This past weekend I was in Geneva, Switzerland after I planned a last-minute trip to meet up with my roommate Laura (who is now blog famous!).
Day 1
I woke up bright and early Friday morning for my flight out of Rome to meet Laura at the airport in Geneva. After we checked into our hotel, we set out to explore the city and find some lunch. Our walk along Lake Geneva was gorgeous, and it was hard to believe how an adorable and perfect city exists so close to such natural beauty!
Sidenote: The portion of Switzerland that Geneva is in borders France (we were only 4 or 5 miles away at any point) so they spoke French. However, I found more people who could speak English than I did when I was in Paris!
Sidenote: The portion of Switzerland that Geneva is in borders France (we were only 4 or 5 miles away at any point) so they spoke French. However, I found more people who could speak English than I did when I was in Paris!
The view of the Lake as we crossed over into the older section of town was breathtaking. I've never seen water so clear and clean looking (photo later on for evidence!). Since we were starving and couldn't find a restaurant that wasn't fancy, we found the Swiss version of Eataly and decided to eat there. Of course, they're known for their cheese so I had to have a cheese sandwich, and I was really happy with that decision. Everyone had told me that Switzerland was so expensive, and I finally believed them once we saw the food prices! While everything was delicious, it seemed ridiculous to pay 5 Francs (almost equivalent to $5) for bottled water, especially when beautiful and clean water was flowing right outside!
Then we meandered our way to where we thought the old city was. (I'm not kidding, no planning was put into this!). In a beautiful park, we found a library, university, and a memorial wall to the Reformation that was very impressive looking. There was no English, so reading French might have been helpful, but we think it was about those who spread the Protestant beliefs. Martin Luther is on the wall, but so are Oliver Cromwell and Roger Williams. The wall was so large that the only way to capture it was with a panorama!
Then we meandered our way to where we thought the old city was. (I'm not kidding, no planning was put into this!). In a beautiful park, we found a library, university, and a memorial wall to the Reformation that was very impressive looking. There was no English, so reading French might have been helpful, but we think it was about those who spread the Protestant beliefs. Martin Luther is on the wall, but so are Oliver Cromwell and Roger Williams. The wall was so large that the only way to capture it was with a panorama!
The streets above the wall on the top of the hill ended up being the old town that we were looking for, and we loved the beautiful square that we found at the top. The plaza was full of cute shops, cafes, and art galleries. As an added bonus, it wasn't touristy compared to anywhere else I've been – there were almost no souvenirs and everyone seemed to be going on with their daily life.
We stopped for a chocolate break (because who can resist??). Laura got some amazing chocolate with corn flakes in it, which sounds weird but was actually perfectly crunchy and delicious.
For dinner, we had Fondue!!! We were really excited at the chance to try actual Swiss fondue. The cheese was from a town that was in the countryside out of Geneva, and we were able to enjoy it in an adorable old French cafe.
It was different than any American fondue I've ever had–it was simply a pot of cheese and a giant pile of bread. We had to adjust the temperature of the small flame to keep the cheese bubbling, but not overflowing. The job we were doing at it was so terrible that the waitress had to come and help us because she could tell it was our first time having fondue! We also were told not to drink any water while we ate, because it would be bad for our digestion. Aside from being slightly concerning, this was harder than it looked because the cheese was really salty! I was too scared to disobey her instructions though, because after a while of eating it I could tell what the waitress meant–the fondue was very heavy!
UPDATE: Chocolate fondue is only a thing in the United States :( I thought a country famous for its cheese and fondue would combine the two!
It was different than any American fondue I've ever had–it was simply a pot of cheese and a giant pile of bread. We had to adjust the temperature of the small flame to keep the cheese bubbling, but not overflowing. The job we were doing at it was so terrible that the waitress had to come and help us because she could tell it was our first time having fondue! We also were told not to drink any water while we ate, because it would be bad for our digestion. Aside from being slightly concerning, this was harder than it looked because the cheese was really salty! I was too scared to disobey her instructions though, because after a while of eating it I could tell what the waitress meant–the fondue was very heavy!
UPDATE: Chocolate fondue is only a thing in the United States :( I thought a country famous for its cheese and fondue would combine the two!
Day 2
On the second day, we explored more of the old neighborhood of Geneva. Many of the streets were lined with Swiss Flags and the Geneva Flag, and looked beautiful perched on the hill high over the lake!
I had yet another Swiss cheese speciality for lunch–Quiche at an outdoor cafe from our favorite square the day before.
After lunch, we took the bus to check out the UN headquarters. The building had a giant broken chair in front of it, that is symbolic of those who suffer from landmines left over from the Balkan War. It was a really fun sculpture to hang around because it was so large, look at the difference in size between the chair and the people! The actual UN building was huge, and the flags in front looked like every photo I've ever seen. The giant black cloud overhead resulted in a big rainstorm just a few minutes later, when we were strolling around the botanical gardens. Unfortunately, we were unable to go inside the UN because it was a Saturday, and because they were having meetings.
Afterwards, we headed back down to the port to walk along the Lakeside Promenade. This is where the Jet D'Eau is, which shoots water high into the sky over Geneva. It was originally a safety valve for a hydraulic plant, but now it has become a symbol of the city. You could walk out on the jetty right up to the Jet, but we didn't go all the way because it was blowing water all over the walkway, and it was far too cold to be getting wet! The view of the city from there was great as well, and in person you could tell how high the jet was. Right after the rainstorm, it appeared to be shooting water into the low clouds.
The lake was FULL of swans that were so beautiful, and that swam right up to the edge to be fed.
Day 3
Our last day in Switzerland was probably the biggest adventure–we woke up bright and early to take the train out to Veytaux, where the Chateau de Chillon castle is. The train was probably one of the nicest that I've ever been on, with every amenity you could ever require. The tracks were along the lakeside so the view of the lake was great the whole way. It also happened to be a wine region, and every inch on the side of tracks was being used for grape growing.
The castle was at the other end of the lake. It was originally started in the 11th century, and was used by the House of Savoy most extensively. While many of the original furnishings were gone, they had done their best to include recreations or similar pieces from elsewhere in the Savoy's lands.
Unlike an American attraction, they really let us climb everywhere and see the entire castle! Some of the stairs and hallways were small, cramped and dark, really giving it a dungeon feeling. We also saw the real dungeons there; infamous because they inspired Lord Byron's poem The Prisoner of Chillon.
Not to mention, the view of the castle was amazing! The alps were even closer here, and it was right along the lakeside. Between the train stop and the castle the walking trail detoured to a small beach with a picture-perfect view. While it appears to be connected to the mainland, the castle is actually built on a rock that sticks out into the lake, making it effectively an island with a built-in moat.
Unlike an American attraction, they really let us climb everywhere and see the entire castle! Some of the stairs and hallways were small, cramped and dark, really giving it a dungeon feeling. We also saw the real dungeons there; infamous because they inspired Lord Byron's poem The Prisoner of Chillon.
Not to mention, the view of the castle was amazing! The alps were even closer here, and it was right along the lakeside. Between the train stop and the castle the walking trail detoured to a small beach with a picture-perfect view. While it appears to be connected to the mainland, the castle is actually built on a rock that sticks out into the lake, making it effectively an island with a built-in moat.
See–clear water just like the Caribbean!
More to come soon :)
Ciao,
Alyssa
More to come soon :)
Ciao,
Alyssa