I finally got the chance to visit Switzerland this summer and it was so so special. I was only here for 3 days so I definitely need to go back and explore more. I spent full 1 day in Geneva and 1 full day in Lauterbrunnen.

Geneva

Geneva is charming city and luckily for me, filled with many things to do during my 1 day stay here. I made sure to take advantage of my 24 hours here and did some serious walking. At the end of the day, my watch told me I walked 12 miles total. It was safe to say I slept good that night and my legs/feet were so weak the next day.

Where I stayed: I stayed at Nash Airport Hotel. Since I had a long flight from the states I didn’t want to stay somewhere deep into the city. I wanted to get off the plane and take a shuttle bus to my hotel. It was great! There is a bus stop right across the street a block away from the hotel that takes you straight into the city center. The hotel also covers the bus fees so you don’t have to pay. The airport is located about 10 minutes away from the center.

Sightseeing/Activities:

Take a walk a long the Geneva Water Fountain
Go to St. Pierre Cathedral
Stroll through Parc de La Grange
Roam around Jardin Anglais
See the Broken Chair and The Flower Clock
Hang out by Lake Geneva and people watch or swim! (Depending on the weather obviously)
Stroll through the Farmers Market or any kind of out door food vending festival that is going on. I went during a cheese festival which was unexpected and exciting.

Food:

Breakfast at Filomena - Really yummy coffee and avocado toast with salmon!
Lunch at Cafe du Soleil - Some of the best Fondu in Geneva! Very delicious. I paired my fondue with green tea instead of wine as it was too hot out for me to want to drink alcohol.
Dinner at Chez ma Cousine - The best roasted chicken with a salad and roasted potatoes! Seriously. So good.

Lauterbrunnen

Okay so this magical little village in Switzerland is one I had always dreamt of visiting and couldn’t believe I finally had the chance to do it. One thing to note, it’s SMALL. I didn’t realize how small it actually is until I got there. I believe 1 day is enough to explore it. I am an ambitious traveler I’d say so when I found 3 days to spare there, I decided I have to go for it and do the absolute most. So yes, yes I did travel 7 hours total in 1 day to and from Lauterbrunnen. To some that’s insane, and to others… you get me. I left at 6:30am by train and arrived at 10:00am. I had the full day to myself to roam around and do whatever I wanted. I then took a later train back to Geneva at around 6:00pm and got in at 9:30pm. To be frank, it was a lot of moving around so if this isn’t your style and you have the extra time to stay in Lauterbrunnen and explore nearby villages, I highly encourage you to do so. I really wish I had more time. I wanted to visit Interlaken and Grindelwald. But that just means I got to go back!

How to get there: I took a train from Geneva to Bern, Bern to Interlaken Ost, Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen. So total of 2 transfers. It was pretty easy because the transportation in Switzerland is convenient and the signs help out a lot if you’re lost. Plus, people are friendly so you can just ask someone if you need help. I booked my train tickets via Rail Europe. It took about 3 1/2 hours. Best time to go is in the Summer time.

Sightseeing/Activities:

Rent a bike and ride through the mountains. You can also walk but I only had 1 day here so I wanted to see it all. When you get off the train at the station, you’ll see some bike rental shops nearby. There are a few you can choose from!
Visit The Trümmelbach Falls - It’s amazing! A glacier fall that is the only one in the world accessible by lifts, tunnels, and paths. So many levels to this. You won’t regret it. Also a great option for anyone with a disability as there is an elevator that takes you up to see most of it.
Staubbach Falls - You can’t miss this It’s located in the center of the village on the right hand side as you’re walking into the area from the train station. You can do a mini hike to a spot behind the waterfall and it’s an insanely gorgeous view from there.
. Go to Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe
Take in the scenery by going on a hike. Lauterbrunnen — Muren Trail is a nice and easy 4 mile hike.
Take a train to Wengen. Hop on the scenic cogwheel train towards Wengen. Only 15 minutes from Lauterbrunnen.
Tip: If you have a drone, you will see signs every where saying “No drones allowed”. It’s forbidden because they have a lot of Paragliders here and the rescue helicopter goes up multiple times a day. I really wanted drone footage though so someone working at the bike shop suggested I go talk to them in person (the helipad is in the center of the village down below. I rode my bike there) and ask if I am allowed to fly when they aren’t up in the air, and to my surprise, they said yes. They gave me a time I am allowed to fly it and wanted to know where it would be from. I had to call them before I took off my drone and as soon as it landed so they could let air traffic controls know. Be respectful and responsible with your drone when flying in foreign places :)
Food:
Horner Pub: Have a drink at the only pub in town.
Airtime Cafe - Very good food and in the heart of the town.
SULWALD-STÜBLI - Dinner with a view! Can’t get any better than this.

I hope this inspires you to take a trip to Switzerland! Hopefully you can go for longer than 3 days unlike me, but if not, this short but sweet guide will help you have the best time! :)