Switzerland in a Nutshell ebook

AmalaWanderingTravel on your own

SWITZERLAND IN A NUTSHELL

DETAILED PLAN FOR YOUR APPROXIMATELY ONE-WEEK STAY IN SWITZERLAND

Roughly one week (possibly shorter or longer)

Any time of the year

Among the four-thousanders

With family (even with small children)

Economically, though with a rich program

By car

Without skis (not required, but not prohibited) 😊

Wrocław 2024

I love traveling. It has always been an excellent way for me to take a break from work, find balance and spend time with my loved ones. I know that to make this time truly a time of rest, it is worth it to ensure you have a good mood already at the preparation stage, in order to maximize the joy of the long-awaited vacation.

I speak from my own experiences, but also from the stories of other people who, like me, before leaving on a trip, invest a lot of energy in developing a detailed travel plan so that they can fully relax, see a lot and enjoy every moment during a short vacation.

I have almost always planned my own trips. I would spend long hours searching the Internet for places worth visiting, possible forms of transportation, accommodation options, contemplating and arranging the trip in a way that was both interesting and practical, as well as economical.

With my decision to document the knowledge and experiences I gathered during my travels, I wanted to make your next vacation trip easier and more enjoyable. I hope that I will be able to do this to some extent. 😊

Amala Wandering. Switzerland in a nutshell.

Detailed plan for your approximately one-week stay in Switzerland.

Translation: Katarzyna Michalak

Editing and proofreading: Matthias Hacker, Randy Hacker

Prepared by:

Synergy Publishing Agency Elżbieta Meissnerwww.agencja-wydawnicza-synergy.pl

Layout and typesetting: Barbara Kryska

Photos: Aneta Sobieraj

Map underlays: © authors of OpenStreetMap.org Underlays available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL)

Icons: FontAwesome.com under the CC BY 4.0 license, Travel Pack from SmashingMagazine.com under the CC BY 3.0 license

Labels: www.Canva.com

Graphic design of maps: Aneta Sobieraj

Text copyright © 2024 by AMALA Aneta Sobieraj

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may it be read in public without written permission of the publisher.

First edition, Wrocław 2024

ISBN 978-83-940405-6-7

www.amalawandering.com

www.instagram.com/amalawandering

www.facebook.com/amalawandering

www.tiktok.com/@amalawandering

WHAT PLACES DOES THIS GUIDE COVER AND TO WHOM IS IT ADDRESSED?

When I was planning my approximately week-long trip to Switzerland, my main goal was to get to know the country as much as possible, and as a lover of landscapes, to reach areas with breathtaking panoramas. So little time, so many places to see. What should you choose? How does one make the most of a trip to fully enjoy the unique beauty of this country? How can you avoid the constant exhaustion of moving from one place of accommodation to the next in order to see different corners of Switzer­land? How can this be done on a moderate budget? How can you make sure that people of all ages will enjoy themselves on the trip?

The prepared program is based on these very principles. It is dedicated to family trips, trips with a group of friends or even solo adventures, in your own or rented car. I would like to emphasize that traveling by your own means of transport will be the most economical, as you can take as many people on the trip as your car allows, and as a result, the costs shared between passengers will be much lower than those incurred when using public transport.

In this guide, you won’t find detailed information dedicated to skiers. However, if you wish to take advantage of the ski slopes during your stay (after all, Switzerland is a paradise for skiers), you will be able to modify the proposed program in such a way that will allow you to do so, as I will take you to places which offer that opportunity.

I want to show you breathtaking views of four-thousanders of the Alps, stunning regardless of the season, places inscribed on the ­UNESCO World Heritage list, such as the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau massifs, the glacial landscape around the longest glacier in the Alps, Aletsch Glacier, and the beautiful scenery filled with lakes and waterfalls. I will take you on a walk across a spectacular suspension bridge (or even several, if you wish), you will enter a glacier, much like Kay and Gerda entered the Snow Queen’s palace, and you’ll wander through the corridors of a dragon’s cave. You will visit historical castles nestled in the Alpine landscape, and a friendly cow named Cerise, or Cherry, will guide you through the Gruyère Museum, a place created for cheese enthusiasts, where you will learn about the process of making Swiss delicacies, the origin of milk, and the principles of fully natural cow feeding.

