From Geneva to Lucerne, encounter the picturesque scenery of Switzerland!
In-depth travel guide to Switzerland: Encounter a romantic country with picturesque scenery
Some say that Switzerland is God's secret garden on earth. The snow-capped mountains, lakes, forests, and small towns, every scene is breathtakingly beautiful. If you are also longing for a trip where you can embrace nature and immerse yourself in pure beauty, Switzerland is definitely the perfect choice. Now, follow this guide and embark on a dream trip to Switzerland.
1. Preparation
Apply for a Schengen visa 3–6 months in advance. Book round-trip air tickets 2–3 months in advance to usually get better prices. There are many types of Swiss Travel Passes, such as the Swiss Travel Pass, which allows unlimited travel on trains, buses, and boats within the validity period. Choose the right pass according to the number of days of your trip.
2. Itinerary
Geneva (2 days)
- Day 1: Arrive in Geneva in the morning, check in to the hotel, take a short rest, and then stroll along Lake Geneva to admire the Jet d'Eau, a landmark of Geneva with a water column up to 140 meters high. In the afternoon, visit the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum to learn about the history of humanitarian relief. Dine in the old town in the evening and enjoy cheese fondue.
- Day 2: Visit the Palace of Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations. The building is magnificent, and you can join a guided tour to learn about international affairs. Afterwards, visit St. Pierre Cathedral and climb the church tower to overlook the panorama of Geneva. Take a walk in the park near Lake Geneva in the evening and enjoy your leisure time.
Bern (1 day)
Take the train from Geneva to Bern. After arriving, visit the old city of Bern, a World Heritage Site, which preserves medieval streets. Visit the Clock Tower, where mechanical puppets perform on the hour. Then go to the Bern Bear Park to see the brown bear, Switzerland's national animal. In the afternoon, visit Einstein's House to learn about the life and research experience of this great scientist.
Interlaken (2 days)
- Day 1: Travel from Bern to Interlaken. After checking in, go to Höheweg, the busiest street in Interlaken, where you can buy souvenirs. In the afternoon, take a boat trip on Lake Thun to enjoy the picturesque scenery.
- Day 2: Go to Jungfraujoch. Take the cogwheel train up the mountain. The scenery along the way is spectacular. After reaching the top of the mountain, visit the Sphinx Observatory to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Alps. You can also experience the ice and snow world in the Ice Palace on the top of the mountain.
Lucerne (2 days)
- Day 1: Travel from Interlaken to Lucerne. After arriving, visit the Chapel Bridge, the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, with exquisite paintings on the bridge. Afterwards, visit the Lion Monument, which was built in memory of the Swiss Guards who died in the French Revolution. Dine in Lucerne's old town in the evening and experience the local atmosphere.
- Day 2: Take a cable car up to Mount Rigi, known as the "Queen of the Mountains," which overlooks Lake Lucerne and the surrounding mountains. There are hiking trails on the mountain, and you can choose a hiking route according to your own situation. Return to Lucerne city center in the afternoon and stroll around the local specialty shops.
3. Food Recommendations
1. Cheese fondue: Melt cheese in a pot and eat it with bread cubes. It is a traditional Swiss dish.
2. Swiss roll: Soft texture, rich filling, with a variety of flavors such as chocolate and cream.
3. Zurich veal: Veal with cream sauce and mashed potatoes. It is delicious.
4. Shopping Recommendations
1. Swiss watches: Rolex, Omega, and other brands of watches are of excellent quality and can be purchased at watch stores in major cities.
2. Swiss Army knives: Victorinox, Wenger, and other brands of army knives have various functions and are very practical.
3. Chocolate: Lindt, Toblerone, and other brands are smooth and make good souvenirs.
5. Important Notes
The official languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian, and Romansh. English is also widely spoken. The local cost of living is high, so plan your budget in advance. Keep quiet in public places and observe local etiquette and customs.
Embark on the return journey, the beautiful scenery, delicious food, and unique culture of Switzerland still linger in my mind. This trip is a visual feast and a comfort to the soul. I look forward to meeting Switzerland again and continuing to write more beautiful stories.
The United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) is located in the historic Palais des Nations and is the second largest United Nations centre after the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The facility is a remarkable witness to the twentieth century architecture and is situated in the beautiful Ariane Park in Geneva, Switzerland. The Palais des Nations is one of the world's largest diplomatic conference centers. About 8,000 meetings are organized annually. Most of the conference rooms date back to the original architecture of the Palais des Nations in the 1930s.
The Palais des Nations, with its dignified architectural community and unique historical status, has become a must-check-in landscape in Geneva, Switzerland. The League of Nations was established in Geneva in 1920 after the First World War. It hosted the construction of the Palais des Nations in 1931-1938, as the headquarters of the League of Nations, also known as the League of Nations Building. After World War II, the Palais was owned by the United Nations in 1946, and then the location of the United Nations Office at Geneva, also known as the United Nations European headquarters. Visiting the Palais des Nations, two striking highlights are significant. The flag is fluttering. On the south side of the Palais des Nations, four rows of flag poles are divided in two and two, brushing from the gate to the building; the flags of more than 190 United Nations member states are suspended high, fluttering in the wind... The world is in harmony, festive and peaceful. Broken chairs are broken. The Palais des Nations, the sculpture "broken leg bench" stands, but wakes up to the world never forget the disaster brought by the mines in the war to innocent people. The back of the 12-meter-high chair is directly inserted into the sky; the legs of the three missing chairs are strung up...war trauma, humiliation and sorrow. The flag and the broken chair seemed to meditate: War and peace, the two drivers of human history, when will the development of pluralistic peace and globalization be ushered in?
The Alps are far away. Surrounded by green trees, the environment is beautiful. The Palais des Nations, also known as the League of Nations, is the headquarters of the predecessor of the United Nations, and is now the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The flag can be photographed at the main entrance, but the visitors'entrance to the Palace of Nations has to go around a large area of woods on the right to the opposite side of the Red Cross Museum. From security checks, passport checks, photo shoots, downstairs booking visit time payment, to the 39 Gate gathering, and then a unified visit for 1 hour, must be arranged for 2 hours. It is suggested to take a bus to Nation Station, take a picture of the main entrance and then go to the right rear entrance.
The huge broken leg will at the entrance of the United Nations Headquarters symbolizes the casualties caused by the war, especially the landmine explosion, and warns people to make every effort to prevent the war. Individuals are not allowed to visit here. They have to queue at the door and then form a group of 20 people to be guided by a tour guide. The six working languages of the United Nations are English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic. At the door I saw a welcome in Chinese. Our tour guide is German. My tour is from all over the world, so I use English as a tour guide. He said he would speak five and a half of the six working languages of the United Nations, half of which were Chinese, but he could chat with me fluently in Chinese, and I could imagine how good his other five languages would be. Originally an hour of visiting time, because you asked a lot of questions, it turned into an hour and a half, and got a lot of information about how the United Nations has worked tirelessly for decades for world peace. It 's a rewarding trip.
The Palais des Nations is a famous building in Geneva and the seat of the United Nations headquarters in Europe. Visitors must carry passports and pass security before they can enter. The inside circular conference hall is very spectacular. Ambassadors from all over the world are here to discuss international events. The building is large in scale and its interior decoration is a gift from governments of all countries. The building is surrounded by large gardens, pines and cypresses, decorated with monuments, statues, etc. The scenery is very beautiful.