but this off-course is a choice.
How to travel?
This is pretty straightforward. You can simply purchase the Swiss Travel Pass for 3 or 4 days that gives you unlimited train, boat, bus, cable car (limited) access across the country. It does come at a steep price of 200+ CHF but a. you don't have much of a choice and b. traveling through train and watching Swiss beauty through the panoramic windows is the main sightseeing attraction. Download the SBB app to ensure you are connecting to the right trains most Swiss stations have free wifi available.
What to visit?
As mentioned earlier, best way to view the Swiss landscapes is through the multiple special Panoramic routes. These are covered as part of the Swiss Pass. A good one full day route with an early start would be:
Spiez to Montreux on Golden Pass and visit the Chillon Castle
Montreux to Zermatt and visit to the mountain
Zermatt to on Glacier Express
and back to Spiez
You can similarly create your own panaromic paths using the Swiss map.
We reached Lucerne on the Interlaken Express covering one more panoramic route. When staying in Lucerne, on one way day we did Mount Pilatus which is pretty near the town. Being a clear sunny day, the views from the top were spectacular. We started late, but you can easily visit the Rhine Falls if you leave early from Pilatus. Next day we visited Mount Rigi going up one way by cogwheel train and coming down the other way by cable car. We spent the evening exploring Lucerne town - the lake with swans, the wooden bridge with art, the lion monument dedicated to soldiers and the casino trying out luck.
Where to eat?
An average budget meal in Swiss costs around 10-15 CHF per head as against 5-7 euros in Spain. If you are on a budget travel then the best options is to cook in your AirBnB kitchen. You would get decent sandwich & breakfast options in super markets like Coop or others near stations. Offcourse fast food chains are available in plenty.
Enjoy the paradise on earth, and if you plan smartly, it will leave a smaller hole in your pocket!
Where to stay?
One thing you would find as the first recommendation everywhere is not to stay in any of the cities like Zurich, Bern, Basel, Geneva and rightly so. The two favored destinations for first time visitors are Interlaken and Lucerne. Lucerne is definitly recommended as it is well connected with Mount Pilatus, Mount Rigi (both free as part of Swiss Pass) and Mount Titlus. The town itself has a good charm for the evenings.
I would not recommend Interlaken, instead stay a couple of days in a remote Swiss village. All areas are well connected by hourly trains so reaching the destination is not a problem. There are many villages around Interlaken and in the Natural Parks / Forrest. We found a lot of good places on the Goldenpass line between Spiez to Montreux. We are not into skiing hence did not opt for Ski resort - but this off-course is a choice.
How to travel?
This is pretty straightforward. You can simply purchase the Swiss Travel Pass for 3 or 4 days that gives you unlimited train, boat, bus, cable car (limited) access across the country. It does come at a steep price of 200+ CHF but a. you don't have much of a choice and b. traveling through train and watching Swiss beauty through the panoramic windows is the main sightseeing attraction. Download the SBB app to ensure you are connecting to the right trains most Swiss stations have free wifi available.
What to visit?
As mentioned earlier, best way to view the Swiss landscapes is through the multiple special Panoramic routes. These are covered as part of the Swiss Pass. A good one full day route with an early start would be:
Spiez to Montreux on Golden Pass and visit the Chillon Castle
Montreux to Zermatt and visit to the mountain
Zermatt to on Glacier Express
and back to Spiez
You can similarly create your own panaromic paths using the Swiss map.
We reached Lucerne on the Interlaken Express covering one more panoramic route. When staying in Lucerne, on one way day we did Mount Pilatus which is pretty near the town. Being a clear sunny day, the views from the top were spectacular. We started late, but you can easily visit the Rhine Falls if you leave early from Pilatus. Next day we visited Mount Rigi going up one way by cogwheel train and coming down the other way by cable car. We spent the evening exploring Lucerne town - the lake with swans, the wooden bridge with art, the lion monument dedicated to soldiers and the casino trying out luck.
Where to eat?
An average budget meal in Swiss costs around 10-15 CHF per head as against 5-7 euros in Spain. If you are on a budget travel then the best options is to cook in your AirBnB kitchen. You would get decent sandwich & breakfast options in super markets like Coop or others near stations. Offcourse fast food chains are available in plenty.
Enjoy the paradise on earth, and if you plan smartly, it will leave a smaller hole in your pocket!
