Our Summer Vacation Starts off with A Little Taste of Europe
“Go big or go home” is how to best describe our recent trip. With covid restrictions being lifted, going to Europe where masking was obsolete was literally a breath of fresh air….no pun intended. Our travels began in Barcelona to visit the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church – La Sagrada Familia. Getting around Spain was rather simple with the purchase of a unlimited 3 day pass. Definitely the best way to travel but make sure you don’t lose your paper ticket since it cannot be reprinted. At the church we joined a tour which really wasn’t necessary but allowed us to jump the lines and get to the towers quicker. The stairwells from the tower down are a bit of a narrow hike so if you are claustrophobic or not physically fit for climbing down stairs then you will want to pass on this part of the church. Kids will find a quaint little park just across the street where they can burn some energy and the parents can continue to enjoy magnificent views of the church. Lots of renovation are underway, which in my opinion is ruining the historic looks of the basilica but there was still a lot to see.
The subway will give you ample access to see the other creations by Antoni Gaudi such as Casa Mila, Park Guell and Casa Batllo. Park Guell was a bit of an adventure to get to and will require a few hours to tour. I felt it was worth it but depending on the weather you may want to reconsider since there is plenty of shade but given it is all outdoors, there is nowhere to hide from the humidity. Tickets for entry can be purchased at the gates. The subway stop is a bit of a hike up and down a hill so this may be a good time to hail a taxi. Casa Mila also requires a ticket for entry to the rooftop which is a windy maze of scenic views of Barcelona. I highly recommend working your way up there if you go out to Casa Mila since the exterior is a bit underwhelming. The city is very alive in this area so would be a great spot to walk around and grab some grub. Although I was warned many times to beware of pickpockets, I never really felt that unsafe.
Next stop was the city of love. But first was a night in Murano – a small island a few hundred yards from Venice. From the airport to the island was a quick water taxi, pricey but worth the experience. You may want to see if your hotel will pick up the bill. Other options include a cab or bus ride which costs significantly less and wouldn’t take too much longer. The charming little island was the first taste of what we had come to see. Surreal canals and water water water everywhere. Eating spots were limited in Murano but we did manage to find a few authentic places to eat, the best being Dalla Mora. The cigarette smoke everywhere takes some getting used to but stick your face in a bowl of pasta or down a “Spritz” and you will forget all about it…. well sort of. The US dollar is quite strong compared to the Euro so eating was a bargain and the average pasta dish was under $15.
You will want to spend a few days in Venice since there is so much to see and so many places to eat. You really can’t go wrong with any of the restaurants but be careful since some charge a hefty service charge just to plant your butt into a chair. Venice is inundated with tourists and it is evident the second you step into the city. With street vendors trying to sell you everything from a t-shirt to a license plate, it is easy to get caught up in the madness. Don’t be sucked into the first shop, there are tons everywhere with a variety of items. The key to the city is getting around. It is a twisty maze of canals and it’s easy to do circles but make sure you leave the grand canal to get a more “local” feel. Below I’ll go into the crux of the city.
Transportation: The best way to get around is of course the water bus, try to avoid the taxi service which is really expensive. Getting a ticket is a little challenging since the hours of operation are limited but look for a 3 day unlimited pass which will work on Murano and Venice. You will need to seek out a ticket office to get a discounted 3-day Rolling Venice card for the children which is considerably cheaper for those between the ages of 6 and 29. The water bus (Vaporetti) gets you up and the canal without difficulty but you may have to fight some crowds so it isn’t for the covid fearful. Tickets must be validated before use so look for the white electronic card reader near the walkway that leads to the floating vaporetto platform. (Some stations also have green card readers that cannot be used to validate tickets.) As for Venice itself you’ll have to see it to understand how amazing it is there.
