Switzerland / Europe Winter 2020
Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Montreux and Bern went by fast, but Switzerland was the best part of the trip. Lakes, mountain air, sledding in Beatenberg, Blausee's clear water, and views that made the prices hurt a bit less.
Easiest part of the trip to love. Hardest to recommend without a warning, because everything was extra expensive.
Switzerland is where the trip actually looked like winter.
Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Montreux and Bern, so not exactly slow. Still the part I remember most: clear water, mountain roads, winter stuff to do, and light that made the photos look calmer than the schedule was.
If I did it again, I'd keep Switzerland but give it more time. The places were great. The pace is what I'd change.
Switzerland, in moments
What I remember most: water, mountain light, sledding, and what it costs to move around too much.
Montreux
Montreux is the first thing I picture when I think of this trip. Lake, mountains, cotton-candy sky. It made the whole trip feel calmer than it probably was.
No itinerary tip here. Just a nice view I still remember.
Montreux, the prettiest colors of the Swiss stretch after a lot of moving.
Beatenberg
Sledding in Beatenberg is a keeper, even on a trip that moved too fast. Something to actually do, instead of just driving from view to view.
One simple activity is enough. It made the place feel less like a postcard.
Blausee
Lake Blausee makes the list for its crystal clear water. I still need to find my best photo of it.
Switzerland is expensive, but this is why people still go: the lakes and the mountain light in winter.
Food note
The one Swiss meal I remember clearly is Le Coucou, a restaurant at 1150 m up. No separate review yet. I don't remember the exact dishes well enough to judge it.
Still missing: what we ordered, how it tasted, whether it was worth the money, and whether you'd go for the view, the food, or both.
Route lesson
Switzerland was worth it, just not as a rush of one- or two-night stops. Driving, trains and hauling luggage made me tired. Going slower would have fixed that.
Personal take: I'd still pick Switzerland in winter. Just fewer bases, so I get more out of what I'm paying for.