Freiburg For a Day

Ever happen to be in Switzerland, just a few miles outside of Germany? No?
Well, if you do ever end up in a wonderful city like Basel (which I will write about soon!), make sure you hop on a Deutsche Bahn train (below) headed for Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, only 45 minutes away from Basel. It is one of the most walk-able cities I have ever been to and it's a great day trip if you're bored of any of the northern Swiss towns near the border.

 The architecture of this city is so interesting and unique, you don't need to worry about planning out your trip. Just simply walking around the main streets will give you an idea of the feel of the Baden-Württemberg town.

 The beautiful Muenster has so much going on around it.

 Maybe when you'll get to experience an awesome organ performance like we did.

 One of the nice little surprises was the vineyards located on the main street, just straight out from the train station. If you walk along this street you'll see vineyards and then the beginnings of old town Freiburg am Breisgau. Make sure you find the water canals, too! These little runnels are called Baechle in German and are one of the city's most known features.

Trust Me, Geneva Isn't Boring

One of the cities I have most frequented is Geneva, Switzerland. At first it seems that the town has pretty much nothing exciting to do... Whiiiiiich may be true for some if you don't look that hard.

But believe me, the city and its surroundings have plenty to offer if you make the effort.

WINTER:

Let's tackle the worst season of the year...

For starters, there is always going to be skiing. We tried out the beginner slopes at Verbier. The weather was surprisingly nice.

You might want to try Chamonix, if you're looking for a different experience in France instead of CH; plus you can visit the famous Mont Blanc!

When the cold finally gets to you, stop by a shop for some hot chocolate, French style, at any cafe or bakery along the street. Then pop into Chez Ma Cousine for a hearty meal of salad, half a chicken, and house-made potatoes (this is one of my favorites!). The family-oriented atmosphere and really good food makes for the perfect combination.

Palais des Nations makes for a good indoor activity for a half-day. I'm not sure about the tour booking process since my mom got us in easily, but make sure to look that up online before you go. And... make sure to visit the Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum while you're in that neighborhood.

And if you're willing to brave the wind, you can stop at Jet d' Eau, Europe's tallest fountain.

OR, you can just come back in the summer:

Winter day trips:

We took advantage of the snowy weather to take a small trip to Gruyeres to sample some of their world famous cheese and see how it's made. I mean, who doesn't absolutely ADORE aged, smelly cheeses?

***A little tip. Try not to get off at the wrong train stop, a random tiny village, for example, because it is very cold in the winter and you will be stuck for hours because there is only one train. NOT THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ME OR ANYTHING...

After our little mishap with the train, we finally made it to our second stop, the Cailler chocolate factory and tour.

 We enjoyed sights such as a cow made entirely of chocolate.

 And we got to sample some chocolate, of course. Here are the Cailler logs.

If you visit during the holidays, they might have a sale on chocolate at the gift shop!

More day trips and seasonal tips to come......