Lausanne - Switzerland

Lausanne – Switzerland

Post published:8 June 2014
Post category:Europe Switzerland Western Europe

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Civitas Lausanna

Continuing on our second day for this weekend in this region and after visiting Geneva the day before, we took the short train ride that takes to the city of Lausanne, right by the shores of Lake Geneva. It was at this point where I had to stop and think back which of both cities I would like the most by the end of the day, but since it’s quite a hard decision to be honest, I will keep both at the same level. Still, and don’t get me wrong, both cannot compete with the beauty that Basel and Zurich are for example.

As you can also image, the train ride was great with nice landscapes and views of the lake. Certainly we could have managed it better perhaps by having a rental car and being able to stop wherever we wanted and visiting many other places along the route. But well, it was already quite an expensive weekend altogether and a rental car would have set us on even higher costs. At the end of the day, it was not even a month ago since we were by Lake Constance all around, where the architecture, nature and landscapes were really similar to those in here.

For the size, it is smaller than Geneva, but divided in two different areas, therefore not as compact as it might look. In any case it will not require too much time to visit everything. Don’t rush nor wake up early to get here should you have enough time until leaving the city. For us, we had until 21.30pm until our plane departure therefore giving us the full day to enjoy Lausanne. After such a crazy weekends over the past months before this, it was actually a nice treat to have a rather lazy and slow one. (more…)

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Geneva - Switzerland

Geneva – Switzerland

Post published:8 June 2014
Post category:Europe Switzerland Western Europe

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Medieval Pagus Major Genevensis

Not even a month since our last time in Switzerland when we used Zurich as our base airport for visiting Liechtenstein and Lake Constance, we came back but this time to spend the weekend in Geneva and Lausanne, cities that we did not visit before and that we were looking after a while awaiting for a good flight deal to come. Well, basically booking flights elsewhere, as it was always cheaper going to other countries and cities than coming to Geneva.

Knowing that Geneva is pretty small and that for sure we would visit everything on the first day, the plan for the next day was to reach Lausanne. Coincidence-wise, another weekend by one of the greatest lakes in Europe. First, Lake Constance a month ago, then Lake Garda merely 2 weeks ago and now Lake Geneva. All of them with something in common, the Alps. Same landscapes and same beautiful small villages all around.

Geneva is the second largest city in Switzerland and also one of the most important ranking among the top 5 for the highest level of life of any other city in the world. Having that in consideration, you can imagine how expensive everything is. We already had our experience in Zurich and Basel previously, but here in Geneva seemed to be even more expensive than the others. Bear this in mind as this won’t be a cheap weekend. The worst part comes the moment you need to find something to eat… Well, McDonald’s was thankfully there to our rescue. Lunch and dinner on Saturday, dinner on Sunday. A variation for Sunday lunch? Burger King. Well, obviously not everything in their menus is bad and unhealthy. It is either that or paying almost 25£ for a ridiculously small Margarita pizza in the cheapest place we saw! No thank you, for great pizza at normal prices I can go elsewhere in Europe and of course Italy for the best. (more…)

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Basel, (Switzerland)

Post published:8 December 2012
Post category:Europe Switzerland Western Europe

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“Augusta Raurica”, “Basilea”, “Basilia”

8th of December, 2012

[flickr size=”medium” float=”left”]7657313@N08/8631417602[/flickr]

Moving on to our last weekend trip for the year 2012, and before our big winter holiday, it’s time to visit this “winter wonderland” place. Very conveniently located with easy and quick access to Strasbourg and Colmar in France, places which will complete our weekend visit. Of course, and unfortunately, Switzerland comes at a price. The expensive it is, but thankfully for this occasion, we even did not need any money to be changed to Swiss Francs. We were basically the kind of tourists they don’t’ like. Cheap. We spent no money at all and hold our hunger for France later on in the evening.

Getting a flight deal, as usual not a big hassle, specially when booking in advance and also in out of season period.

Without doubt, the best is to get a rental car to move around. There are way too many other cities and villages worth the visit, and since Basel is quite small, you will have enough time if you plan it well.

The city itself is incredibly beautiful. Full of that old houses you are expecting to see in Switzerland. The best circuit you can do is first to walk on the south bank of the river direction to the main bridge which gives the main access to the old town on the other side of the river. The views you will get of the old town houses and bridges are fantastic. (more…)

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Zurich - Switzerland

Zurich – Switzerland

Post published:31 July 2010
Post category:Europe Switzerland Western Europe

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Downtown Switzerland

For a very long time Zurich was in the bucket list awaiting for a good occasion, and finally the time came. Quite unexpectedly I have to say. We planned the weekend for a long drive from Dusseldorf to Heidelberg at the south of Germany, farther beyond Frankfurt, and visiting on the way back both Eppstein and Diez. However things got in our usual crazy travelling way and noticed we were merely 300 kilometres away from Zurich. Let’s say no more, temptation is our weakness, but always plays in our favour.

Now that was a well worth decision, although very tiring too. 610 kilometres is what we did in total just on a Saturday since the very early morning, arriving to Zurich right in time for lunch. And what a day! Over 30 degrees and sun, that is a rare sight on its own. Rearranging the rest of the weekend was the less difficult. Since the cities we would be visiting were very small, reducing time here and there was indeed a good decision or we would have ended up with too much time not knowing what to do or where to spend. Zurich in any case deserves much more time than what we spent in all and will plan in the near future a full weekend only for this city and its lake. (more…)

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