Never forget:
·
EHIC/GHIC: make sure you get one for free, never
pay a scammer
·
Travel Insurance: vital, you’ll thank me one
day, don’t forget to declare pre-existing conditions
·
Roaming Bundles: get the cheapest data bundle
from your provider – even though Switzerland isn’t in the EU, your phone
provider includes it in European deals
·
Covid Apps: update your Travel Covid Pass on the
UK “NHS” app, the French “Tous Anti-Covid” app, and the Swiss “Covid Cert” app
·
Credit cards: as Switzerland isn’t in the EU,
you need a Worldwide commission-free credit card, eg Nationwide Credit Card
Arriving:
There are direct trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to Basel,
Geneva and Zürich
Set up an account with SNCF and download the SNCF Connect
app
TGV Lyria trains have free wifi, free (and compulsory)
reservations, and 1st class ticket holders have access to the Grand
Voyageurs lounge at Paris Gare de Lyon
See https://www.seat61.com/ for details of Eurostar, how to
get across Paris, and TGV Lyria guides
Alternatively you can fly Easyjet to Basel or Geneva, BA to
Basel, Geneva and Zürich, and several other airlines
Getting around:
The Swiss Travel Pass is available for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15
consecutive days, or as a flexible “chosen days within a month”
It is most reliably bought from the Switzerland Travel
Centre in the UK, website https://switzerlandtravelcentre.com/en/gbr/ticket/swiss-travel-pass
Again use https://www.seat61.com/
for more advice
You can use it on all trains, buses, trams, commuter boats
(not cruises) for totally free travel, and usually half-price travel on cog
railways, cable cars and other excursions
You don’t need reservations, and you can check on the SBB
app how busy a train is before you travel on it. You can book reservations on
the app for 5 CHF if you want the assurance of a seat
It gets you free access to all state museums, and is easily
added as a pass to your Apple or Android Wallet which you can just flash at all
ticket inspectors and reception desks
Whenever you see (MP) in this guide, it means free entry
with your Swiss Travel Pass
GENEVA
where to sleep:
Novotel Geneva Centre, Rue de Zurich 19
https://all.accor.com/hotel/3133/index.en.shtml
5 minutes from the train station, 5 minutes from the lake,
so everywhere is just a walk or bus ride away
Air conditioned rooms (rare in Geneva), an excellent
breakfast, top floor rooms have balconies
For somewhere cheaper, the Ibis has hotels at Centre Gare,
Centre Lac and Centre Nations, but anywhere central is going to be pricey
where to eat:
American Dream Diner, 13 Rue de Neuchatel, one block from
Novotel
https://www.americandreamdiner.com/
As well as American diner favourites (and they have a US
sweet shop upstairs) they also serve Canadian poutine
Chez Ma Cousine, Place du Bourg de Four 6, next to the
Cathedral
http://www.chezmacousine.ch/site/en/
One of four locations for this chicken restaurant chain –
forget KFC, this is amazing food, with soups, rotisserie, salads and desserts
Auberge de Saviese, 20 rue des Pâquis, two blocks from
Novotel
https://www.aubergedesaviese.com/
A Swiss restaurant that is light on the tourist nonsense,
and just serves up a wide variety of Swiss fare and plenty of drinks, popular
with locals as well as visitors
McDonalds – a secret one that is very handy but not busy:
https://www.mcdonalds.com/ch/fr-ch/location/gen-ve/gen-ve-malbuisson/rue-du-march-9-11/780078.html
just off Rue du Marché by Ochsner Sport is the Passage
Malbuisson, and the restaurant is down on the right, with lots of upstairs
seating
where to visit:
MAH (Musée d'art et d'histoire), Rue Charles-Galland 2 (MP)
http://institutions.ville-geneve.ch/fr/mah/
11am – 6pm, Thu to 9pm, closed Mon
nice courtyard café La Barocco
MAMCO modern art, Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10 (MP)
https://www.mamco.ch/
check summer opening times
Museum Rath, Place de Neuve (MP)
http://institutions.ville-geneve.ch/fr/mah/preparer-sa-visite/lieux/musee-rath/
special opening times
Cathedrale St Pierre, Old Town
https://www.cathedrale-geneve.ch/
You can climb 157 steps up North tower
The archeological site is very interesting (MP)
Maison Tavel, Old Town (MP)
http://institutions.ville-geneve.ch/fr/mah/preparer-sa-visite/lieux/maison-tavel/
oldest building in Geneva, recreated with rooms from through
its history
United Nations Building, Avenue de la Paix 14
https://www.ungeneva.org/en/practical-information/visitors
Take tram 15/13 from Cornavin train station to Place des
Nations, aim for before 9.45am, don’t forget your passport
** at the moment, tours are not available **
trips:
Boat trips are all run by CGN https://www.cgn.ch/en/
The one hour cruise ~20CHF and leaves from both Quai du
Mont-Blanc and Quai du Jardin Anglais
Although no commentary, you can download the CGN app and it
shows you where you are and the interesting buildings at the shore
There is a two hour paddle steamboat tour ~30CHF Jardin
Anglais at 15:35 returning at 17:35
where to shop:
