Switzerland – Paradise for Adventure
A hike near Schwellbrunn, in the canton of Appenzell
A trip to Switzerland always felt out of reach to me as a traveller. It was easy to believe that going there had to be expensive – especially after seeing pictures and researching costs. However, I am thrilled to write that exploring Switzerland is more accessible than you may think, especially if you are there to enjoy its stunning nature.
The trip
Day 1: Appenzell Region
Final destination: Seelisberg, Switzerland
Accommodation: Private room in rental unit hosted by Amy
Rolling hills of vibrant green surround you, while your peripheral view is met with a blue sky and misty mountains in the distance. The song of cowbells greet you while happy cows graze with a view. This is Appenzell. The striking beauty of this canton in Switzerland is quite difficult to put into words, and it left a mark that makes me long to go there again. We only had one day to spend here, and we chose to see the country side, visit a museum, and mingle with our delightful host.
We got to our first Airbnb in Switzerland well into the night, driving directly from the Triberg Waterfall in Germany. The drive was dark, and there was very little we could see on the way as we made our way to the small town of Russikon, just east of Zurich. Waking up and stepping out onto the balcony made for a marvellous introduction to a beautiful day. We picked up an easy breakfast from the local grocery store and enjoyed it on the balcony while planning our day. As we were packing in preparation for our departure, our lovely host Lilian invited us to join her for lunch and experience a spread of her favourite types of cheese to which we gladly obliged.
Bellies full, we set course for our first hike in the country, Rätselweg. We parked near the trailhead in the town of Schwellbrunn, and did not have to go far to be rewarded with stunning views of the town and the surrounding area. The hike itself is relatively easy, forming a full loop around Schwellbrunn. Unfortunately, we were not able to complete the full loop due to a shortage of time, but we found every bit well worth the trip.
Our next destination was the Appenzeller Schaukäserei: a cheese museum, restaurant, and cooperative rolled into one building. We started with the museum, which cost us 12 CHF (~$16 CAD). The experience is a self-guided tour of the factory with translations available for all exhibits using a QR code and free wifi. Entering the tour, we got a sample kit with 5 different types of their cheese (with prompts for when to try it), and a small bag of mixed herbs to keep at the end. At the end of the tour, we enjoyed a tasty bite at their restaurant. It felt special to experience the cheesemaking process in a region that prides itself on a trade that has been the core of its culture for centuries. Their art truly speaks for itself when you experience the flavour.
We finished our tour of the region by making a brief drive through the Appenzell village, marvelling at its historical buildings and designs that are unique to the region. From here, we drove a distance through the beautiful countryside to the town of Seelisberg for our next Airbnb.
Day 2: Bauen | Lago di Tom
Final destination: Sonlerto, Switzerland
Accommodation: Private room in cottage hosted by Alejandro
A thick fog hugged the mountains, covering the sky and rolling down in gentle wisps that made way as we walked towards our car. After stocking up on food at the local mini-mart, we made a brief stop at lake Seeli. I was impressed with the well-equipped campground and beautiful views surrounding the lake and thought it would be a great place to stay for anyone looking to camp on their journey through the country.
Lake Lucerne was next on our list, and we chose to experience it from the town of Bauen. After a short and scenic drive, we got there and parked close to the water. After a few minutes of walking we found a small, secluded beach where we jumped into the most enchanting water for a swim. The water was no colder than what we are used to in Canada’s prairies, and there weren’t more than 4-6 other people around us at any point. Lake Lucerne is big, and while there are quite a few beaches to choose from, this was perfect for us.
Our next destination was a hike from the Lago Ritom dam to Lago di Tom. As we kept gaining elevation through endless switchbacks, the road began to narrow until it could only fit one car in two-way traffic. The path had pockets that allowed one car to yield, allowing the other to pass. The journey is not for the faint-hearted and had moments of varying intensity, especially when we had to reverse up or down a slope on the winding road when it was our turn to yield. Be as it may, the destination was well worth the drive. The first stretch of the hike hugs Lago Ritom, followed by a switchbacks that lead to Lago di Tom. Surrounded by mountains and being relatively close to their peaks it is easy to feel like you are on top of the world. I found the hike relatively easy with paths that are well maintained, which further enhanced my ability to enjoy the surrounding views. Going a bit further past Lago di Tom rewarded us with a panoramic view of mountains, a good angle of the lake, and the song of cowbells from the local herd.
The final adventure of the day was our drive to Sonlerto, which would serve as a base to explore more of Ticino the following day. The sunset put the sky on fire, making a magical backdrop against a rainy evening with looming mountains. As it got darker and we got closer to our destination, the experience became increasingly spooky. Threads of fog danced ahead of us, an arc of trees bent over the path, and small stone villages that looked abandoned with dark cavities for windows appeared on the sides of the road. It was a neat experience arriving at our Airbnb in complete darkness.
