From Bucket List to Reality: Switzerland

In our two-week trip to Europe, we spent the first weekend in Paris and chose Switzerland for the second. My partner had already been to Switzerland once on a solo backpacking trip, and it had been on my bucket list for the longest time. So, choosing Switzerland was an easy decision.

There are different ways to explore Switzerland. One way is to pick a major city and explore around it. Another is to make the Glacier Express the highlight of your trip. By the way, we also have an itinerary for that because my partner planned the entire trip for his family. The third option is to explore smaller towns like Lucerne and Interlaken while visiting Mount Titlis and Jungfraujoch. That's the option we chose.

Day 1

We booked flights from Amsterdam to Zurich. We reached Zurich in the evening and immediately caught a train to Lucerne, where we had booked our stay for the next two nights.

Our hotel was right by the lake, and it looked beautiful at night. There was also a wedding taking place in the building next to our hotel, so we spent the evening sitting on our balcony, watching the celebrations from afar.

Day 2

The next morning, we had breakfast at the hotel and headed towards Mount Titlis.

We took a train from Lucerne to Engelberg, followed by a short walk to the Titlis cable car station. From there, two cable cars take you to the summit. The first one is a regular cable car, and as you ascend, the views keep getting better. You pass beautiful alpine meadows and forests.

The second cable car was unlike anything we had ever seen before. It is a massive rotating cable car that completes a full 360-degree rotation during the five-minute ride to the summit at 9908 feet. The panoramic views of steep rock faces and deep glacier crevasses were breathtaking.

Once you step out, you enter a multi-level mountain complex with plenty to explore.

One of the highlights is the Cliff Walk, Europe's highest suspension bridge. Looking down, you realise you're suspended high above a rocky mountain gorge, with endless mountain ranges surrounding you. We were lucky to have perfectly clear weather that day.

Next, we visited the Glacier Cave, a 150-metre-long tunnel carved inside a real glacier. The ice inside is believed to be up to 5,000 years old. The temperature drops significantly inside, and although rubber mats are laid out, the floor is still slippery, so you have to walk carefully. There are also beautiful ice sculptures displayed throughout the cave.

There is also an additional ticket for the Ice Flyer, an open chairlift that takes you over the glacier, where you can also enjoy snow activities like sledging. Unfortunately, it was closed when we visited in late September.

Even though we couldn't experience the Ice Flyer, we still explored the snow walk on the top level of the complex. Walking on snow while enjoying panoramic mountain views was an experience in itself.

After exploring and eating to our heart's content, we returned to Lucerne the same way.

Since it was still early evening, we went on a cruise on Lake Lucerne before exploring the local market. Throughout this trip, since we didn't have much time, we relied a lot on supermarket sandwiches and ready-to-eat meals. It saved us both time and money.

Later that evening, we also visited a casino. Casinos are one of my partner's favourite things to do while travelling. He has even won a jackpot once. I tried my luck too, placing a few small bets since it was my first time inside a casino. It was a fun experience overall.

Day 3

This was our longest day in Switzerland.

We took a series of trains, first from Lucerne to Interlaken, then another train to Grindelwald. From Grindelwald, we boarded the Eiger Express cable car to Eigergletscher, followed by the famous Jungfraujoch train.

Every train journey in Switzerland feels scenic, but the Jungfraujoch railway is truly special. Much of the journey runs through tunnels carved inside the mountains. Just imagine reaching 11,332 feet by train. It is an experience you'll never forget.

The Jungfraujoch complex is much bigger than Mount Titlis and has a lot more to explore.

There are around 14 attractions inside. One of them is a 360-degree cinema showcasing the Swiss Alps and glaciers. There is also a high-speed elevator that takes you up 354 feet in just 27 seconds. From there, you can step into the panoramic indoor lounge or walk out to the observation deck.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't clear that day, and we were surrounded by clouds. But just as we stepped onto the deck, it started snowing. Standing at the highest point in Europe while experiencing fresh snowfall felt absolutely magical.

The complex also has a research station, and there is a small exhibition explaining the high-altitude environmental and cosmic ray research conducted there.

Next, we explored the Alpine Sensation museum. It has a giant snow globe showcasing miniature Swiss alpine life and a memorial dedicated to the miners who lost their lives while constructing the railway tunnel.

After that, we visited the Ice Palace, carved 66 feet beneath the Aletsch Glacier. We carefully walked through the icy passages, touching the glacier walls and admiring the intricate ice sculptures.

Our next stop was the Glacier Plateau, where visitors can enjoy snow activities depending on the season. When we visited, the activities weren't operating, so we simply played in the snow and clicked lots of pictures.

There are also several restaurants and souvenir shops here, including a Lindt chocolate store. We spent a few hours exploring everything before heading back.

On our way back, we stopped in Interlaken. We found an Indian restaurant and decided to have early dinner there. Oh my God, it was worth every penny. After eating bland food for days, enjoying samosas and butter chicken with views of the Swiss mountains felt like the biggest luxury. We don't even remember the restaurant's name, but we still remember how delicious the food was.

After dinner, we returned to Lucerne and went straight to bed. We were completely exhausted.

Day 4

This was our last day in Switzerland.

Our flight back to the Netherlands was in the evening, so we had some time to explore the Swiss Museum of Transport.

It was fascinating to see so many different types of trains, helicopters, vintage cars, and historic vehicles. If you have some extra time in Lucerne, this museum is definitely worth visiting. My partner especially loved the vintage cars. He clicked countless pictures and immediately sent them to his friends back home.

Later, we took a train back to Zurich, explored the city centre and local markets for a while, and then headed to the airport.

Hotel we stayed in Switzerland - https://booking.stay22.com/twogetherlost/jIwlrn4JJv

Some Observations

• Buy the Swiss Travel Pass. It saves a lot of money. Standard trains and boats are fully covered, along with discounts on attractions like Mount Titlis and Jungfraujoch.
• Book all your tickets in advance, especially during peak season.
• Always check the weather before planning your mountain visits. We had perfect weather at Mount Titlis, but Jungfraujoch was cloudy and snowy the day we visited.
• Carry proper winter layers and good shoes. The glacier caves and snow walks can be quite slippery.
• If you're travelling on a budget, supermarket sandwiches and ready-to-eat meals are a great way to save both time and money.

Wrapping Up

Switzerland is definitely a country we would love to visit again. This trip was more about ticking off our bucket-list experiences, but next time we hope to spend more time exploring smaller villages and going on hikes.

With this, our two-week Europe trip came to an end. From exploring the City of Love, Paris, to discovering the charming cities of the Netherlands, and finally experiencing the breathtaking mountains of Switzerland, every part of this journey was unforgettable.

Map we followed -

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