The largest department store is Manor, Rue de Cornavin 6,
with its rooftop restaurant Manora, always excellent value with local dishes
You will also find fashion and design at Globus, Rue du
Rhône 48, with all the top brands on the Rue de Rive nearby
Brachard, 10 rue de la Corraterie
https://brachard.com/
a stationery shop on four floors, ideal for gifts or just a
new notebook
BERN
where to sleep:
Swissôtel Kursaal, Kornhausstrasse 3
https://www.swissotel.com/hotels/bern/
This is a gorgeous hotel, just across the bridge to the
north of the city, and tram 9 goes past every 5 minutes so you can walk or not
as you choose
It’s also a casino and conference centre, so is really
well-maintained and has good views across to the city
The décor in each room is colourful and well-designed, and
we found it a very comfortable stay
Also recommended:
Hotel Bären am Bundesplatz
https://www.baerenbern.ch/en/
a short walk from the station, with a friendly homely
atmosphere
Holiday Inn Bern Westside
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/gb/en/bern/apysz/hoteldetail
even though this is out of town, we had a nice week here
back in 2010, it’s only 10 minutes on the train into Bern, and you get free
access to the waterpark, lots of places to eat in the Liebeskind-designed
shopping centre next door
where to eat:
Tibits, Bahnhofplatz 10
https://www.tibits.ch/de/blog/detail/das-tibits-bern-bahnhof
now the UK restaurants have closed down, this is your chance
to enjoy the best vegetarian buffet in Switzerland, pay by weight of plate
Café Einstein, Münsterplattform 5 in the park
https://einstein-jardin.ch/
the Münsterplatform is a park next to the Cathedral,
overlooking the southern walls of the city and across to Gurten, and the café has
a summerhouse with lunch snacks and drinks
Gelateria di Berna, 4 locations
https://gelateriadiberna.ch/
amazing flavours, the best location is down the Marzili
funicular on the way to the Marzili swimming pool and river
Goldener Schlüssel, Rathausgasse 72
https://www.goldener-schluessel-bern.ch/english/food/
this old-school restaurant has a good range of Swiss cuisine
Starbucks, Waaghausgasse 18 on Weisenhausplatz
https://www.starbucks.ch/en
may be obvious, but for a morning stroll, it has a nice
location by the market
where to visit:
behind the Bundesplatz is a great viewpoint, with statues
and water displays
at the east end of town is the bear park which you can view
from the riverside and from the top, also nearby is the Rose Garden
in the old town is the Munster (cathedral) and the Matte-Lift
down to the riverside (MP)
the Zeitglockenturm or Zytglogge clock tower has a tour in
English: 2.30pm but books out weeks in advance http://www.zeitglockenturm.ch/
the Kunstmuseum (MP) has both modern art and old masters
the Historisches Museum (MP) includes the Einstein Museum,
and you can also visit Einstein’s house in the city (Kramgasse 49)
the Botanic Garden is north of the city and covers the whole
of the northern hill from the Aare up to Lorrainebrucke
funicular railway to Mount Gurten, from Gurtenbahn (tram 9)
or train S3, with sports and cafes
trips:
no boat trips, but see below for Interlaken and the Berner
Oberland
where to shop:
there are 6 miles of arcades in Old Town from station via
Bundesplatz to BearPark
these include department stores like Manor (as usual with its
rooftop restaurant Manora), Globus and Loeb
a good gift shop is Heimatwek Bern, at Kramgasse 61
Glatz baked bear shop in the Zeughaus, Waisenhausplatz
https://www.mandelbaerli.ch/de/home
6 flavours and 3 sizes of baked bears, ideal for munching on
a stroll or taking home for gifts
Top 5 chocolate shops: Läderach, Sprüngli, Eichenberger,
Tschirren, Läckerli Huus
ZÜRICH
where to sleep:
Hotel 25, Langstrasse 150
https://www.25hours-hotels.com/en/hotels/zurich/langstrasse
This is a little bit different to our usual hotel, and won’t
be to everyone’s taste, but if you want somewhere more traditional or a
business hotel, you can easily find one
10 minutes walk from the railway station, and 5 minutes from
the design district north of the tracks
It has a busy bar, a great restaurant, a shop, a lobby full
of nick-nacks, and every room is super trendy. You can hire a bike, a Mini,
borrow a Freitag bag, and pop to the rooftop sauna with views of the railway
lines. We loved it, do check out the pictures of the rooms
where to eat:
China Garden, Blatterwiese Park, Bellerivestrasse
https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/restaurants/chinagarten-take-away
Set in the wall of an ornamental Chinese Garden, this little
kiosk sells dumplings, spring rolls, and main dishes. In the summer you can sit
outside, and there is a courtyard inside the garden with its own serving hatch
Alpenrose, Fabrikstrasse 12
https://www.restaurantalpenrose.ch/
In the design district, and ranked in the top 2% of Zürich restaurants,
yet is really affordable. This friendly but well-dressed venue serves a great
variety of Swiss food. Each dish comes with mash, spätzli, or baked potato. We’d
recommend the herring or the meatloaf.
