It has been over three years since I last travelled abroad, and I intend to change this very soon! A mix of the financial responsibilities of home ownership, the pandemic, and work demands has meant that my travels have had to take a backseat. Notwithstanding a day trip to France next week, my heart is set on Switzerland as my first foreign holiday in a long time! The snow capped mountain vistas and lure of a mountainside spa retreat is just too much for me to resist, particularly in the magical alpine landscapes of winter.

I have been deciding between the towns of Interlaken and Grindelwald, and I reckon that now I have settled on Grindelwald (due predominantly to its proximity to the mountains, and ski village vibes), although I am open to recommendations of anywhere else worth a visit. Zermatt also looks stunning, however it comes across as a tricky/time consuming area of the Alps to get to, therefore, for now, I will be discounting this. I understand that the trains in Switzerland are probably the most efficient and reliable in the world, therefore I am sure that day trips between the mountain towns and villages would be possible, if I wanted to venture further afield.

One thing which I am interested to know is how I deal with the mountainous terrain, in light of my relative fear of heights. When I was in Germany back in the early 2000’s, we visited a mountain peak and I became hysterical, clinging to the ground for “dear life” and bawling my eyes out. This was an immense embarrassment which I do not wish to repeat… perhaps I could redeem myself on this trip, 20 years later?! One of the biggest attractions close to Grindelwald is the Jungfrau mountain, which stands at 4,158 metres and can be reached by cable car year round. The Jungfrau mountain is also home to Europe’s highest railway station, and with awe inspiring mountainous panoramas, is certainly a tempting prospect. I will be sure to blog about the experience if I am brave enough to pay Jungfrau a visit!

A big weakness of mine is spas. Day spas… hotel spas… gym spas, doesn’t matter where it is, I am into it and I want to go! There are some staggeringly beautiful “pools with a view” at many of the more luxurious Alpine hotels – think of a steaming hot outdoor infinity pool with views of towering snow covered mountains. A quick Google images search will show you plenty of these such scenes, and I really cannot think of a more relaxing yet at the same time invigorating way to while away time. Wherever I decide to stay in Switzerland, it will 100% have some form of a spa, budget allowing!

Other attractions in the region include skiing, tobogganing, hiking, and a multitude of other activities, largely winter sports orientated. I will not be skiing on my trip, since I have never been skiing before and would prefer a more relaxed holiday this time, but never say never – I am sure I cannot avoid skiing forever! The local cuisine is varied, however traditional Swiss fare tends to consist of cheese fondue, raclette, and from what I gather, hearty meals consisting largely of different meats and cheeses. Also do not forget Swiss chocolate, which is supposed to be some of the best around!

As things stand, I need to give myself a kick up the bum and begin researching plane and train times. It will likely be return flights via Heathrow/Zürich, with 1-2 trains required to get from Zürich to the Bernese Oberland region of the Alps. If anyone reading this has experience of this journey, please do get in touch and let me know how you did it and how it went! I am hoping to make this trip in January or February 2024, and will keep my blog updated as and when things happen – exciting times!