Summer in Switzerland and a Touch of Paris

‘Switzerland with kids? Won’t they get bored?’

‘Oh yes Switzerland with kids, and no they absolutely won’t get bored!”

That was the conversation I had with a friend a few days back.  I shared with her my previous itinerary and thought that perhaps I could share it with you, too, convince you to make it your family’s next destination for an epic summer.  But hey, you’ll need a couple of things to make it work – an adventurous heart and a willing mind.

Here are the little adventures we had and the beautiful places we visited which your family may enjoy too.

#1. Spend a day in Atzmannig, which my kids called the ultimate playground and whose main attraction was the toboggan ride.  If you have time for an overnight visit, do stay at the wooden igloos.  Bring jackets, it’s cold in the mountains! Details here.

#2  Kids would love to ride the Gelmerbahn, it’s the steepest funicular in Europe. Walk around Gelmersee Lake once you reach the top. Walk through the ice grotto in Rhone Glacier. And if you’re the ‘Fast and Furious’ type, feel the exhilarating turns at Furka Pass, known to be one of the worlds most dangerous roads. Details here.

#3. Experience the wild and beautiful Zermatt.  Let your kids run free.  Allow them to pick flowers in the meadow.  Hike in Sunegga, around Leissee Lake.  Nothing can beat a playground on top of the mountain.  Take the scenic train to Gornergrat Station to see Mount Rosa.  Experience -11 deg Celcius in the height of summer at Klein Matterhorn via the highest cable car ride in the world. And finally, relax in a heated pool at sunset while taking in all the beauty around you, and yes, enjoy the silence of the mountains especially that of the majestic Matterhorn.   And when you’re ready to move on, take the Glacier Express train back to Zurich or to another destination.  Details here.

#4 Fancy another toboggan ride? Head to Lucerne’s Mt Pilatus for the longest toboggan run in Switzerland.  Do the Golden Round Trip itinerary which can start with a cruise on Lake Luzern, then ride the world’s steepest cogwheel from Alpnachstad to Pilatus Klum and then do a few runs in your toboggan. Spend a few hours in Swiss Transport Museum and if you have small children let them play in the road construction playground. And yup, of course, there’s the Chapel Bridge that you should also try to see, it’s probably the most pictured structure in Lucerne anyway. Details here.

#5 Don’t forget to check out Europe’s largest waterfalls, the Rhine Falls. And hang around Lake Zurich, have coffee or tea.  Cruise. Relax.  Feed the ducks. Details here.

#6 There’s also Geneva, which, if on the way, is another place to spend a relaxing time with your kids. Have some Movenpick ice cream while walking on the banks of Rhone River.  Ride the mini train around Lake Geneva and check out Jet d’ Eau, the city’s most famous landmark. Details here.

#6 If you are like our family, which visits the zoo whenever there is one, then by all means, spend a day at Zoo Zurich.  Let the kids loose.  They are in their element anyway. Details here.

AND, since our kids love Disneyland and wished to ride the bullet train, we included PARIS in our itinerary. Details here.

#1 Don’t just look at the Eiffel Tower, climb it or at least take the elevator up to the highest viewing deck. Imagine a game of I-spy for the kids up there and champagne for mom and dad.  Beware of pickpockets though and get your tickets online early. 

#2 Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris is beautiful and if you have active kids like ours, climb the tower.  Get up close and personal with the gargoyles.  They will enjoy the challenge of climbing the narrow stairwell.  But make sure you’re not claustrophobic though.

#3 My family loves picnics and so we did it, right there, on the grounds of Champs de Mars, in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower.  

#4 Go to Musee de Louvre with your kids.  Show them Mona Lisa. You’ll be surprised that they may actually enjoy the museum.  Kids love gadgets right? Borrow the audio guides, tell them to listen to it carefully, let them be your guide. They’d love the challenge. 

#5 And of course, see Mickey in Disneyland.  It’s not every day that you can be in the happiest place on earth. And while your kids still enjoy hanging out with you, hang out with them, even if it means taking the carousel twice.  Details here.

There you have it, our summer in the Swiss Alp and a touch of Paris… Check out the detailed post for each adventure by clicking the words in blue. Or click here!

Here is our itinerary per day

1. Day 1  Zurich
2. Day 2 Atzmannig
3. Day 3 Gelmersee Lake, Furka Pass, Rhone Glacier and Aare Gorge
4. Day 4 Rhine Falls, Lake Zurich and Zurich city centre
5. Day 5 TGV train to Paris
6. Day 6 Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame tower, Champs de Mars
7. Day 7 Chateau de Versailles and Musee de Louvre
8. Day 8 Disneyland
9. Day 9 Champs Elysees and rue saint Florentine
10. Day 10 TGV to Geneva, Patek Philippe Museum, Lake Geneva
11. Day 11 Zermatt
12. Day 12 Klein Matterhorn and Gornergrat Station
13. Day 13 Glacier Express back to Zurich
14. Day 14 Lucerne, Mount Pilatus
15. Day 15 Zoo Zurich and Zurich city centre
16. Day 16 Head back home to Singapore