Although the entire city feels like a huge tourist trap, there are tons to see and straying off the grand canal will get you glimpses of the gondolas and local life. Now is the gondola worth it? The jury is still out. The $80-$100 ride lasts about 30 minutes and takes you nowhere you couldn’t walk. You pay for the experience and not the scenic tour or the romance.
Without a doubt the best part of our vacation was our next stop…… Switzerland. We visited way too many places to go into detail so I’m going to outline some of our favorites. See the hotel section of my site to get details of lounges and hotels. I equate the cleanliness of the Swiss to that of the Japanese. Virtually no litter in sight and friendly people everywhere…. that is except for Geneva where it becomes more of what Americans are used to but still substantially cleaner than any big US city.
Zurich: High end shopping, a crystal clear lake and bad food. This pretty much sums this city up. Travel through the city center for some nice window shopping at Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex (don’t expect to find any watches available for purchase), and many more. With the Swiss Travel Pass you get access to the boat tour of Lake Zurich. The tour varies from 90 mins to 3 hours and some include a dinner package. The trams run up and down the city so don’t bother walking. For a quick cheap meal hit up Migros which is a local supermarket. In general dining in Switzerland is quite costly and the local foods such as fondue are less than desirable for my asian palate.
Alps: Our hub was Wengen. Just a few scenic hours on the train from Zurich and you are there. From Wengen you are a 20 minute train ride to a ton of villages such as Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Kleine Scheidegg and even Grindelwald. For those fearless of heights, a pricy but jaw dropping ride on a gondola will take you to the likes of Grindelwald. The gondola rides are not covered under the Swiss Travel Pass. Hit up google or travel advisor for must see stops but in a nut shell: Skip Jungfraujoch (top the Europe) if you have ever been skiing or get altitude sickness. Weather permitting, you may see nothing but clouds or a few peaks. Really not that impressive compared to the summits at your local ski resort. The cost of the train ride up may not be worth it and the travel pass doesn’t pay the way. Lauterbrunnen is a must for magnificent waterfalls as is of course Iseltwald (home of the infamous Korean drama – Crash Landing On You piano scene). The lake at Iseltwald is absolutely breathtaking but besides the pier there isn’t a whole lot to do there.
Zermatt is the home to the Matterhorn. If you are feeling adventurous then by all means schedule a tour to the summit but do expect to pass out a few times if you are not in top physical condition. We elected to stay in the city and had a hotel with views of the Matterhorn. A definite must is the sunrise onto the peak which turns it into a “Golden Matterhorn” and this may have been the highlight of our trip to Zermatt. The city is busy and is loaded with hotels. The taxi from the train to your hotel will cost you about $20 francs to go 100 yards but with cobblestone roads it could be worth it for those of you that haul heavy suitcases. If not, about a 20 minute walk is all that’s needed through the main street and you are in hotel row.
Geneva was not nearly like the rest of Switzerland. It was much busier and “dirty” for their standards. Getting around wasn’t nearly as convenient as Zurich and required buses and trams. We elected to take a taxi to and from the airport which really wasn’t worth it but the luggage made getting to the train station a bit of a pain. Lake Geneva was also a bit underwhelming but the shopping was very much like Rodeo Drive.
Transportation: The Swiss Travel Pass is plenty expensive at nearly $400/adult for a 6 consecutive day pass but it includes unlimited travel on the train, buses, trams and will cover all your needs for the entire country. Unless you rent a car, there really is no other way to get around. The Alps does not permit cars and at about $20 per round trip to each village, you will be forking out plenty of francs as a family. Kids age 6 to 16 are free with an adult if you have the travel pass. Once you get to the villages in the alps you will be extremely happy you dropped the coins for this pass since it is the only way to get around. The pass will get you everywhere except train rides to Jungfrau and includes boat tours of Lake Geneva and Zurich. The trains are not crowded at all and are very comfortable and clean. They run very frequently and do have restrooms on board most of the times. If ever you want to bite to eat, jump off at any train station for lots of choices including plenty of Migros supermarkets.
