If you’re anything like me then you’re always thinking about when you can take your next adventure and you’ve got a short list of destinations in mind already. We all know the trendiest countries right now (cough Iceland and Thailand), but sometimes you want to discover a place that everyone isn’t going to. You want that hidden gem. Well here it is.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
Vivid blue lakes in front of you, breathtaking snow-capped mountains as the backdrop. Cruises, hikes, wine vineyards galore, oh and- a medieval castle to explore to your heart’s content, just to name a few.
Sounds like a postcard you get in the mail, or the start of a make believe fairytale.
Nope.
It’s the Lavaux region in Switzerland.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
Wow. Just wow, am I right?
On the far west side of Switzerland, along the French border, this incredibly romantic and stunningly beautiful region offers endless things to do, see, and taste.
Let’s break it down.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
As you approach Lausanne by train, you’ll be greeted by lush hills of wine vineyards. There are many to choose from that you can visit on a whim, take a tour of, and of course, try their incredible wines.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
The lake below the vineyards is Lake Geneva.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
It’s hard to stop staring at the vivid blue waters and backdrop perfect mountains. Take a stroll or bike ride along the boardwalk that wraps around the lake.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
On any night of the week you can catch an incredible sunset, complete with majestic swans leisurely swimming by.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
You can take a cruise across the lake into France, however, I recommend taking the relaxing cruise along the Swiss side, so that you can end in Montreux.
In Montreux, oh, in Montreux, lies the magnificent castle, Chateau Chillon.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
It overlooks the lake and you can explore almost every corner of the castle and learn hands on how the medieval lived back then. From someone who’s visited many castles, this is one of my all time favorites.
At this point, if you aren’t already looking up flights into Geneva to get this adventure planning started, then you should also think about the endless hiking or skiing opportunities a stone’s throw away.
Or the world famous Montreux Jazz Festival. Elton John himself will be there in 2019! I was only here a few days, so I didn’t get a chance to do everything, but I’d be damned if I didn’t carve out time for world class cheese fondue and hand crafted chocolate delicacies before I left.
So off on an easy (and yummy) day trip I went.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
Photo by Gaby Chiha
Photo by Gaby Chiha
Ever heard of gruyere cheese? Well, a short one hour train ride from Lausanne will bring you to the actual town of Gruyeres! I can’t be the only who gets excited about that.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
Here you can visit their cheese factory, eat yummy samples, and see the milk being churned into cheese right before your eyes.
Oh, and- you can visit another supremely impressive castle, and just when you thought you couldn’t top the last one; Gruyeres Castle.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about the chocolate lovers.
If you have no idea what gruyere cheese is, do not fear. Right next to Gruyeres, is Broc. Home of Nestle’s chocolate factory Maison Cailler.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
Yes, a giant chocolate factory! Step off the train and immediately the air smells of pure chocolate. You may think you’ve stepped into a Willy Wonka movie… it’s quite possible you have.
Tour the entire factory where you can get a hands on experience of the history, how the chocolate is made, where the ingredients come from, and the best part… unlimited free chocolate samples. One more time for the people in the back- unlimited free chocolate samples.
These chocolates literally came out of the assembly line.
Photo by Gaby Chiha
And with that, go eat your heart out in the Lavaux region in Switzerland. With your partner, your spouse, your friend, or hey your mom. This is a perfect couple’s destination, but it’s not just for couples. I was actually here partially on my own and partially with a girlfriend of mine. So there you have it.
