A Culture Trip in Switzerland

Since the release of our Schengen visa was delayed at the French embassy, the whole family first had to go to London airport since there were no direct flights available to Switzerland. In line with this adjustment, we transferred to Zurich a day after we arrived in London.

On our first day in Switzerland, we met Vito and Joy. Joy is actually my first cousin from my mother’s side. They were kind enough to accompany us during our first day in their country. First, we went to the La Maison Cailler Chocolate Factory in Broc near Gruyeres.

Must I say that the whole family enjoyed it too much. It’s a family-friendly place which caters to people of all ages. What’s amazing is that the layout of the place is designed for children’s trolleys, too. In here, we didn’t have any problems with the translations as the audio was available in different languages. We learned not only the process of making chocolate, but we also got the chance to know more about the history of chocolate in Switzerland. If you’re a sweet tooth just like us, there’s a tasting room for you too! This place is a must-go for all chocolate lovers and sweet tooth, alike.

After visiting the La Maison Cailler Chocolate Factory, we then proceeded to the HR Giger Museum. In here, we got the chance to see up close Giger’s works. Although the paintings and sculptures housed in this museum dates from the 1960s, the more recent installation are the HR Giger Bar which is just adjacent to the museum itself. If the museum shows the theories of art, then the bar is the more immersive experience visitors could relate to.

What is a visit to Switzerland without seeing a castle? After HR Giger Museum, we went to Chateau Gruyere which is also known as the Castle of Gruyères. It’s located in a more remote and medieval town in Switzerland, and the castle is known to be the most famous one in the country.

When nighttime came about, Vito and Joy treated us for dinner at a Spanish restaurant. Back then, I thought that only food places in Spain would serve the best Spanish cuisine. But after tasting the paella and sangria in Switzerland, I was proved wrong.

On our second day in Switzerland, we went to the United Nations via tram and a short walk. We first had lunch before we went to see the Broken Chair Sculpture. After a brief visit, we took the bus back to Geneve and finally called it a day. The next day, we were scheduled to transfer to Paris. After eating breakfast and checking out of our hotel, Vito and Joy fetched us at our apartment and drove us to Zurich airport.