Back in the fall while I was on exchange, I had the opportunity to travel to the beautiful country of Switzerland for the weekend. Switzerland is known for its numerous lakes, villages, and the Alps. I met up with my dad and we traveled around the country, even popping into Italy for a few hours. The scenery throughout the country is stunning, something that I’m not used to seeing in Canada, and it really opened my eyes to Mother Nature’s true beauty. If you ever find yourself in Switzerland for the weekend or any amount of time, I hope this article gives you some ideas on how to spend your time in this stunning country.
On our first day in Switzerland, we traveled on the Bernina Express from Zurich to Chur all the way to Tirano, Italy. It’s a scenic train that lasts the day, taking you up and through the beautiful mountains of Switzerland. To and from Italy, we saw the Bernina Glacier, a beautiful mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy. While passing through the mountains, we were informed of the dangers it faces due to climate change. If I were to return to the glacier now after visiting no more than three months ago, it will not look the same. Having seen the beauty of the Bernina Glacier, it truly saddens me that its beauty is at risk because of the poor choices that generations of people have made, and continue to make, out of ignorance and laziness over choosing daily sustainable options.
For more information regarding the glacier, please visit GlacierHub!
On our second day in Switzerland, we traveled to Lucerne where we explored the city. From the Chapel Bridge to the Lion Monument to Hofkirche St. Leodegar, there was no part of downtown Lucerne that we didn’t see. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking along the lakefront, basking in the beauty of the mountain range. It was one of my favorite places we explored while in Switzerland!
You should probably note a few things before traveling to Switzerland. There are four national languages in Switzerland; German, French, Italian and Romansh. I didn’t know this before I visited and was very surprised to find out that Switzerland didn’t have its own native language like Germany, France or Italy. Another thing that’s important to know is that Switzerland isn’t a part of the European Union. I found this particularly important while traveling throughout Europe as I needed a different SIM card for my phone. Countries within Europe that are a part of the EU allow roaming without any extra charges whereas, in a country not part of the EU like Switzerland, I would have either been faced with roaming charges or needed a new SIM card.
I absolutely loved my time in Switzerland. It’s a beautiful country that allows you the chance to expose yourself to some of Mother Nature’s greatest creations.
All photos courtesy of Alexa Burban