Restaurant Viadukt, Viaduktstrasse 69/71
https://www.restaurant-viadukt.ch/home/
As great for breafast as it is for dinner, this place is
popular with locals, set under the railway viaduct in the design district. The
staff are all being trained for the world of work, and service is impeccable
Also highly recommended (but we didn’t have time to try them
all!):
·
Bakery John Baker in 4 locations
·
Conditorei Schober for Gugelhupf cake or Schoggi
Melange
·
Confiserie Sprungli for filled brioche and
macaroons
·
Restaurant Markthalle in the Viadukt
·
Restaurant Kronenhalle fine dining with rosti
and spatzli
·
Restaurant Burgli with steak frites
·
Restaurant Kiosk by Riesbach harbour
·
Restaurant Obere Fluhgasse for bacon and rosti
salad, or chestnut vermicelles dessert
·
Restaurant Sternen Grill for bratwurst
Rooftop terraces: https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/roof-terraces
where to visit:
Pavilion Le Corbusier, Blatterwiese Park, Höschgasse 8 (MP)
next to Chinese Garden and China Garden takeaway
https://pavillon-le-corbusier.ch/en/
Designed as an art gallery for Heidi Weber, it’s probably
the most accessible and visually striking of Le Corbusier’s designs
National Museum/Landesmuseum, Museumstrasse 2 (MP)
https://www.landesmuseum.ch/en
great exhibitions, shop, restaurant
Museum für Gestaltung, Ausstellungsstrasse 60 (MP)
https://museum-gestaltung.ch/en/
known as the Swiss Bauhaus, this renovated Neues Bauen
building from the 1930s is as interesting as the exhibitions it holds. Sit on a
Le Corbusier stool or hug some USM Haller cabinets
4 churches: Wasserkirche, Fraumunster (5 CHF) with Chagall
windows, Grossmunster with Polke windows, St Peter’s with Europe’s largest clockface
https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/attractions/fraumuenster
trips:
boat trip:
round trips are available from ZSG
https://www.zsg.ch/en/timetable-prices/timetable-assistant/round-trips-scheduled-cruises
alternatively you can use your Swiss Travel Pass on the
scheduled boats
where to shop:
Monocle, Dufourstrasse 90
https://monocle.com/about/contacts/monocle-shop-and-cafe-zuerich/
you might not be a hipster, but you can still enjoy fine
coffee, great publications, and some rather expensive fashion and homeware, in
this outpost of the Monocle publishing empire
Freitag flagship store, Geroldstrasse 17
https://www.freitag.ch/en/store/freitag-flagship-store-zuerich
made of containers, this store has every size and design of
hip Swiss brand Freitag’s bags
from wallets up to giant rucksacks, all made from reclaimed
materials, this is the place to get your Swiss bag
round the corner is a giant Salvation Army (Hells Armee)
charity shop, and a trendy restaurant Frau Gerolds Garten
BONUS DAY TRIPS
Lugano
1) get the train from Zürich, 2 hours through the longest
rail tunnel in the world, get seat reservations on SBB, we recommend the 0733-0930
departure and return on 1730-1930
2) there is a funicular from the station down to the city
centre, walk through to tourist information on Piazza della Riforma
3) the first boat trip leaves at 1045 from the eastern (left
hand) red SNL booth on the waterfront, you don’t need to book, just show your
Swiss Travel Pass, trip lasts an hour, but…
4) get off as the boat returns to the Paradiso stop (by the
fake Jet), so you can go to art gallery LAC nearby
5) LAC has great art (MP) and a bistro Luini 6 with pizza on
the piazza
6) the centre of Lugano has a fancy shopping street Via
Nassa, churches with frescos, a cathedral, a statue of William Tell, and a park
7) get some gelato or a filled cannolo at Il Cannolo, there
are 3 shops in town
8) other museums include MUSEC Museum of South Seas Cultures
(MP), Museo in Erba for children (MP) – children’s museum, MASI Museum of
Swiss-Italian Art in Palazzo Reali (MP), and the Cantonal Museum of Natural
History (MP)
9) if you have more time, there are two mountain funiculars,
one to Monte Bre and Schmid Museum (MP) from Cassarate at east end of north
shore, and the other from Paradiso to Monte San Salvatore
Basel
Basel is a tri-point, which means it’s where the borders of
3 countries meet – Switzerland, France and Germany. Fortunately you won’t need
to show your passport at any of them!