Day 3: Foroglio | Lavertezzo
Final destination: Sion, Switzerland
Accommodation: Private room in condo hosted by Stéphane
Daylight turned this mysterious region into a completely different world. What looked abandoned at night suddenly turned into a charming and unique setting, with stone-roofed homes that had flower baskets hanging out of their windows. The area felt remote against the surrounding trees, high mountains, and nothing but the sound of a nearby rushing stream. We packed up and did a short drive to the nearby village of Foroglio. What made this village particularly interesting was the waterfall nearby, which made for our main destination. We spent a bit of time there enjoying the surrounding views and watching the rushing water before getting back in the car for our next destination.
We got a recommendation from a local earlier this trip to explore the Verzasca region, and gladly added it to our itinerary. It continued to amaze us how unique this region of Switzerland looked as we back-tracked through the previous night’s spooky drive on the way to Verzasca; streets were dotted with palm trees, quaint villas, and it felt like we could have been in Italy. When we decided to go to Verzasca, we had a very specific activity in mind– a swim what looked like deep-green water beside a unique bridge that we saw in several pictures when this area was recommended to us. Upon arrival to the Verzasca region we realized that the place we had in mind was actually called Lavertezzo. After a short drive following many switchbacks, we finally arrived at our destination and miraculously found a spot to park. We quickly learned that this was a choice destination of locals, and found it generally busy. Despite the contrast of seeing this many people after being in an area that felt so remote, this turned out to be an excellent experience. We chose a spot on a massive rock that serves as the beach, and enjoyed several cycles of swimming and bathing in the sun. I would highly recommend this destination for anyone who finds themselves exploring Ticino.
The next leg of our trip was a drive to a town in the southwestern canton of Valais called Sion. We quickly discovered that the region was known for its Apricots, and got a case from a local farmer that made for an excellent snack for a handful of days. In hindsight, we could have saved a few hours of travel time if we stayed closer to the centre given the following day’s itinerary, but we had no regrets about the detour. The journey itself was as scenic as the rest, and we got to experience something unique– a train ferry. At some point we hit a road that looked like a toll booth, but as we paid and got through it became a one-way path to a train. We drove onto the train bed, put the car on e-brake and enjoyed a train ride through countless tunnels, helping us cut out about 1.5 hours of highway driving. The town of Sion boasted a gorgeous setting, and we couldn't have arrived at a better time. The clouds opened up as the sun began to set, throwing rays of light directly towards the castle and cathedral that crown the city. We settled in, got ready, and drove into town for dinner. The local wine was good, the food was decent, and the purple sky blew us away.
Day 4: Iseltwald | Lauterbrunnen
Final destination: Campsite near Agarn, Switzerland
Accommodation: Camping Torrent
The first destination of the day was another swim— this time in Lake Brienz, by the town of Iseltwald. We had to drive for about two and a half hours from Sion, and stopped at one of my favourite places to explore in countries I haven’t been before: McDonalds. Say what you will, but I think the brand does a fantastic job adapting its menu to the region and I have enjoyed some of my best burgers abroad in their establishments. We shared a McRaclette and a specialty burger, both of which felt like a treat.
Neither words nor pictures do true justice to the beauty of Lake Brienz. The water is turquoise blue, and the temperature is comfortable once you take the leap. The town itself is tidy, and there is a big parking lot at the entrance (no cars are allowed into town). It took us about fifteen minutes to get from our car to the beach (Strandbad & Camping – Iseltwald on Google Maps) and we spent a few hours swimming and enjoying the surrounding views in the daylight. The beach had bathrooms, a modest diving board, and a floating dock a few dozen meters from the shore.
Lauterbrunnen was our next destination, and one that held a special place in my heart. It was footage of Lauterbrunnen that put the country on my bucket list of places to see, and it was finally time to go there. We expected the place to be touristy, so there was no surprise to see it packed. Regardless, we were fortunate to find a free place to park as soon as we got there. The town sits in a long valley between two mountains, with a waterfall cascading from one side. Once we got on foot and started covering distance on a road that led deeper into the valley, the crowd kept getting smaller until it was just the two of us. The views were breathtaking, and made me wish for more time to explore the region but we thoroughly enjoyed the walk that we had. There were active farmers working their fields, and I couldn't stop thinking about what it would be like having these views in your back yard. We got back to town for a bite at a food truck, and were soon back on the road for our final drive of the day.
The final leg of our day was a two hour drive to a campsite (Camping Torrent) near Agarn. We needed to get as close as possible to the town of Täsch for the following day’s itinerary, and knew we would be arriving late wherever we went so we opted to sleep in the car that night. The campsite was equipped with clean bathrooms and showers, so this stop worked well for us.
Day 5: Matterhorn (Hike from Gornergrat to Riffelberg)
Final destination: Tournon, France
Accommodation: Private room in home hosted by Jean-Yves
We got up early for the grand finale of our trip in Switzerland: the Matterhorn. There are a few ways to get a good view of the iconic mountain, and all of them start from the town of Zermatt. Cars are not allowed there, so if you are driving the closest you can get is the town of Täsch which was our first destination for the day. We parked, walked to the train station, bought two tickets to Zermatt (~$46), and were soon on our way. I came across many different recommendations for ways to view the mountain and chose to start at Gornetgrat, with a plan to finish at Riffelberg.
