Switzerland: The land of Alpine mountains and sapphire blue lakes
Scenic mountains and lakes, and the world’s best watches, chocolates, and cheese – this wonderful country is truly a traveller's paradise
Switzerland is a country which probably exists on every traveller's bucket list. With its pristine beauty, sometimes it is hard to believe it is a real country and not one from a fairytale.
Every time I visit Switzerland, I fall in love all over again with the Alpine mountains covered in snow, sapphire blue lakes, green forests and beautiful villages.
Museums being one of my favourites places, I try to visit as many as possible while exploring a country. So, on my latest trip to Switzerland in October 2022, I first went to the Kunsthaus Zürich, the largest art museum in the country. It has countless masterpieces in the forms of paintings and sculptures.
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My next destination was the Museum Rietberg and it is one of finest and most organised museums in the world, it features Asian, African, Ocenian and American artefacts.
Once the museum trips were done, as a lover of literature, I could not help but visit the grave of famous Irish author James Joyce at the Fluntern Cemetery by the Zürich Lake. I sat near his life size sculpture and read aloud from one of his books.
The next day, we went to Küsnacht and visited the house museum of the world famous Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung.
Interlaken is the most visited place in Switzerland. Tourists come here to enjoy the beauty of this Swiss town situated between two glacial lakes. Boat rides are available here.
Cable car rides are truly enjoyable in Switzerland. In fact, there are several picturesque mountain villages you can reach by cable car.
Your shopping list must contain Swiss watches, knives, and chocolates. The watches are quite expensive but if you have a budget, why not buy one? I know people who have saved for years to buy one.
What can I say about Swiss chocolates and cheese? They are every bit as delectable and gorgeous as they look. However, Swiss chocolates often contain salty liquorice bits so if you are not a fan, read the labels carefully before buying them.
Another splurge-worthy thing to do in Switzerland is visit to Jungfraujoch, the highest train station of Europe, situated at 3,454 metres (11,332 feet). It is a grand experience to look at the mighty Alps peaks from here.
On the way to Geneva from Zürich, I had a quick visit to the Swiss capital Bern. The most attractive place in Bern for me was the Albert Einstein House Museum where he resided from 1903 till 1905.
During this time, he was working as a clerk and he also published his four papers on photoelectric effect, Theory of Special Relativity and his most famous equation, E = mc².
One thing about Switzerland tourists must know is it hasn't accepted the Euro and still uses its own currency, the Swiss Franc. For budget travellers, it is best if they do a thorough research on cheap hotels and transport before embarking on their journey.
It is always a good idea to buy a day pass in Geneva which covers all public transport. The city is tranquil and scenic, has its own corporate and country essence, and is a good hub to go almost anywhere in Europe for the next destination.
My Swiss trip was complete after I visited the beautiful Lake Lausanne and the small town of Luzern.
How to go
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Turkish Airlines
Ticker price (round trip):Tk1,50,000 to Tk2,00,000 (approx)
Where to stay
- Crowne Plaza Zürich
- Sheraton Zürich
- Hôtel Royal Genève
- Novotel Genève Centre
Room rate (per night): Tk20,000 to Tk70,000 (approx)
