When you hear “Switzerland,” the words: Alps, chocolate, and watches, probably come to mind. However, once in Europe, I realized the country is synonymous with “expensive.” As any students on a budget with an overwhelming desire to visit the mountains would do, Drop A Pin blogger, Tara, and I planned our trip based on the least expensive plane tickets.
Best price from Madrid to Switzerland in February? Geneva. So, we booked the plane tickets, an Air B n B, and scoured Pinterest to choose the perfect day trip in our limited time there.
Day 1
We arrived in Geneva around noon on a Saturday. After finding our Air B n B, we dropped our things and set out to explore Geneva.
First stop: Jet d’Eau. Situated in Lake Geneva, Jet d’Eau was conveniently located by Laduree Paris. After snapping a few photos by the 140-meter fountain, we treated ourselves to decadent macarons.
We booked dinner at Cafe du Soleil where we shared cheese fondue (a MUST-DO) and a chicken salad. The restaurant was quaint, traditional, and our menus even shared where the cheese came from in Switzerland. A perk for me was that Cafe du Soleil had gluten free bread, so I was able to enjoy the famous fondue.
The nightlife was surprisingly non-existent for being in a city on a Saturday night. Perhaps we were in the wrong area of the city, but all we could find was an Irish Pub. We each sipped on a pint while listening to live music.
Day 2
Access to a car was key to all the cities we hit on the second day. Geneva is virtually a border city between Switzerland and France. In fact, there is both a Swiss side and French side to the Geneva Airport. So, naturally, we began our day with breakfast in Annecy, France, because why not do breakfast in France?
Annecy, France
Home to the cleanest lake in Europe, Annecy is both breathtaking and charming. We spent only an hour or so there, but got a delicious brunch, to see the canals, and a local market lining one of the main streets.
Bern, Switzerland
Our second stop was Bern, after driving back through Geneva and for about two hours around the lake. Downtown Bern is a soothing shade of olive green. The grandiose buildings match each other, and street cars chug along the avenues. We stopped at a chocolate shop, one of the oldest in Bern, Tschirren, where we each handed the woman behind the counter five francs and asked her to give us as many pieces of chocolate we could get. Fudge pieces and champagne-filled truffles were our snacks for the rest of the day.
Interlaken, Switzerland
The drive into Interlaken from Bern was gorgeous. Lake Thun on the left and the Alps on the right made for the most majestic highway I have ever been on. There is no shortage of activities for adrenaline-junkies in Interlaken. Every advertisement was for parasailing, ski trips, or rock climbing. Having to get back to Geneva that night for an early-morning flight the next day, we did not have the time to try anything exciting. There was a pop-up winter festival with an ice-skating rink in the center of town which added vibrancy on a grey, rainy day.
Lausanne, Switzerland
Our last stop of the day was dinner in Lausanne. The capital of the Olympics, we did not have time to tour the city, only see the cute downtown area lined with shops and restaurants. Dinner was burgers and fries, a simple meal that cost around $30 with drinks; steep for a student budget. The food was delicious, and we made it back to Geneva in time to get a few hours of sleep before our flight the following morning.
Takeaways from Switzerland
Although I didn’t learn any Swiss history, and I can’t say that I truly spent time in the Swiss Alps, I had a great time in Switzerland. As a student with a budget, I think the way we did our Switzerland trip is the best for the price. Putting a short timeline on the trip, and seeing as many cities within the country as you can pack into a day is a way to take a step into other cultures and see beautiful landscapes. The drive near the Alps was breathtaking, and within only a two-hour drive the language within the country (including road signs!) switched from French to German. I recommend a trip like ours for others planning their Study Abroad travels. Feel free to reach out for the logistics of our trip!
By: Kelsie Raucher
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