When you think of an ideal vacation, most of us think of the warm sun, pristine beaches, and pretty drinks with an umbrella in a glass. I’ve been all over the Caribbean and South East Asia and I’ve seen some beautiful beaches. Although I love the warm weather and I love this idea of travel, I’ve had equally great experiences in places like Switzerland and Iceland. Of course, you wouldn’t immediately put vacation and cold weather in the same sentence. I didn’t either at first. But these days I am learning that it’s a great idea to change it up and visit a different climate. There are many places in the world that are much colder than we would like but have equally amazing scenery with tons of activities for any traveler.
Switzerland:
As a Pinterest fanatic, iconic photos that looked unreal with gorgeous mountain landscapes would come across my feed. After seeing so many, Switzerland made it to the top of my list. I took a solo trip to Switzerland in December just before Christmas time. Being born and raised in New York City, I am no stranger to cold weather. So I grabbed some winter leggings, a few sweaters, Ugg boots, and my good winter coat and headed out on my journey. Although it can be known for its not so friendly winter temperatures, the ski slopes, Swiss chocolate or the Swiss Alps are sure to win you over. The streets of Switzerland reminded me of a Hollywood film set and I couldn’t help but notice how clean it was. There was no trash on the ground, no potholes in the street, even the trains and train tracks were clean.
I would recommend flying Into Zurich which is the capital of Switzerland for cheaper flight costs and then moving around from there. Zurich is a good starting point because it’s a classic European city that is very easy to get around. There are lots of places to shop, eat and great photo points. While in Zurich I recommend taking one of the bus tours. This is a way to see what Zurich has to offer without having to withstand all the walking in the cold weather. You can check out the “Best of Zurich City Tour” with Best of Switzerland Tours here. However, for those classic Swiss Alp views, you are going to have to get out of the city. The most popular option is taking the Swiss Rail. The Swiss Rail Pass is a bit on the expensive side ($225 for 3 days) but after experiencing the peaceful ride, along with the convenience of the Swiss rail app, the pass is totally worth it for those who would rather not rent a car and drive. The pass also covers entry fees to a few activities. You can purchase your Swiss Pass here. I took the train from Zurich to Spiez (a 2.5-hour ride). Spiez is a small vintage style town with a lot of charm. It has a much slower pace than Zurich which is exactly what I needed coming from New York City. Stay at one of the boutique hotels like Hotel Eden Spiez and wake up to the sun rising over the Alps to start your day. Then be sure to finish your day in a heated pool overlooking the Alps to watch the sunset.
For my thrill-seeking travelers, Switzerland has a lot to offer outside of skiing and snowboarding around this time of year. Take the train to Lauterbrunnen to do the infamous Thrill Walk at Schilthorn. I found out about this attraction when a video from Travel & Leisure appeared on my feed and it had my name written all over it. The Thrill Walk is a rather short excursion but it’s not for the faint-hearted. Suspended 9,000 feet in the air, you will walk along the side of this mountain with nothing under you except a layer of glass. At Schilthorn there are other viewpoints besides the Thrill Walk that will have you feeling like you are up in the clouds. You can visit a famous point where James Bond was filmed then finish with a quick bite to eat. Find all of the details of Schilthorn here and refer to the Birg section for the Thrill Walk. When purchasing the Swiss Rail Pass link above, all entry fees to Schithorn are included in the price. It’s also important to note that Switzerland is not a budget-friendly place so please plan your finances accordingly.
Iceland:
Another beautiful place that will make you forget its cold temperatures is Iceland. With the very famous blue lagoon and beautiful landscaping, Iceland is the perfect place to visit for those who want to start traveling to colder climates. The time to visit Iceland is dependent on what you would like to see. Iceland is known for the iconic Northern Lights where the sky lights up green. If this is what you would like to see, you need to visit during the winter months of October to March. During this time you will need a dark and clear sky in order to see the natural phenomenon. I visited Iceland in the “summer”. By summer I mean 45-50 degree Fahrenheit temperatures where you would still need a warm sweater or jacket. Although it wasn’t ideal summer weather I still had a great time. The cool thing about Iceland in the summer it is constant daylight from June to August. So even at 11 pm, do not expect a dark sky. When visiting Iceland an absolute ‘must see’ is the Blue Lagoon. To avoid being turned away, I highly recommend purchasing tickets on their website here to hold your spot and avoid being turned away. Visiting the blue lagoon was one of my favorite travel experiences to date. There is something about the 90-degree water and the 40-degree temperatures that just feels right. Throw in those beautiful views and you are guaranteed to forget that you are in a cold climate. Complete your visit at the Blue Lagoon by having dinner at their restaurant Lava. I didn’t get to spend as much time as I would have liked in Iceland, but it definitely high on my list to return back to.
All in all, I would like for people to understand that although warmer temperatures seem to be more fitting for our travels, there are many beautiful places with colder temperatures that are equally beautiful, if not more. In these cases, countries like Switzerland and Iceland will make you forget about the cold weather due to their natural beauty. Visiting these places taught me to expand my horizons.