I hope that this guide will be helpful not only during the trip itself, but that above all else it will relieve you of the burden of hours of searching for information regarding worthwhile places to see and essential information as well as practical details for organizing the trip. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a truly enjoyable holiday! 😊

EXPLORED AREA

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

SWITZERLAND

SYMBOLS

ABOUT THE GUIDE

CHOOSING YOUR BASE

CAR TRIP

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE THE TRIP

Road roles

Car parking essentials

Restrictions on product import

Currency

Electrical outlets

Phone and internet

Emergency numbers

Discount cards

Trails apps

Trail markings

Other suggestions

DAY 1 — Interlaken and Harder Kulm or Mürren

DAY 2 — St. Beatus Caves or Niederhorn

DAY 3 — Eggishorn

DAY 4 — Titlis

DAY 5 — Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and Surroundings (economical option)

DAY 5 — Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Schilthorn (expensive option)

DAY 6 — Gruyères Castle and Cheese Factory, Chillon Castle by Lake Geneva

DAY 7 — Jungfraujoch

DAY 8 — Triftbrücke

DAY 9 — Pilatus

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

SWITZERLAND

Located in Western Europe, divided into 26  cantons, mountainous Switzerland is one of the smallest countries in Europe, stretching 220 km from north to south and 350 km from east to west. The Alps cover the southern, southwestern, and eastern parts of the country. The Swiss ­Plateau, located north of the Alps, is bordered to the northwest by the Jura Mountains. The northern border with Germany follows the course of the Rhine. Lake Constance forms part of the border with Germany and Austria, while part of the border with France runs through Lake Geneva. The landscape is further enriched by some of the larger inland lakes, including Lake Neuchâtel, Lake Zurich, Lake of the Four Cantons, Lake Thun, and Lake Brienz.

There are four official languages in Switzerland: German, spoken by the majority of the population; French, used by approximately 20% of the population; then Italian and Romansh. To the east of the city of Bern (except for Ticino) the predominant language is German, while to the west it is French. In the canton of Ticino, the most common language is Italian. The Romansh language, derived from vernacular Latin, is spoken in the canton of Graubünden.

Switzerland is a member of the Schengen Area but is not part of the European Union or the European Economic Area.

SYMBOLS

YEAR-ROUND – facility or location accessible throughout the year;

OUTSIDE THE WINTER SEASON – places to visit in the spring, summer, and autumn. Accessibility depends on weather conditions. If planning to visit a particular place in spring or autumn, check whether the facility or location is already open or still closed. You can verify this by using the provided links that lead to the website of each respective place;

SKIING – places where you can bring skis due to the availability of ski slopes;

SLEDDING – places with trails for sledding;

MORE WALKING – excursions during which (depending on your fitness level) you may get tired;

Note! The guide does not include trails that require special fitness or climbing skills.

LESS WALKING – walking tours or those in which you mostly use a car (mainly sightseeing);

CLEAR VISIBILITY – expeditions where good visibility is particularly important;

COST – expensive, moderately priced, or free of charge attractions.

ABOUT THE GUIDE

The guide is aimed primarily at people traveling by their own or rented means of transportation, seeking inspiration for both hiking and car trips.

It’s obvious that such a picturesque country like Switzerland cannot be fully experienced during a week-long holiday. Because of that, while developing this guide, my key objective was to take you to some of the most interesting places that will allow you to better understand the character of this country and return home with unforgettable memories as well as a collection of photos from its most beautiful corners. So, if you are going (with your own or rented car) for a week or a slightly longer vacation to Switzerland, with a desire to relax and enjoy the beauty of the landscapes – this guide is perfect for you!

I’ve structured the program in a way that allows you to economically explore various regions of the country and appreciate its diversity, without the need of frequent changes in accommodation bases. As someone who travels with children, I understand how troublesome and inconvenient it can be to constantly change lodgings and pack and unpack luggage. Therefore, selecting a good starting point and base is one of the key aspects for a more enjoyable vacation. In the following pages of the guide, I provide suggestions for the locations of accommodation.

Switzerland is stunning both in the summer and winter. It offers captivating destinations year-round, so you will always find places worth visiting. Each season unveils new charms in this picturesque country. It’s important to note that during the winter months, many trekking routes may not be suitable for exploration and some roads may be closed. I have included information on this in the guide. Nevertheless, I present a full range of attractions and ways to enjoy the winter season, complemented by the opportunities offered in the summer. The photos included in this guide were taken in March and August.

The guide includes a collection of suggestions for one-day trips during a week-long (or slightly shorter or longer) stay in Switzerland. The plan for the first six days offers a complete travel proposal that is moderately priced while simultaneously exploring every aspect of the Swiss landscape (peaks, caves, glaciers, castles, museums, waterfalls, Alpine villages). In the case of an extended stay or if certain attractions are closed due to maintenance, you can expand or modify the provided suggestions according to your needs. I have personally undertaken each trip, so I know there is no risk of being unable to reach the proposed locations within the allotted time.

I set up the plan in such a way that after a more intense day, the next is less physically demanding or simply more relaxed. I marked days that require less or more activity, as well as those dependent on good weather and those in which weather is not crucial to the plan. This way, you can tailor the suggestions to your needs, abilities, and the current weather conditions. Once you reach your accommodation base, it’s always a good idea to check the weather forecast and adjust the proposed plan accordingly, so that attractions described as particularly dependent on good weather are planned for days with at least good visibility.