Switzerland… ah! A country that literally stuns you with it’s beauty. Between the indefinite rolling green hills, snow-capped mountain peaks, rushing streams and wildlife, it’s hard not to want to stop to explore every inch of this country! Is it expensive? Yes! But that didn’t stop me from heading back for the second time since living abroad. There are also ways to save some with a little planning. I’ll give you some tips below!
What We Did
This trip was a little spur of the moment for us. Casey had some extra time off from work and we wanted to take advantage of it! So on Monday we booked our hotel and by that Friday, we packed up our car and pup and headed south to Interlaken. We are super lucky to have this flexibility! How did we settle on this city? Honestly, we just looked for somewhere within easy driving distance with cheaper hotel rates and things to do with our dog.
Took in the Views at Harder Kulm
We were lucky to wake up to clear skies and sunshine. We took advantage and headed up to Harder Kulm for some lunch at their Panorama Restaurant. In order to reach this place you can take a short cable car up the mountain (for a fee). We purchased the combo ticket for the cable car and lunch, but I don’t recommend it. You can eat for cheaper at the restaurant without it as the combo ticket is a set limited menu. The food was delicious though!
The journey is still worth it even without eating lunch. They have a small beverage stand where you can just relax and soak up the beautiful scenery. You can also start a hike from here. I imagine it’s one-of-a-kind!
We were met with some breathtaking views at the top! I am so happy we decided to go when we did because right when we reached the bottom of the mountain the clouds rolled in.
Strolled the main streets of Interlaken
The main park in Interlaken is beautiful! It’s a great area to watch the paragliders come in too. Interlaken is known for extreme sports. (They’re pricey, but be sure to check those out if you’re interested!) I always recommend checking out each city’s city center or pedestrian zones. Many european cities have these areas where no cars are allowed and they’re filled with shops and restaurants. It’s a good way to get a feel of the city.
I will say that I had read that Interlaken is a bit touristy. They were right. They had many touristy restaurants and activities, but this didn’t bother me. We were there during an off season, but I imagine it wouldn’t be as enjoyable in the busy summer months.
Sipped on some local brew at Rugenbräu
If you’re new here, I love to check out each city/country’s local beer. It has kind of become a ritual of ours to find a brewery. Here you can take a tour or just hang out and do a tasting. We opted for the latter since Hudson was with us. We got to see how their barrels were made outside as we sipped on our beer. The beer is a good price too! I recommend buying some to take back to the hotel on your way out.
Wilderswil Unspunnen Castle Ruins
We actually just stumbled upon this when we were walking back to our hotel from the brewery. The Unspunnen castle ruin is very cool to see! You can just walk right up it and walk around. The views from the top are awesome as well. This 13th century castle is where a festival was held for herdsmen games. You can read more about it here.
Stuffed our Faces with Cheese Fondue
To me, this is a must when visiting Switzerland! Especially when it’s chilly outside. For some tasty fondue, head over to Restaurant Taverne and get their truffle option. YUM! I recommend making a reservation.
Took a day trip to Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is just a short drive or train ride away from Interlaken. We decided to take a drive and it took us only 20 min. Lauterbrunnen literally means “many fountains” and is known for its 72 waterfalls. This village is perfect for hiking or even for a quick lunch. We didn’t have a lot of time so we just walked around, took a million photos, had a quick bite and headed back. I could literally do a whole blog post on this place with the views alone. It’s so beautiful!
Fun Fact: It’s said that this village is what inspired the elven kingdom, Rivendelle, in Lord of the Rings. I can certainly see why!
Tested our Fear of heights on the Leissigen Suspension Bridge
I read that Switzerland has many suspension bridges so I wanted to check out the closest one to us. This bridge is only 25 min drive away from Interlaken and is worth a visit. It’s 140 meters long and 60 meters above the ground. Fair warning – I don’t think it’s easily accessible by train. I believe your best bet would be to take a bus to the closest spot and then hike your way up.
Many of the other bridges I had checked out were closed, but this one was still open. It’s hard to find much info on this place, but we were willing to take the risk and drove out to it. Here is a tour I found that seemed interesting as well.
Warmed up with some hot chocolate in the park
After hiking around and exploring the city we were craving something warm and we also didn’t want to leave Switzerland without trying some Swiss chocolate. We found the cutest little hot chocolate spot, the Funky Chocolate Club! They even do chocolate making tours! We opted to take ours to-go and sat at a bench by the park to take it all in. It’s definitely the most expensive hot chocolate I have ever had, but it was so rich and delicious. It hit the spot!
Where we stayed
Like I said, when booking this trip, we were trying to find someplace that was decently priced, allowed dogs, and wasn’t too far away. We found this hotel just outside of main Interlaken and it was just what we were looking for. This hotel isn’t super fancy, but it has everything you need. It was very clean and had some amazing views of the alps. The staff was very friendly as well! Hudson loved it!
Tips
- November is known as the time where locals take vacations and when the town does their renovations/upkeep. Because of this, prices may be lower and/or many places will be closed! Keep this in mind.
- Save some money by going to the local grocery for snacks, lunch items, and breakfast bars.
- Many hotels (including the one we stayed in) offer a local pass that gives free public transportation (within a certain area) and offers discounts to places around town.
- Euros are taken by most places in Switzerland but often times it’s best to pay in Swiss Franc.
- When give the option when paying by card, always choose the local currency. Your bank will most likely give a better conversion rate than the one they offer.
- If traveling by car, you’ll need what’s called a vignette (a toll tax) sticker to travel on their main highways. Switzerland specifically only does year long ones. They cost around $40 and you can buy them at gas stations right around the border. If you have a rental, this may already be included. Just ask!
And there you have it! Our short trip to Switzerland. We really didn’t plan too much before making this journey so we did everything spur of the moment. We also didn’t want to spend our whole time out and about so we added in some down time for sure. Please don’t let the high price tag of Switzerland keep you away! This is by far one of the top gorgeous places I have ever visited!