Switzerland

My second weekend here in Florence we decided to take a trip to Switzerland. We left Florence around 7 p.m. and arrived in Interlaken around 3 a.m. after an overnight bus ride with the company BUS2ALPS. (I definitely recommend taking a few trips through them) It was long, but they made the whole thing easy, handling the ride and the accommodation, so we could just show up. We stayed at Backpackers Villa and somehow managed a few hours of sleep before starting the day.

On Friday, we skied in Grindelwald which honestly didn’t feel real. It had snowed recently, so everything looked like a winter postcard. The mountains were massive, the views were insane, and even just sitting on the lift felt like something out of a movie. After skiing all day we went to a Valentine’s Day dinner at a Thai place called Little Thai. Then we ended the night at Hangover Club, which was entertaining and also exactly what you’d expect from a place called Hangover Club.

Saturday started slower. We took a walk around Interlaken in the morning, grabbed brunch, and then I went paragliding. It was epic. Like on the list of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Floating above the snow-covered mountains with the lakes and villages below didn’t even feel real. Afterward, we took a train to a nearby town called Lauterbrunnen. Easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. It’s this small village tucked between cliffs with waterfalls and old wooden houses and cows everywhere. If you ever go to Switzerland, make time for Lauterbrunnen.

We had dinner that night, but it honestly wasn’t great. A lot of places were overpriced for what you get. Also, I was sick this whole trip and had completely lost my voice, so that made things interesting.

Sunday, we stopped at Funky Chocolate Club, and I’m not kidding when I say it was the best chocolate I’ve ever had. Definitely worth it. After that we did a little shopping, grabbed snacks for the ride, and got back on the bus around 1 p.m. to head back to Florence.

Switzerland was exactly the kind of break I didn’t know I needed. Peaceful, snowy, and so insanely scenic it didn’t even feel like real life. There were so many moments when I thought to myself How is my life real??? My only tip? Don’t waste your money going out to eat too much in Switzerland, it’s overpriced and kind of underwhelming. Save it for the chocolate.