1) get breakfast at La Manufacture, a short walk from Basel
station
2) the city has all the usual: a cathedral, an art museum, a
city wall, a town hall
3) the real reason we visit is a pilgrimage to the Vitra
Design Museum, home of some of the finest furniture in the world. It’s open
from 10-6 daily, and a ~19 CHF ticket gets you into the collection and several
exhibitions. You can also pay more to go on a 2 hour tour. There are 3 cafés.
4) Because it’s in Weil am Rhein in Germany, you need a “cross-border”
ticket. Tram 8 from Claraplatz to Weil am Rhein station is currently 4.40 CHF, from
there it’s a 15 minute walk. Or you can take bus 55 from Badischer Bahnhof station
direct to bus stop Vitra.
5) Getting back is cheaper because it’s only €3.80, just
select “Basel” on the ticket machine
Luzern
1) it’s easiest to get to Luzern from either Zürich or Bern,
and takes about an hour
2) the city itself has lots of historical buildings
including a fine wooden bridge and a tower with 10 historical clocks
3) it’s worth booking a Pilatus excursion to the nearby
mountainn which takes you on a steamship, a cog railway, a cable car, and back
by bus
• boat trip on Lake Lucerne
• in Alpnachstad you will board the steepest cogwheel
railway in the world
• at 2,132 meters above sea level you will be received with
the inimitable Pilatus warmth
• glide down to Kriens on the aerial cableway «Dragon Ride»
and on the Panorama gondolas
• from the valley station it is a five-minute walk to the
stop for Bus no. 1 to Lucerne
this costs around 100 CHF
boat: 09:38 – 10:46 or 10:38 – 12:10
cogwheel: 10:55 – 11:25 or 12:20 – 12:50
the gondola and cable car run all day
Lausanne
1) it’s easiest to get to Lausanne from either Geneva or
Bern, and takes about an hour
2) it’s the home of the Olympic Museum, on quai d'Ouchy, with
medals, torches, mascots and much more
3) other highlights in town are
·
Musee de l’Elysee: photography museum, 18 Avenue
de l’Elysee
·
Town Hall, Place de la Palud
·
climb Escaliers du Marché to the Old Town
·
Cathedral
·
Sainte-Marie Castle
·
Platforme 10, Place de la Gare 17: Photo Elysee,
MUDAC, Musee Cantonal des Beaux-Arts (all MP)
·
Musee Historique de Lausanne (MP)
·
Musee Romain de Lausanne-Vidy, west on the
lakeside (MP)
·
Place de la Palud
·
Escaliers du Marche
·
Rue de Bourg
·
Espace Arlaud (MP)
·
Parc Hermitage and Fondation (MP), north of the
city
·
Collection de l’Art Brut (Folk Art) (MP),
northwest of the city
4) it’s worth doing an excursion by train to nearby Montreux
(pricey even by Swiss standards) and the classic Chateau du Chillon (take a local
train to “Veytaux-Chillon”)
Gruyeres Region
the quickest way to get there is the IC1 from Bern to Fribourg,
then a regional train to Bulle, then another to Gruyere station, total time 80
minutes
right by the station, there is a dairy called La Maison du
Gruyere open 0900-1830, with live cheesemaking in the morning
https://www.lamaisondugruyere.ch/homepage-en/
then take bus 263 from outside the station, running twice an
hour, to the village of Gruyere, or it’s a nice 20 minute walk
this pedestrianised village has city walls, a castle (MP), a
church, lots of cafes and shops
nearby is the Cailleur chocolate factory in Broc (again walk
or take bus 256 from Bulle)
if you stay on the 263 bus after the station, it goes all
the way up a valley to a beautiful mountain resort called Moléson, which has a
funicular and cable car, another dairy, and summer and winter sports
don’t miss the bus back down to Gruyere though!