After getting to Zermatt and stocking up on food at the grocery store, we bought two train tickets (~$290 from Zermatt to Gornergrat and from Riffelberg to Zermatt) at the Gornergrat station. The train ride was relatively short and the scenery was rewarding. Getting off the train, we were surrounded with a panorama of mountains and the Gorner Glacier. The train to this destination was packed, so we were glad to leave the crowd and enjoy some space while taking in the views. We were pleased with our choice to start at Gornergrat because our entire trek was relatively easy with a steady, down-hill pace while the mountain was visible the entire time. We took our time going down, and stopped at two different lakes on the way to Riffelberg, having our lunch by one of them. It would have been interesting to go further to make more out of the journey, but with limited time this trek made for an excellent capstone to end the trip.
The train from Riffelberg took us back to Zermatt and then we traced our steps back to our car for the next leg of our journey, the Provence region of France.
Logistics
Getting Around
Deciding how to get around the country is the first decision you need to make before building your itinerary, and one that I found myself wrestling with more than usual. Ultimately, you will have to pick between two options: use public transportation, or rent a car.
Switzerland is well known for its solid and extensive public transportation, which is only made better by the Swiss Travel Pass that allows you to access busses, trains, and boats. A 6-day pass would cost about 359 CHF (~$480 CAD) per person and allows kids to accompany a pass-holding parent for free up until the age of 16. Pass holders can also access a variety of museums, and enjoy discounts on lifts, funiculars, and various excursions. While the price might seem high up-front, this is a value-packed option that holds a strong appeal.
The ease of getting around the country doesn’t stop with its excellent public transportation. Switzerland has invested significant resources to build smooth highways, impressive tunnels that cut through mountains, and make good use of its railway system for the convenience of cars. This action-packed little country offers rewarding destinations within a 2-3 hour drive, while the journey itself is filled with beautiful vistas. You should plan for a few costs if you choose to drive:
Vignette: 40 CHF ($54 CAD). These windshield stickers are sold at all gas stations within Switzerland, and you can buy it as soon as you enter the country.
Parking: Most towns have paid parking, which ended up being about 2 CHF (~$3 CAD) per hour.
Gas: This trip happened while prices were at an all-time high, which ended up being about 2.14 CHF/L ($2.86 CAD/L).
Rental: The price will vary based on where you rent and the additional coverage options you may or may not choose. We rented the car in Mulhouse, France and dropped it off in Aix-en-Provence, France and chose to accept full coverage.
It was a tough call, but we ended up renting a car for the benefit of freedom and flexibility.
Food
Like anywhere else, going out to eat is more expensive— but this is especially true in Switzerland given its expensive currency and generally higher-priced consumer goods. I will break-down the rough difference between eating-out and sticking to simple meals from grocery stores below:
Eating-out costs about 20-60 CHF per person ($26-$80 CAD), with the lower range being a light fare while the higher end would include an appetizer, entrée, and wine.
Putting together a simple spread of cheese, meat, pastry, and fresh fruits from the many available convenience stores was about about 20-30 CHF ($26-$40 CAD) in total for 2 people.
Most of our meals consisted of the cheaper alternative, and it did not feel like we were missing out. The quality of the produce was incredible, and I can confidently say that Switzerland has the best cheese I have ever tasted (shoutout to Appenzell– you guys know what you’re doing).
As a final point, I found that eating-out had the obstacle of a culture that values quality of life over enterprise and customer-centric convenience. As a Canadian who is used to being able to find many options for food at any given time of the day, it felt strange to run into situations where restaurants were closed early or offered a bare-bones menu outside of regular lunch or dinner hours. Buying our own food was not only cheaper, but also more reliable and convenient.
Accommodations
Finding a place to stay was easy with Airbnb. We booked our accommodations on the go, one day at a time without any issues. Each place was clean, comfortable, and ended up costing us about $120 CAD per night.
A budget-friendly alternative is camping, as Switzerland has many well-equipped campsites scattered across the country. We stayed at a campsite for one night, and it cost us about 20 CHF (~$26 CAD) for the night which gave us access to showers, a clean bathroom, and a place to safely park for sleep.
Cost Breakdown (In CAD)
Total: $2,859
Notes:
- This breakdown is subject to foreign currency exchange rates (we travelled in July of 2022)
- The breakdown does not include the trip’s flight (we flew in and out of Paris)
- The cost of food is not exact, as we used a large portion of the stated cash to buy our produce
Getting Around: $1,243
Car ferry: $75 (2 rides)
Gas: $236
Car rental: About $186.44/day = $932
Food: $275
Accommodations: $456
Other: $885
Cash: $550
Train from Täsch to Zermatt: $45
Train to Gornergrat: $290