A weekend road trip to the Swiss Alps
One of my favorite things about Europe is the ease in which you can travel from one country to another.
Each country’s nondescript border gives way to a new language, a new culture, a new history and a whole new experience.
Traveling to a different country in Europe is sometimes even easier than traveling between states in America.
So when one of my best friends told me she’d be in Basel, Switzerland, for work, my first move was to check the driving distance on Google Maps. After discovering Basel was only about three hours from home, I committed to meeting her there at the end of October.
Allison and I have been best friends since we were 11. We both moved away from our hometown after high school. And these days we’re lucky if we see each other twice in one year.
However, since moving to Europe, I’ve been able to link up with Al on three separate occasions. It’s always a treat when you get the chance to spend time with an old friend, but there’s an added layer of comfort when you’re with a familiar person in an unfamiliar place.
I met Al in Saint-Louis, France, on a warm Thursday afternoon.
Saint-Louis sits on the border of France and Switzerland – you could see the un-manned border crossing from our hotel window. When we ventured out in to the city, we would literally walk from one country to another.
We spent our first night in Basel exploring the area and sampling over-priced food.
The next day, while Al was at work, I set out to see more of the city on my own.
I spent most of the morning meandering along the Rhine River and through the Marktplatz.
I also spent time at the Tinguely Museum, an interactive art museum, where I pulled levers, pushed buttons and watched Jean Tinguely’s complicated sculptures come to life.
It was a relaxing way to spend the day, but by mid-afternoon I was ready to escape the city scene and see what else Switzerland had to offer.
Al and I hit the road, just in time for rush-hour traffic, and headed south toward the Alps. The sky was dark as we pulled in to our AirBnB in Grindewald, which made for an epic surprise the next morning.
When I woke up, I made a strong cup of coffee, pulled on a pair of wool socks, and stepped out in to the crisp morning air to watch the sun rise over jagged mountain peaks. We sat on a bench outside for a while, taking it all in and planning our day.
This region of the Swiss Alps is like an outdoor playground for both kids and adults alike. There are hiking trails in every direction and busses, trains, gondolas and funiculars ready to take you up and down every mountainside.
On this day, we chose to venture out on a nine-mile hike with a 4,130-foot elevation gain in the Jungfrau region of the Alps.
Our hike began in Lauterbrunnen, winded upward toward the car-free village on Wengen, and continued even further up the mountain to Kleine Scheidegg, a mountain pass with breathtaking views of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Lauberhorn mountain peaks.
Along the way, we passed traditional chalet homes, empty ski villages, and alpine cows with giant bells around their necks.
And while the day was beautiful and the scenery was awe-inspiring, the hike was hard – mostly for me. Al later told me that there were a few moments where she thought I wouldn’t make it to the top. But it’s that type of challenge that makes the final destination even more rewarding.
Upon reaching Kleine Scheidegg, we took a seat and basked in the intense, high-altitude sun. We also did a bit more exploring before catching a train that slowly chugged its way back down the mountain. It was the perfect way to relax and reflect on everything we’d done.
That night, we cooked ourselves a carb-loaded dinner and watched Halloween movies in our AirBnB before calling it a night.
The next day we were ready to hit the trails again; though admittedly, I was a little less ready than Al. We decided on a short – but very steep – hike in Interlaken toward the Harder Kulm viewpoint.
The trail was only two-and-a-half miles long, but it ascended 2,480 feet toward the “Top of Interlaken.” We spent two hours hiking straight uphill and my quads were not happy about it.
But the views we were treated to at the top made it all worthwhile. From Harder Kulm we could admire the Eiger, Monch and Junfrau mountain peaks, as well as the bright blue lakes below.
After snapping some photos from the viewpoint, we found a seat at the mountaintop restaurant and ordered a large pot of cheese fondu.
You know those times when you can practically feel your heart smile? That’s exactly how I felt in this moment.
The sun was warm and shining bright in the big blue sky. I was sitting outside with one of my very best friends. We were dragging bread and baked potatoes through a delicious, bubbly pot of cheese. And we’d spent the entire weekend outside exploring the Swiss Alps.
It’s the happiest I’d been in a while, and it was certainly a moment I didn’t want to end.
But of course, all good things do come to an end. So after our cheese high, we hopped in a funicular and soaked in the mountain views one last time as we descended.
It was an absolutely epic weekend that I’m still reliving more than three months later.
But I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before I hop in the car again and head south toward the Swiss Alps.
If you go…
When you visit Basel and the Swiss Alps, be sure to add these spots and experiences to your itinerary.
Markthall – I’m a sucker for big old buildings with a second life. The Markthall is filled with tasty food stands and local goods. It’s also a hopping happy hour spot.
Jungfrau tourism site – There’s a seemingly endless maze of hiking trails and train lines throughout the Alps. Use this site to help preplan your hikes and commutes.
Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant – I’m not normally a fan of places that cater to tourists, but this restaurant is worth it. Skip the lines for the funicular at the bottom and hike up to the restaurant. I recommend ordering the Eigernordwand fondu pot, it consists of melted cheese, bacon, onions and garlic — need I say more?