Emmental Region
1) our top tip in Emmental is the dairy at Affoltern im Emmental,
where you can see cheese being made, and have a meal
2) from Bern take the S4 train to Hasle-Rüegsau (47m) and
then bus 471 (20m) to “Affoltern im Emmental, Dorf” bus stop (Dorf means
village)
Schaukäsereistrasse 6, Affoltern im Emmental 0900-1700
https://emmentaler-schaukaeserei.ch/en/
3) as well as the dairy, there is a playpark, a bakery
making the freshest doughnuts you have ever seen, and the village has a nice
church and amazing views
4) the bus back to Hasle-Rüegsau leaves at 37 minutes past the
hour from the bus stop on the far side of the road
5) since you are in the area, you should also visit the
Kambly biscuit factory, on the main line between Bern and Luzern. Get off at
Trubschachen (changing at Langnau) and the factory is right by the station
https://kambly.com/en/kambly-experience/
Mühlestrasse 8, Trubschachen 0900-1700
6) you can try every sort of biscuit (don’t eat too much
before you come!) and buy as many 500g bags of biscuits (or smaller gift packs)
as your suitcase will hold
7) note the train back to Bern leaves from a track with no
platform beside it, stay at the entrance to the east-bound platform and cross
the track once the train has stopped
Interlaken
there are trains from Bern to Interlaken every 30 minutes,
journey time 1 hour
Interlaken has 2 stations, East (Ost) and West, about 10
minutes walk apart, each has different connections
The town is very historical, and has parks, a nice shopping street,
and walks into the countryside
Unterseen is only a few minutes walk from Interlaken West but
has a village feel. It has a nice church, a Museum of Swiss Tourism (apparently
Goethe put Switzerland on the tourist map) and a
delightful Italian restaurant Citta Vecchia at Untere Gasse
5
There are 5 good trips out of Interlaken:
1) Harder Kulm - Top of Interlaken
The Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant towers high above
Interlaken. The observation deck offers visitors a unique view of the Eiger,
Mönch and Jungfrau mountains as well as the lakes of Thun and Brienz.
Interlaken Harderbahn to Harder Kulm – every 30 minutes,
journey time 10 minutes, €20 with Swiss Travel Pass
2) Schynige Platte from Wilderswil
A mountain full of tradition and diversity for over 125
years: picturesque views, attractive hiking trails, daily alphorn concerts, a
mountain hotel from the Belle Epoque and the unique botanical Alpine garden.
train Interlaken Ost to Wilderswil, or bus 105 from stand F
at Interlaken West – both run every 30 minutes
Wilderswil to Schynige Platte – every 40 minutes, journey
time 1 hour, €32 with Swiss Travel Pass, buy tickets at Wilderswil station
3) Jungfraujoch from Grindelwald
Take the new Eiger Express tricable gondola from Grindelwald
Terminal to the Eiger Glacier and from there continue to Europe's highest
railway station on the Jungfrau Railway.
Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald Terminal – every 30 minutes,
journey time 30 minutes
Grindelwald Terminal to Jungfraujoch – every 30 minutes,
journey time 1 hour, €170 with Swiss Travel Pass
4) Reichenbach Falls from Meiringen
Take the train from Interlaken to Brienz, then on to Meiringen
Alpbach
Walk to Willigen which has a funicular to the Reichenbach
Falls, where Moriarty met his doom
Meiringen village has a museum and church dedicated to
Sherlock Holmes
Alternatively bus 164 hourly from Meiringen to Zwirgi which
is just above the falls
Near Meiringen is the the Aareschlucht Gorge, also worth a
visit
5) Schilthorn from Lauterbrunnen
Take the train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen, from where
a postbus takes you to the valley station of the Schilthorn aerial cableway in
Stechelberg. The aerial cableway to Schilthorn via Mürren departs every 30
minutes.
Piz Gloria restaurant at the top of Schilthorn was the
location for a Bond film, and boy, they won’t let you forget it. We thoroughly
recommend it, as it was one of our honeymoon trips and we met the Filipino
equivalent of Cliff Richard in the restaurant.
Bonus trip: Ovomaltine Outlet, Neuenegg
https://www.wander.ch/en/wander-ag-switzerland/shopping
S2 train from Bern, --20 or --50, 27 minutes
walk to Wander Outlet at Fabrikstrasse 10
walk from the platform to the level crossing, turn left,
then left again at the Co-op, you will see the factory on your left and a Swiss
house straight ahead, the outlet shop is on your right in the modern building
open Mon-Fri 1000-1230 and 1315-1700
