[Travel] Switzerland 2016
This text summarizes my travel in Switzerland during summer 2016.
People
I met great IAESTE people from all around the world.
Travel diary
Train infrastructure is great, trains are really comfortable and always on time (during my stay I didn’t have delay more than 10 minutes). Bus transportation is also very good, with high-quality wifi connections. What is interesting is that it is provided by Post company, which has historical background. Travelling by boat is also very common (the best experience are old steam boats).
Zurich
Place where I stayed and which I had already known very good before. Financial center of Switzerland.
Lausanne 8-10.7.2016 – lake, chill and wine
Lausanne has breath taking view on the Lake Geneva with Alps in the background. We visited Lausanne city festival and discovered, that French part of Switzerland is different. People are more friendly and relaxed there. We explored one of the most important history buildings in Switzerland Chateau Mignon. After swimming in the lake we headed to Montreaux jazz festival, where I didn’t hear any jazz sound, more rock and party beats. Like typical festival in Switzerland, good food is everywhere. Next day, we were chilling tasting wine with locals in typical family vineyard on the hills near Lausanne. Playing lazer tag in the evening was cherry on the cake after such brilliant weekend. It was my first week in Switzerland and I was very amazed.
Golden pass route 15.7.2016 Luzern – Interlaken – Gstaad – Montreaux – Visp – Zurich
One of the best train rides in Switzerland for me is from Luzern to Interlaken. In the middle of the Alps there, in Meiringen is Swiss military air force base.
Canton Uri 16-17.7.2016 – Wilhelm Tell and history of Switzerland
Our journey started in Airolo from which we got to Gotthard pass, historically important strategic point. Then we did a hiking tour through Andermatt up to Goschennen. Canton Uri is place where Swiss national hero, Wilhelm Tell, was born. I learned a lot about him and his story from the city game we played in Altdorf and Fluelen, typical Swiss villages. Next day, next hike to Seelisberg with the finish in important place called Rutli, where they swear (Rutlischwur) for joining three cantons (Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden), which later leads to founding of Switzerland, was created. After hiking and in such an important place beer is must do. We also visited small but lovely city Brunnen and ruins of castle in Gasslerburg.
Verkehrsmuseum (Museum of transportation) Luzern 23.7.2016
No no no, it is not only for kids. I was fascinated by the trains and train history in Switzerland.
Bern 24.7.2016
Lovely city of bears, Einstein house, politics and university. Here was the first time I saw (probably) swiss national sport – chilling and sightseeing on river in different sorts of rafts.
Glazier Express 29.7.2016
Famous train ride from Chur – Zermatt. Too much touristic.
Jungfrau 30.7.2016
Yes, I did it! My highest altitude ever (3571 m). If they just drop you there, you may even wouldn’t notice you are in such high altitude because it looks like a village full of people with watch and chocolate shops.
Lugano 31.7.2016
Swiss National Day in Albisrieden, 1.8.2016
CERN, Geneve 13.8.2016
I was quite shocked when I arrived to CERN - just few buildings there and nothing special, but that’s because it has diameter of X, from which most of its part is in France. I attended 2-hour tour consisted of lecture what is research about (a lot detailed because our tour guide was physicist from CERN) and then followed by visit in control room and testing building.
Baden + Kloster Fahr 14.8.2016
Bike tour along Limmat river (60km).
Luzern, Rigi mountain 20.8.2016
Felsenegg – Uetliberfg hiking, 21.8.2016
Lauberhorn Ski World Cup track hiking, Wengen – Kleine Scheidegg – Wengen, 25.8.2016
Locarno 27-28.8.2016
Lovely weekend with my love in Italian part of Switzerland. Totaly different part of Switzerland, not everything works that well as in true Switzerland but it looks like on a summer holidays there. We did hiking in Verzasca valley, from Lavertezzo to Sonogno, next to river with big stones surrounded by mountains. There are typical black stone houses.
Biking around Zurichsee, 31.8.2016
All around the Zurich lake on rented bike with visit in romantic city of roses Rapperswil.
Zermatt 2.9.2016
Typical city in mountaions with amazing with on Matterhorn, one of the typical signs of Switzerland and Toblerone. We did a hiking to a village called Zmutt. Zermatt is a must see for everybody who likes mountains.
Appenzell 3.9.2016
Typical swiss canton with people bound with nature. Green hills combined with high mountains. Its completely normal to see cows everywhere, even in the air :D Tips: cheese and Appenzeller beer. Wasserauen – Seealpsee – hiking to nice lake between mountains. Two days before Roger Federrer did the same route.
Konstanz 4.9.2016
Nice old city in Germany. Part of the city that belongs to Switzerland is named Kreuzlingen. When walking from Switzerland, prices drops rapidly. Everything there is „beim See“.
Bernina Express 10.9.2016
Zurich – Lugano – Tirano – St. Moritz – Zurich I started under the palm trees in Lugano, passed through holiday resorts in Italy near lake Como and ended surrounded by high 4K mountains near St. Moritz. Great experience. Very nice place for just relaxing is Alp Brum with glacier view. Awesome place for hiking or mountain biking is Lago Bianco.
Spiez – Thun, 11.9.2016
Mountains covered with snow, forests, festival, palms, cruise on steam boat on lake, beer, castle, great!
