If Switzerland is not on your bucket list of places to go you need to add it. I traveled to Switzerland in 2011 and still consider it one of the most gorgeous places I have ever been. I am not that outdoorsy of a girl but something about Switzerland made me want to get outside and explore. It’s a great place to go if you love extreme sports activities such as sky diving, cliff swinging (yes this is an actual thing that people do…) or paragliding. Even if you aren’t as adventurous you can sit by the  lake and take in the breathtaking views while your friends go risk their lives.

Things to Do:

Brunch at Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant

Harder Kulm Panorama is a restaurant located at the top of a mountain in Interlaken. My friends and I decided to go there for brunch on our last day and were not disappointed!  To get to the restaurant you take a tram to the top of the mountain where you get to enjoy views of the entire city while you eat delicious food and drink mimosas. There was also a long slide at the top of the mountain that I of course could not resist sliding down…I’m pretty sure it was for children…but when in Switzerland right?

Canyoning

As I said earlier, Switzerland (especially Interlaken) is known for it’s extreme sport activities. While I was there I did an activity called canyoning which is essentially putting on a wet suit and floating down a mountain in the melted glacier water. The freezing water is quite refreshing and helps you forget about a headache you have if you had hypothetically drank a little too much wine the night before you go. I did my tour through Outdoor Interlaken which was right down the street from the hostel I stayed at.

I was on the swim team when I was younger so I was pretty confident in my ability to be amazing at canyoning.  However, at one point we had to slide down a small waterfall where I got sucked into the current and for the first time in my life actually thought I might die. Luckily one of the tour guides came to my rescue and pushed me out of the current but this was probably one of the scariest moments in my life. The rest of the way down the mountain I was practically in tears…actually who am I kidding I was bawling! But I lived to tell the story so don’t let this discourage you from trying it.

Take a Bike Ride

The best way to check out the beautiful landscape is renting a bike and riding around. I highly recommend doing this!

Where to Stay:

Balmers Hostel:

If you are trying to save some money I recommend staying at Balmer’s Hostel. It was one of the funnest hostels I stayed at while in Europe (and I stayed at a lot). In the back of the hostel there is a garden area where my friends and I would bring back food and drinks to hang out. There is also a nightclub located in the basement of the hostel which was pretty fun.

Xoxo,

Kirsten