Travel to Switzerland – Episode 687

Hear about travel to Switzerland as the Amateur Traveler talks to Zack Best about this beautiful country where he has studied and worked.

Zack says, “Switzerland is beautiful, but there’s a lot of places in the world that are beautiful. So, I think there are a few additional things that make Switzerland a very good destination to go to for vacation. It’s a very small country which makes it so that there’s a very high density of destinations to get to and it’s very easy to get to all of them because there’s a lot of infrastructure in terms of trains and buses, and also cable cars to get to places high up in the mountains… even if you are not someone who hikes all the time. It’s very safe. While the main language isn’t English, and I don’t speak any German or French or Italian, I was able to get around fine.”

Zürich

Zack starts us in Zürich. Zürich has better plane connections than anywhere else in the country. He then lays out what to do in Zürich, day trips from Zürich, Luzern for a few days, Interlaken Area for a few days, Bern for a day on the way back to Zürich. Along the way, Zack tells os some of the best hikes that he found in the region.

In Zürich, besides the main churches, floating down the River Limmat, sailing Lake Zurich and some beautiful gardens we also talk about some great festivals including Züri Fäscht and Zürich Openair.

Züri Fäscht

Visit Zurich in Switzerland with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows the Züri Fäscht festival which is held every 3 years in Zurich on the first weekend in July. This video is from July 2007. Join the 2 million people who made their way to Zurich for this festival with 80 stages for bands, food booths, beer tents, and many other performers.

For day trips from Zurich, Zack recommends Stein am Rhein, S?ntis hiking (including the Äscher Mountain Restaurant, Seealpsee, Saxer Lücke, and Fahlensee), Glarus hiking (including Mettmen/Elm, Murtchenstock/Schilt, and Walensee), the Abbey at St. Gallen, and Pizol hiking (especially the 5 Lake Hike).

Lucerne

Lucerne is best known for its old medieval bridges and beautiful old town, but Zack found some great hikes in that area as well including Mt. Rigi, Mt. Pilatus, Stoos, Mt. Titlis / Engelberg, Jochpass (including 4 Lake Hike & Alpen Tower), and the Stanserhorn.

Interlaken

Interlaken is a great center for outdoor activities. There are a couple of nearby castles but most people come for the mountains and Zack guides us to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen hiking, the Jungfraujoch, the Niederhorn, Brienzer Rothorn (with its cogwheel train), Oeschinensee, and the Aletsch Glacier.

Through the entire trip, Zack gives us some advice on the best way to use a Swiss Travel pass to save money. Switzerland can be expensive, but it is a country with some beautiful scenery. You can enjoy it from a hike or just from a gondola or train, but it is a country to get outside.

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Show Notes

Zack’s blog
Switzerland
Zürich
Zürich Botanic Gardens
Zürich Zoologischer Garten
Langstrasse
NA081 Pizza
Zürich Opera House
Gelateria di Berna
Frau Gerolds Garten
Züri Fäscht
Zürich Openair 2020
Limmat Swim
City Backpacker
Swiss Travel Pass
Mount Säntis
Aescher Mountain Restaurant
Stein am Rhein
Glarus
Lucerne
Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)
Lion Monument
Mount Rigi
Stoos Railways
Mount Titlis
Joch Pass
Stanserhorn
Interlaken
Lake Lungern
Meiringen
Sherlock Holmes Museum Meiringen
Oberhofen Castle
Spiez Castle
Aare Gorge
Grindelwald
Lauterbrunnen
Jungfraujoch
Mürren
Shilthorn 360°Restaurant Piz Gloria
Grindelwald First
Bachalpsee
Männlichen
Aletsch Glacier
Brienzer Rothorn Cogwheel Train
Oeschinensee (Oeschinen Lake)
Niederhorn
Bern
Älplermagronen (Swiss Alpine Macaroni)
Bündnerfleisch (air-dried meat)

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